Unions rake in record cash for campaigns

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-07-20-unions-campaigns_x.htm

Unions rake in record cash for campaigns
Updated 7/21/2006 3:32 AM

By Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — A year after six unions bolted from the AFL-CIO and formed their own federation, the two camps are raising record amounts of political money and seeking ways to do joint campaign work this fall.

Conflicts over how to expand the union movement led the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Teamsters and four other unions to secede from the AFL-CIO. Along with the Carpenters union, which had already left, they formed a new, 6-million-member federation, Change to Win.


Union members rally in Los Angeles in April. Between Jan. 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, federal reports show, major unions raised more money than they did for the last non-presidential campaign in 2002.

LABOR COMES TOGETHER: Revamped unions rev up activity

Between Jan. 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, federal reports show, major unions in both groups raised more money than they did for the last non-presidential campaign in 2002:

• The main SEIU political action committee and five local SEIU PACs raised about $15 million to give to candidates, a 62% increase.

• The main PAC for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), part of the AFL-CIO, has raised $9.1 million, a 39% increase.

Nationally, the AFL-CIO and Change to Win are on track to spend considerably more than the $35 million the AFL-CIO spent in 2002 to register, educate and turn out union voters.

[Reckon]

1. Good News, Thanks!...... nt

[BlueCaliDem]

2. Excellent news! My union, the SEIU already raised $15 Million which...

....shows Americans are finally waking up, and the lies, and more lies told by corporation about unions aren't having any effect anymore!

I always wondered why people disliked unions so much? I mean, my union got me dental at 50% off all dental work (and I only work 31 hours a month!), and have fought Schwarzenegger tooth and nail to stop him from trying to eliminate In-House Support Services to men and women caring for a handicapped family member.

Because of our union in Los Angeles, we stopped him twice from acting upon 100% elimination of IHSS money, and even got a raise per hour!

Unions have always been family, and working men/women friendly. Why did so many so easily buy into well-funded corporate lies that unions are a drag on the working class when nothing is further from the truth?

Much like the fact that Republicans continue to espouse the lies that universal healthcare is government run, and therefore, evil.

How could Americans across the country allow themselves to be mislead with being fed crap like that? That's why 46 million in this nation still don't have any form of health insurance!

California, for example, leads the way with funding for embryonic stem cell research, and is on it's way to getting single-payer Universal Health Care through SB 840 using workman's comp, and the money already being spent to pay for the uninsured here which cost Californians hundreds of millions more.

Then again, California is a solid Democratic state with a few Republicans that are basically powerless in this state's Congress, but, unfortunately, still pretty prominent in the U.S. Congress.

The key here is, when Democrats govern, everyone benefits.

When Republicans govern, only those who can afford it, benefit.

It's that simple.

[Stargazer99]

3. You got it in black and white

Now those who think they are going to become rich or well off by being pulled around by conservative Republican myths need to wake up.