Rabbis Lobby Specter On Employee Free Choice Act

Adding a religious element to the day's biggest labor-policy debate, a group of 30 rabbis penned a letter in Philadelphia's largest Jewish newspaper on Thursday, urging Sen. Arlen Specter to support the Employee Free Choice Act.

Writing in the Jewish Exponent, the rabbis -- accompanied by one rabbinical student and a rabbinical studies professor -- weren't bashful about getting Talmudic with 'card check.' Addressing Specter, himself a Jew, they write:

Every major religion is sympathetic to the laborer. Judaism was early among the major religions in its assertion that labor involved more than mere economic activity. The commandment to observe the Sabbath was as much an affirmation of human dignity as of divine authority. "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." But the seventh day was to be holy - holy in the eyes of God, but equally important - holy in its respect for all who work. As it is written in Deuteronomy: "You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, but you must pay him his wages on the same day, for he is needy and urgently depends on it."

It is not always easy to translate the sanctity of labor into terms that have meaning today, a time in which the marketplace seems to have been elevated above all other holy altars. We believe that the Employee Free Choice Act presents an opportunity to give concrete meaning to the often frustrated dream of a just society.

The Rabbis go on to argue that EFCA has been "targeted with a smear campaign" by its opponents in part because it "would help to re-establish a sense of balance in our economic system."

"It is a way of balancing the scales of justice, of giving workers rights that most of us would take for granted," they conclude before urging Specter to add his "name to the growing lists of sponsors" of the bill.

Paid for by the Jewish Labor Committee -- which is part of the AFL-CIO -- the ad is the latest and by far most sanctified effort yet to persuade the Senator to drop his opposition to the union-backed measure. Whether Judaism's religious figures will have more pull than the labor's heavy hitters in influencing Specter's vote remains to be seen. Surely it doesn't hurt the union community to have a touch of the divine behind its efforts.

It should be noted that there is, according to a labor official, no known union of rabbis. Also, the Jewish Exponent -- for newspaper buffs -- began publishing in 1887.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[susane07]

And what's with George McGovern? These two men obviously have absolutely no comprehension on what workers go through every day on their jobs. It's pathetic.

[roshni]

Kudos to the rabbis for supporting workers and their rights.

[DrJulienArbor]

Is that who there supporting?

http://www.jewishexponent.com/aboutus.aspx

http://jewishphilly.org/page.aspx?ID=95628

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/phillyfed.html

[DeeDee48]

Good for the rabbis. I wonder if any of the Catholic Repubs have heard from their bishops about Catholic social teaching--­essentiall­y supporting a working wage, among other things. That's not religion, it's morality. Oh, I forgot, most of them are probably at Notre Dame getting ready to demonstrate against the president.

[Lilith33]

Nope they only care about the unborn.

[vandegrasse]

He is an embarrassment to Jewish people. Good for the Rabbis.

[Mike949]

I have no problem with the letter it's totally apprpriate for people to provide their perspective.

I still don't understand the rationale for not having a secret ballot. (Workers can vote to have a secret ballot but as I understand that vote is also not secret).
If a ballot is secret then neither management nor the union boss knows how someone voted.

What am I missing here? ( I am only asking for rationale for card check as opposed to secret ballot.)

[Weirdwriter]

Ask yourself why it's the bosses, not the workers, asking for a secret ballot.

In the past, bosses could demand a long period for the vote, then use the time and the anonymity to pressure vulnerable workers into casting nonunion votes. The bosses would know with pretty good certainty, who voted no. Their fellow workers and labor organizers would not, so could not reach out to the pressured workers.

Last read here at HuffPo: Dianne Feinstein and Arlen Specter cobbled some compromise. Workers would get a ballot they could take home, vote immediately and send it quickly to the National Labor Relations Board to do the counting.

[ClearAirTurbulence]

The EFCA does not do away with the secret ballot. It is still an option of the workers want it.

The problem is that, as it is now, the majority of workers can sign up to organize, and the company can force them to wait and have a second vote, and during the waiting period for the secret ballot they pressure the employees to vote against it and fire those they are sure will vote for it.

[Mike949]

My point is that an employee who wants the secret ballot will be known to union leaders. If this legislation passes and an employee requests a secret ballot it will be evident that person is not in favor of the union.

Am I mistaken in my perception of the EFCA?

[DrJulienArbor]

This is a violation of their 501(c)3 status... as has been the case with numerous other religious groups... and it should have been taken away YESTERDAY.

These religious groups are not paying taxes therefore giving them an upper hand financially.

LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.

[Weirdwriter]

What a sweeping, ignorant comment.

There are major corporations and very well-off individuals paying little or no taxes. And many individuals who don't earn enough to pay taxes.

But I'll betcha most of the regulars of most "religious groups" pay taxes.

[Steambomb]

it dont matter if their members pay taxes if the rabbi's are representing themselves as a group of rabbi's then its an issue.

