Card check legislation leaves 'ugly choice' for Specter

Jun 10, 2009 — Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Brad BumstedSTATE CAPITOL REPORTER

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvanians of both political parties oppose legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize, a statewide poll shows, creating a dilemma for Sen. Arlen Specter as he campaigns for re-election next year as a Democrat.

"It's an ugly choice for him," said pollster James Lee, president of Susquehanna Polling and Research Inc.

Specter abandoned the Republican Party in April after almost three decades. In March, he said he would vote to prevent the so-called "card check" legislation from reaching a Senate vote. But organized labor a key Democratic Party constituency is urging Specter to support the bill.

The Employee Free Choice Act is labor's top legislative priority and among business groups' top targets.

If passed, the legislation would be the most sweeping change to the National Labor Relations Act since it was passed in 1935. Opponents filibustered the bill last year. And this year, unions are requiring candidates, such as Specter, to support the bill before granting endorsements.

Perhaps most feared by employers and most coveted by unions is a provision that would force both sides to agree to a contract within 120 days of a union organizing. If they don't, federal arbitrators would impose a contract.

National advertising campaigns from both sides are focusing on the portion of the bill that would allow unions to organize through worker signatures, rather than a vote known as "card check."

Opponents say such establishment of a union would expose workers to intimidation by union organizers, while unions say it would protect workers from anti-union intimidation by bosses.

Lee's poll of 700 registered voters found that voters oppose the legislation by a 55 percent to 29 percent margin. Forty percent said they strongly oppose the legislation, compared with 15 percent strongly in favor, the poll showed.

The poll, conducted in late May, had a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.

"I don't think unions work all that well especially with the times being the way they are," said Tammy Jo Bush, 39, of Huntingdon, a saleswoman and party planner. "American people ask for too much. They should just be glad they have a job."

The legislation pending before Congress would allow unions to organize if a majority of workers sign cards.

Specter told union members Saturday in Pittsburgh that he would try to find a compromise.

Newsmax.com reported Monday that Specter said union members would be "satisfied" with how he votes on card check.

"The senator said he is working toward a compromise," said Chris Nicholas, Specter's campaign manager. "The senator has acknowledged that the previous support organized labor gave him was very helpful, and he looks forward to having that support again."

Nicholas noted that Bill George, president of the AFL-CIO in Pennsylvania, praised Specter on Saturday for backing labor "on many bread-and-butter issues, including the (economic) stimulus vote."

George could not be reached for comment.

The poll found that 68 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of Independents oppose card check. Democrats oppose it by a 44 percent to 37 percent margin.

Josh Goldstein, press secretary for American Rights at Work, a nonprofit group dedicated to union issues, said the poll is flawed.

"The outcome of this bogus poll is irrelevant, given that the questions are merely a regurgitation of opposition rhetoric and in no way a reflection of the facts in the legislation," Goldstein said.

But Lee said: "(Specter) is clearly in a box. I think the key is whether he'd rather be damaged in the primary or the fall."

Specter faces the possibility of a strong primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, a Delaware County Democrat.

Sestak on Monday told the Tribune-Review: "I'm there. I've made a personal decision to get into the race," but he has not formally announced.

Card check "is one of the critical issues Specter faces before a Democratic primary. Unions are pretty important in a Democratic primary," said G. Terry Madonna, political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College. "Sestak is for card check in its current form."

Madonna said he believes Specter will "vote for a modified version" of card check.

Staff writer Mike Wereschagin contributed to this report.