Specter Will Vote Against Employee Free Choice Act

UPDATE: Senator Specter ended speculation on where he would come down on the Employee Free Choice Act by declaring, on the Senate floor, that he would oppose the legislation until the economy improves.

"The problems of a recession make this a particularly bad time to enact Employee's choice legislation," he said. "Employers understandably complain that adding a burden would result in further job losses. If efforts are unsuccessful to give labor sufficient bargaining power through amendments to the [National Labor Relations Act] then I would be willing to reconsider Employees choice legislation when the economy returns to normalcy. I am announcing my decision now because I have consulted with a very large number of interested parties on both sides and I have made up my mind."

Addressing the politics of the situation, he declared: "This announcement should end the rumor mill that I have made some deal for my political advance. I have not traded my vote in the past and I would not do so now."

Labor officials are incredibly distraught and, in some cases incredulous, noting the Specter co-sponsored the bill in 2003 and voted for cloture just last year. But while it is a setback for the legislation's chances, Democrats are not conceding defeat. According to the Huffington Post's Ryan Grim, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared after Specter's speech that "He's not the only Republican who has indicated a willingness to consider something being done... He's not the only suspect."

* * * * *

Some big news emerged Tuesday in regards to the debate over the Employee Free Choice Act, with a prominent Republican strategist declaring that Sen. Arlen Specter will vote against cloture on and passage of the bill.

Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist broke the news during a speech at the Capital Research Center Labor Summit, saying that Specter's chief of staff had let it be known that he would oppose the legislation, which would make it easier for unions to organize. Norquist's remarks were subsequently reported on the Twitter account of Larry Farnsworth -- the former Speechwriter and Deputy Press Secretary to Speaker Dennis Hastert -- and seconded by Dave Weigel of the Washington Independent.

If true, it represents a major blow for EFCA supporters. Specter was the one Senate Republican to vote for cloture when the bill came to the floor in 2007. And with 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster, his defection presents a major parliamentary hurdle for the legislation's passage.

The Pennsylvania Republican is likely to face a major primary challenge from Club For Growth president Pat Toomey in the 2010 election, which may have factored into this apparent decision.

Said Toomey of Specter's announcement: "It's nice to see Sen. Specter reverse his position in a positive direction on card check, but I wish it didn't take primary opposition to get him to do it."

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On the other side of the political coin, several unions had let it be known that they would have put their political muscle behind the Senator had he voted to support EFCA.

According to an attendee at the CRC Labor Summit, Norquist "was giving a speech at lunch time" when he told the crowd: 'By the way I have breaking news. When I was eating lunch I got a call from Specter's Chief of Staff saying he was voting against cloture.' [The Chief of Staff] had apparently read a prepared statement to Grover over the phone and the Senator's office will apparently be releasing that statement later today."

A call and email to Americans for Tax Reform were not immediately returned.

UPDATE: From Americans for Tax Reform's twitter account:

Sen. Specter has confirmed to Americans for Tax Reform that he will vote against both cloture and passage on the Employee Free Choice Act

Labor officials, meanwhile, are nervous about the development, though one cautioned that this could be another example of "Norquist overreaching."

Comments

[FedUpWithUSW]

The unions are more interested in political clout than they are in representing workers. It is a numbers game to them. The more employees they can get under their umbrella, the more political clout they have when they lobby. They no longer care about the workers. This anti-democratic power grab must be stopped and I applaud Senator Specter for having the courage to stand up to big labor.

[Gould123]

Specter sold his vote to the big corp.'s for his campagne money he need in 2010. Shame on him!

[Nonamnesiac]

EFCA needs to be made part of the Budget Reconciliation Act, requiring only 51 votes. EFCA is clearly critical to reversing the economic downslide as it is one of the few pieces of legislation that will help raise the wages of middle class people. And as these increased wages will be part of the costs of projects that are inclluded in the budget, it is germane to the budget and therefore should be included in the budget.

Democrats who oppose this should be opposing it at their peril.

[wdw505]

i would be ok with EFCA if you remove card check

[IndieBlue]

Remove the provision of the bill that is the point of the bill and you would support the bill. Got it.

[jordan3189]

What about the 20% unemployment rate it could cause? We'll just tax all your new found wealth to create a job bank for them.

[IndieBlue]

Cite your source.

[ContrarianLibertarian]

No elected Democrat is going to openly oppose it. Of course they'd do that at their peril.