[navalvet]

First of all, they are advocating a policy rather than electioneering. Secondly, their synagogues enjoy the tax exempt status, not the rabbis, Thirdly, not all of them are even leaders of congregations.

If a clergymen endorses a candidate from the pulpit, there is a clear violation of the house of worship's tax exemption. Certainly, this is not the case.

[vandegrasse]

Take it from the fundamentalist Christian groups as well then. They've had free rein to use their tax-exempt status to manipulate politics for decades.

[DrJulienArbor]

I didn't single out any religion. The same holds true for EVERY one of them!

[vandegrasse]

Organized religion should go away especially when its corporatized. Spirituality is part of our DNA.

[Weirdwriter]

What part of "organized religion" do you want removed?

The negative part that stumps for policies and politicians you don't like, the anti-choice campaign, the judgmental mindset, etc.

Or...

The part that stumps for policies and politicians you do like, the courage to stand up for convictions and the rights of others, the part that supports what's left of the only safety nets left in many places for the poor, the homeless and the imprisoned?

It's like saying yer against government. Which parts?

[Bitsko]

Some commentors here don't seem to realize that ALL Americans have the right and duty to tell their politicians what they think.

[navalvet]

Indeed, I believe that freedom of association and freedom of speech are in the Bill of Rights.

[Bitsko]

That's what happens after eight years of a presidency that believed his powers superceded the law.

[RandVictims]

Labor is an investment. If you play by the beliefs that you get out what you put in, you get value. The country is in its worst shape in 80 years because of the lack of investment in labor.

The ***ONLY*** time this country was strong was when there was a strong middle class. If 90% of the people are disenfranchised, this will negatively every aspect of this Republic and it is more than evident now. This country is heading for a failed-state status, this is clear.

That said, if the Plutocrats are going to piss and moan about a **little** fair balance added to Capitalism, maybe we should only support Socialist leaders from now on(?) If Capitalism means only Plutocracy than Socialism is a far, far better choice (no-brainer) to 98% of Americans. But if balance is restored, Capitalism will work once again.

The establishment has a **very serious** choice to make about the future of this country. Let's hope they choose wisely.

[Bitsko]

Well put. The New Deal and the unions made the American middle class.

[festry548]

No offense to these rabbis, but if they wanted to get Senator Specter's attention, they should have taken out a full-page ad in the Washington Post.

[Weirdwriter]

Like rabbis got that kind of money?

[tippydog11]

corruption of capitalism? which does create more socialism-----more working poor then ever before....­lust and ..worship of wealth ---the wealthy think they are the only ones who deserve a good life...and a fair wage and beyond and pay not their fair share or none in taxes period....­labors do not deserve a good life also ---should work everyday for cheap labor so the rich can get richer... .

[DFutureIsNow]

I hope Specter knows how hard it is out there for the little guy and changes his mind

[jmpurser]

Calling on a "former" republican to do the right thing because his religion tells him to.

Them boys got whatcha call chutzpa!

[sheilaofmiami]

and you spell it so well.

[Bitsko]

"Them boys" are probably your grandfather's age.

[Weirdwriter]

Not necessarily. Got a niece who's a rabbi.

And even if he mispelled "chutzpah," I don't think JP meant it as a slam. Ease up on the gentile, folks.

[tokenconservative]

I love how when a Christian pastor is preaching about his morals, it's automatically a political speech, but when a group of Jewish rabbis specifically address policy, we all encourage him.

[jmpurser]

Did you notice that the Preaching Christian is telling his flock how to vote while the rabbi's were telling an elected official their view on the subject.

[nuclearmonkeys]

Yep. One is thinly veiled electioneering, and the other is a constituency making themselves heard to their elected representative.

[daffey]

I thought politicians weren't supposed to let religion affect their decisions. When Christians call upon politicians to use their faith, I've heard many folks say that is wrong and religion shouldn't be part of the decision. So what am I missing?

[Bitsko]

Go burn a cross.

[Progress08]

You better watch it. He may just convert to catholicism to serve his own ends.

[SweetBabu]

LOL! I'm sure if the polls showed he could win that way he would. Maybe Newtie could be his sponsor.

[Bitsko]

A-Okay!

[navalvet]

Don't confuse Arlen and Newt.

[Durango]

Since I don't believe a word of what the Christian fundamentalists believe and as a result I am going to Hell.

Yet I agree 100% with these rabbinical scholars, maybe I should become Jewish?

Where can i sign up. that way I wouldn't need to fear going to Hell either.

[Weirdwriter]

Ya think the fundamentalists are the only Christians? They're just the loudest and get the most press, is all. When the reasonable and tolerant followers of Christ speak up, somehow it ain't news.

[yakaria]

As a Jew. Don't let politics determine what Religion you chose. Instead let your heart tell you.

[roshni]

Reform Judaism makes a lot of sense to me. Fundamentalist anything is bothersome.