Shimkus, Biggert Selling Out the Private Ballot? Updated

by Greg Blankenship

Listed below are  some of the Republicans who are being trotted out by the labor unions as supporting "Card Check" legislation to end free elections for unionization.

Americans United for Change and American Rights at Work Series of conference call briefings to urge members of congress to support the "Employee Free Choice Act." Schedule:

10 a.m.: Call with Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-N.Y.

11 a.m.: Call with Rep. Phil English, R-Pa. and Rep. Todd Platts, R-Pa.

1 p.m.: Call with Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill. and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.

2 p.m.: Call with Rep. John Kline, R-Minn. and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

3 p.m.: Call with Rep. Marilynn Musgrave, R-Colo. [Note: Call-in, 641-297-7250; password, 833206.]
Location: None given. 10 a.m.
Contact: 202-263-4576

Update:  I called the Springfield office.  It doesn't appear to be on Cong. Shimkus' schedule.  I have a call in to the DC office.

More...  I just heard back from the DC office. via email.  "We have never been contacted about any such call."  I've followed up with a question on how Cong. Shimkus intends to vote.

This just  In: The labor union conference calls were not, as advertised, held with various Republican congressmen who were supporting the “card Check” legislation.

They were union conference calls to attack them for not yet supporting “card Check.’

Some of the republicans listed were possible targets to swing bad.

Others have been leaders of the good guys side.

That's good news.

Comments

[Ralf]

If the unions can avoid an election, shouldn't turn-about be fair? Why shouldn't management be able to approach workers separately and get them to vote for de-certification? Why couldn't a competing union throw the incumbent union out?

[Jeremy Funk]

These calls were never advertised as featuring the Representatives -- only that said Reps. would be "called on" to support the Employee Free Choice Act -- which they were -- and as it turns out, both Biggert and Shimkus chose to protect Corporate America's bottom line, not the best interest of the middle class workers in Illinois, with their votes against it. Pretty sad.