Why Does a Routine FAA Spending Bill Include Harsh Anti-union Language?

The Republican strategy on Capitol Hill of legislating through hostage taking worked Monday -- and now unions are screwed.

House Republicans demanded that a routine FAA spending bill include harsh anti-union language that makes it harder for transportation workers to organize.

The change raises the threshold for seeking a union from 35 percent to 50 percent for transportation workers -- and Republicans basically said if Democrats don't agree to it then they'll shut down the FAA again -- just like they did last year.

Monday -- February, 6 -- despite 19 labor organizations writing a letter to Democrats calling on them to oppose the bill -- Democrats caved. A majority of Senate Democrats helped pass the bill and new anti-union law for transportation workers by a 75-20 vote.

As a letter from the Communication Workers of America read, "Rewarding the House Republican Leadership's desire to rewrite decades of long standing labor law in a flash by inserting an unrelated and controversial labor provision... sets an extremely dangerous precedent."

Indeed it does -- unfortunately -- it's been all too common in this 112th Congress -- paid for by over $300 million dollars in corporate spending.