Joe The Plumber Campaigning On Specter's EFCA Vote

Even though Sen. Arlen Specter has let it be known that he will opposed the Employee Free Choice Act if that legislation comes to a vote, the battle to persuade him rages on.

On Wednesday the AFL-CIO issued not-so-subtle political threats to the Pennsylvania Republican. The labor federation announced plans to flood Specter's office with letters, calls and visits and potentially run advertisements pushing the Senator to change his mind.

On Thursday, the opposing side followed suit, bringing out Joe the Plumber (among others) to urge Specter to vote against the union-backed legislation.

In an advisory to the press, the pro-business Americans for Prosperity announced that, as part of its nationwide tour, they would be making stops in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia, during which the crew would be joined by the world's most famous non-licensed plumber and current conservative poster boy.

From the official press release:

Americans for Prosperity's National Save My Ballot Tour Travels to Pennsylvania, Mar. 30-31 Wednesday, March 25th 2009

Americans for Prosperity's National Save My Ballot Tour Travels to Pennsylvania, Mar. 30-31

Events in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia will feature special guest speaker Joe the Plumber

AFP urges Senator Sen. Arlen Specter to vote against Employee Free Choice Act

Story continues below

advertisement

HARRISBURG─ Americans for Prosperity (AFP) will defend workers' rights to cast secret ballots in Pennsylvania as part of its nationwide Save My Ballot tour in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as "card check," which would strip workers of their rights in union organizing elections.

"Some lawmakers want to abolish private ballot elections through the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act, and allow unions to organize just by collecting signatures on union cards. This would give them the ability to pressure and intimidate workers in public," said AFP President Tim Phillips. "We support the secret ballot so every worker has the right to vote on such an important matter without coercion or retaliation."

AFP will be joined by Joe the Plumber in taking its Save My Ballot Tour across Pennsylvania-- Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia-- to urge U.S. Senator Arlen Specter to vote against card check legislation.

"Senator Specter may be the deciding vote on this key piece of legislation," said Phillips. "We need to send him a strong message that the so-called Employee Free Choice Act is an enormous assault on our democratic values and on our rights here in Pennsylvania and across the nation."

Beginning in North Carolina, the nationwide tour kicked off in Greensboro and Raleigh last month where over 500 citizens urged Senator Kay Hagan to vote 'no' on card check legislation. After Pennsylvania, the tour will travel to Virginia and Arkansas.

Speakers will include business, community, and political leaders concerned about what "card check" legislation could do to hurt economic prosperity in Pennsylvania.

All events are free and open to the public. Food will be served.

Comments

[micahjrose]

The Employee Free Choice Act actually stops workplace intimidation that halts union organization. Unions can't go into workplaces to help them organize, while the employers can fire people trying to organize, stage anti-union trainings, and hold private intimidation meetings. The law used to be exactly what the Employee Free Choice Act is proposing, it was changed a long time ago and union membership has been in decline since.

The Employee Free Choice Act cuts out 1 step, intimidation by the jobsite before "secret" ballot. How it currently works is Unions have to get over 50% of workers at a sight to say they want a union election via card, before they can even get access to all the employees. The jobsite has full access before and after the union election proposal and use it to intimidate their workers. Even if 60% of the employees said they wanted to unionize via card, 40% or less my vote to do it come election time because they get fed a ton of propaganda from millionaire lawyers brought in from corporate. The Employee Free Choice Act allows unions to know who they are organizing before election time, and lets them treat the approval of a union as vote to unionize.

This legislation would protect workers, and Arlen Specter is forgetting who he was elected by. Arlen Specter is a Senator for one of the most union states in the country, if he votes against this he is a traitor to his constituency.

[neverfm]

They might want to put some "talking points" on a teleprompter for him, otherwise, he will probably become as confused and incoherent as Sarah Palin was during interviews. But wait, that would require an understanding of its use. Best forget it.

[Cambridge9]

May Joe doesn't want to get the same kind of criticism that our POTUS is getting for using the TelePrompTer! Let him handle the speeches off the cuff, they will be funnier.

[horsey]

Joe, ya hawny Joe, ya hawny?

[mergina]

WHO CARES?????­??????????­?????????

[dillydawg]

Exactly, it's M$M that keeps this joker alive.

[nirek]

Specter might care, he just got the kiss of death! If Joe likes you , you are in trouble.

[Tommygun264]

Sam the Tax Dodger's statement proves that he either has no understanding of EFCA, or he is just another pub lying to the public. In his case it is hard to tell which, since he has already proven himself both ignorant and dishonest on more than one occasion.

EFCA does NOT take away the employee's right to a secret ballot - it allows the employee to choose between a secret ballot and card check. Every time someone in the media repeats the lie about EFCA taking away the secret ballot by simply regurgitating statements made by the lunatic far-right fringe without adding a line at the end that says "contrary to this statement, EFCA gives employees the right to choose between and secret ballot and card check", they are helping to propagate this lie.

[maxfax]

What does Joe do for a living?

[Tommygun264]

Like most pub mouthpieces, he exploits those more ignorant than himself. However in Sam the Tax Dodger's case, those numbers are steadily dwindling.

[loki]

Damn, Joe Plumber , who is not a plumber or a Joe, is against it. So it must be bad.

[nowarpleez]

Does he know that he's from the working class? Does he even know what the EFCA is? What a loser!

[Tommygun264]

Working class? When have you ever seen him working?

[albanianmomforobama]

If i see Joe the Horney Plumber in my district, I will slap him on his face. PA is not Ohio. We are well educated in this state and don't need lecture from Joe the Stupid Plumber!!!!!

[urantiagirl]

Why are we even still discussing this disembler?

[postman606]

Mr. Stein, don't you think we're taking this stuff too far?

[JiminNC]

Sam the Scab

[JiminNC]

Yup - the unions might make this azzhat get a license to clean toilets.

[KansasWrangler]

Joe must be making a lot more money as a Repub lackey than he ever made working.

[doriath22]

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,blah, blah, blah-blah them goddam hippies"
This guy is STILL talking?!