But I really don't think they want this albatross around their necks. So they're stringing organized labor along and giving it lip service.

If they wanted it bad enough (like the stimulus bill), they could figure out a way to make it pass. But they don't, so they won't.

[FedUpWithUSW]

At least the Union bosses would have jobs. They could give themselves a raise and a pat on the back.

[DMEEPhD]

Arlen Spector; a loud noise, signifying nothing.

[jordan3189]

Let me see if I got this right, Efca passes, companies are forced to unionize. Than companies lay off 30% of work force to pay the other 70% a "fair" wage. So unemployment shoots up to 20 to 30 percent, but everybody is unionized. You think somehow that this is good for business and the economy?

[Lillopa]

spector works for who and it is not us... campaign money huge money comes from who?? corporations--in elections money should only come from votes not big busniessess or lobbyist you thiink??

[Truby]

No, really I want to vote for this act but the it will hurt business, so I can't.

Yes this is paraphrasing but is it not what he meant?

[wdw505]

of course..........good i glad he feels the heat

[Carole Huber]

No, really I want to vote for this act but my party won't let me vote anything but "NO!"

[jordan3189]

Did not seem to have party issues on that outrageous stimulus vote. Funny how you loved him then.

[Demoid]

If the unions that always backed Specter for Senate instead supported the Democrats who ran against him they wouldn't have this problem. There are no pro-union Republicans and they were stupid to believe that Specter is any different. Maybe now they've learned their lesson.

[wdw505]

good spector has felt the heat coming his way......

[jinxed]

Ever notice how it is always a bad time if a law is favorable to the workers getting a fair shake? Wonder when a good time will be ... haven't seen a good time for workers rights in 30+ years.

[kismet96738]

amen, brother.

[newshawk14]

Specter is not the worst republican out there, with some of them having EEGs that have flat
lined, but this is a strong reason for defeating and replacing him in his next senate race. I hope
it's a good democrat or a socially liberal but fiscally conservative republican, although I think
that they may have become extinct.

[Osusuki]

Senate Rule XXIII is, after the supermajority rule in the California State Legislature, the most aggrivating piece of outdated trash ever to afflict this country. These Republicans are in the minority, by a LOT. So why is it they can still be allowed to gum up the works? I don't say we need the "nuclear option," but changing the majority requirement from 60 to 55 for cloture in the senate would be a welcome change from thirty years of gridlock. Let's face it. This country has been really harmed by the fact that, in the face of an outmoded idea of gentlemanly conduct, men of good will can do nothing to fix the problems we face.

[Ramirez]

The Democrats are in control of the Senate and they can make any rule change they like.

[rf-hawaii]

EFCA passage is a necessity to turn this Republicanized mess back into a country.

[joebloe]

Current National Labor Relations Board rules allow an EMPLOYER to get rid of a union with "card check" 50%+1.
No election! ......Where is the right-wing outrage on that?

Why can't EMPLOYEES have the same right to form a union? We're not asking to rule the world, only to have a say in our working conditions.

http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/GC%20Memo/2009/GC%2009-04%20Guidelines%20memo%20concerning%20Withdrawal%20of%20Recognition%20based%20on%20loss%20of%20majority%20support.pdf

http://washlaborwire.com/2008/12/02/nlrb-general-counsel-issues-guidelines-on-employer-withdrawal-of-recognition/

[SelenicMagick]

I am about as ANTI union as a person can get however I don't believe that employers should have the ability to use the card check EITHER.

[wdw505]

i agree with you

[Ramirez]

If the employees want to be represented by a union they will vote in support of one. Unions should not fear the secret ballot.

[joebloe]

So what about the employers? They don't have to have a secret ballot.

They don't have to have an election at all.

[kismet96738]

Unions don't...employees do. I went through a failed union attempt at a large hotel chain. The union busters are scary scary people. I am pro-union, and a grandchild of union organizers from Gary Indiana (steel, back in the day). I was afraid to vote for the union...really needed the job. If we had card check, we would've unionized, I believe. I know I would've voted for it via card check. But I thought I would get fired. What my employer did was wrong and should be illegal. Failing that, workers need card check.

[113]

and once again i'm forced to wonder why some working class people vote for republicans...they end up hurting you and everyone else except those at the very top.

[Brillig]

Because working class people are living out their karma...they deserve to be poor, If they did not, they would do the things, and think the thoughts that make them rich people.

Instead they absorb, like sponges, any idea that makes them say to themselves " money is good as long as it is not my money".