Anti-union group airs TV ads in state (right to work on Nov. ballot in Colorado)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9628684

Spokesman: Push not tied to measure
By Andy Vuong
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 06/18/2008 11:50:37 PM MDT

With Colorado in the throes of an escalating squabble between unions and business, a national anti-union organization launched an advertising campaign Wednesday in the state.

The Center for Union Facts in Washington, D.C., is financing two TV commercials, one attacking the effort by labor to make it easier to organize workplaces and the other criticizing forced dues.

Spokesman Tim Mil ler said the group wants to raise awareness about the union- backed Employee Free Choice Act, which would amend federal law to allow labor groups to organize workplaces by submitting signed authorization cards from a majority of employees. Currently, union certification also requires a secret vote by workers. The bill died in Congress last year, but Miller said he expects unions to renew the effort.

He said the group's ad campaign is not connected to the Colorado right-to-work measure, which has been certified for the November ballot and has divided the state's business community.

Last week, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce said it opposes the effort to ban mandatory union membership and fees, citing the dangers of having voters approve several union- backed countermeasures. The stance conflicts with that of the state chamber of commerce, which has voted to support the measure.

Jess Knox, executive director of a pro-union coalition, said the timing of the ad campaign is "questionable at best."

"Their (right-to-work proponents') ship has taken on some serious water here, and all of a sudden, in comes the paid mouthpiece with messages to gin up the conversation and to try to change the subject," Knox said.

The group has run the ads in Oregon and Maine and plans to show them in other markets.

Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209 or [email protected]

Videos at link.