right to work for less right to work speakers bureau training welcome 10/09/2007...

Right to Work for Less

Right to Work Speakers Bureau Training

Welcome 10/09/2007

Jk:uawlocal760aflcio

The National Landscape



What is Right to Work?

“Right to Work laws make it illegal for unions to collect fees for services that the law requires them to provide.”

RTW laws state that a worker can get all the benefits of having a union without having to pay any dues or agency fees. RTW forces unions to spend resources and members’ dues dollars on “free riders.” This weakens the union, collective bargaining and the contract.



Federal lawalready protects workers who don’t want to be

members of a union, buteveryone must pay their share of negotiating and

administering thecontract - that’s just fair.




Workers in states with so-called “right to work”laws have a consistently lower

quality of life than in other states.Lower wages, higher poverty and less

access to health care, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S.

CensusBureau. Why should Michigan adopt a losing “right

to work” strategy that lowers the standard of living for workers and their families?



Who is behind RTW in Michigan?

The Detroit Newspapers, primarily The Detroit News

Republican Rep Jack Hoogendyk

Dick and Betsy DeVos

Republican Senator Nancy Cassis

Republican Senator Mike Bishop


David Brandon, CEO Domino’s Pizza

Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive

Nolan Finley, Editor Detroit News

Michigan news papers are acting just like the Okalahoma Statesman

Tuesday, August 14, 2007•

UNION DIVIDE, PART 1Labor bosses don't share workers' painIn tough times, leaders still gain as workers lose groundMike Wilkinson and Ron French / The Detroit News


Who is behind RTW in Michigan?

The largest conservative state-level policy think-tank in the nation. The Michigan-based organization promotes right wing ultra free market policies on a wide range of issues and espouses limited government principles. In the last few years, the center has received grants from:

•Sarah Scaife Foundation

•Roe Foundation

•Ruth and Lovett Peters Foundation

•Rodney Fund

•Orville D. and Ruth A. Merillat Foundation

•JM Foundation

•Earhart Foundation

•Charles G. Koch Foundation

•Walton Family Foundation

•Dick and Betsy Devos Foundation

•Lynde and Harry Bradley FoundationJk:uawlocal760aflcio


Who is behind RTW nationally?

Tom DeLay Indicted Former U.S. Congressman & House

Majority Leader




The Walton Family Foundation




Holland Coors of the Coors Beer Dynasty




Grover Norquist, The Alliance for Worker Freedom

Americans for Tax Reform

New Orleans, Louisianan A Right to Work State


Center for Union Facts


Headed by Rick Bermanwww.unionfacts.comLast year, $5 million ad campaign against Labor including print/tv/radio ran ads in Michigan, Montana, & Oregon (RTW targets)


http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showPerson.php?id=3042&name=CENTER-FOR-UNION-FACTS

Est. in 1955, 250+ employees, 11 attorneys, claim 2.2 million members Lobbying arm – spent more than $2 million annually to push Congress to enact RTW bills,

National Center for Policy Analysis/Heritage Foundation

Council for National Policy

Public Service Research Council/Public Service Research Foundation



http://www.heritage.org/


What do Michiganians think about RTW?

If the vote were held today

49% supports RTW

40% opposes

11% are undecided

Greenberg Quinlan July30-August 6, 2007



What do Michigan union members think about RTW?

If the vote were held today

21% supports RTW

67% opposes

12% are undecided




What do Union household think about RTW?

30% supports RTW

60% opposes

10% are undecided




Do you believe Michigan workers should or should not change its law so individuals workers can decide whether or not to pay dues?

56% Should change the Law

35% Should not change the law

9% Undecided

Gallup Organization 09/01/2006



62% of likely Michigan voters support the basic idea of RTW.

59% said they would vote in favor of a proposal to make Michigan a RTW state.

How would Michigan Vote?

EPIC-MRA June 10-13, 2007



Oklahomans for No on 695

The 2001 Campaign to Defeat

Right-to-Work in Oklahoma

(The last state to go RTW)

The Oklahoma Experience


Strategy• High Labor Turnout in a Low Turnout Election• 500,000 Turnout Projection • Win Labor (80-80-80) and make labor 20% of turnout• Short Public Campaign – 4 to 5 weeks• Never refer to as “Right-to-Work,” only as State Question

695• Where we Started All voters: 57% Yes

32% No

Union HH: 21% Yes

71% No


September 11th - 2 Weeks Out

• 9/11 Terror Attack - all go off air

Why it all changed

1,100 canvassers on Election Day

3,750 canvassers total

• Knocked on 60,000 Doors over weekend

• Knocked on all walkable union doors twice on election day

Final GOTV

134,786 completed calls 41,266 No Votes Identified190,000 GOTV call universe


Election Results

• Yes Vote 447,072

• No Vote 378,465

• Total Turnout 825,537

• Labor 15% of 2001 Vote

(Projected turn out at the start of the campaign was 500,000)

(Labor is only 6% of the total work force)


80-80-80

90% 80%Support

88% 80%Turnout

86% 80%Registration

ResultGoal

Source: Lake 9/01


Union Support

No Yes Margin

Union Households* 86% 14% +72%

African American 78% 22% +56%

Democratic Women 81% 19% +62%

Democratic Men 70% 30% +40%

*Includes OEA

Source: Lake 9/01


Up Against a Daily Drumbeat of Anti-Union Attacks

• Governor’s #1 priority• Oklahoma Statesman Newspaper hammering

the issue• National Right-to-Work Committee will spend

millions • Other right wing extremist organizations will pour

in millions more• Opponents on air 6 weeks before election day

with first $1 million


Gov. Frank Keating received the National Right-to-Work Committee's Statesman of the Year award.

Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating 25th Governor of Oklahoma

In the commercial aired just days prior to the vote, Frank told viewers

It was patriotic to vote and he would personally be voting for RTW. This created the impression among voters, that voting for RTW was an

act of patriotism.

.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fkeating.jpg

Lessons from Oklahoma

• What to Repeat in Michigan– Strong Internal Program

• Voter Registration• Good Union Buy-In• Membership outreach and education is critical

• What to Change– Better community coalitions– Have 1 convener like the State AFL-CIO – START EARLIER

Why Michigan Could Be Different• Larger union density means more Union votes

– Oklahoma: 6%– Michigan: 20%

• Larger African American base: 14%• Working America

– Open 2 Offices to house canvassers – Goal: 150,000 additional members by 11/4/08

The Michigan Labor Movement

Maximize These Advantages!

MUST


Labor’s Plan to Defeat RTW



#1 EDUCATE OUR MEMBERS

Worker to Worker flyers in the worksites monthly

Sept., Oct., Nov.,Dec.

Articles in every Labor newsletter monthly

Letters from LU presidents to members

Monthly speech material



SEPTEMBER: Message: Media: Locals:

1st. person stories of value of my Union Radio continues week of Labor Day, all Labor Day parades move message Newsletter articles, speakers available for all membership meetings/events, participate in focus groups

OCTOBER: Message: Media: Locals:

1st. person stories of working non-union and/or in RTW states Letters to editor on message Newsletter articles, speakers available for all membership meetings/events, flyer available



NOVEMBER:Message: Media: Locals

The big picture - national right wing agenda Letters to editor - who is behind R TW Newsletter articles, speakers available for all membership meetings/events

DECEMBER: Message: Media: Locals:

Comparison stats on RTW vs Union states Letters to editor on message Newsletter articles, speakers available for all membership meetings/events, President's letter out to members

Jan. thru Nov.8th. Full Blown ballot campaign



#2 EDUCATE OUR FRIENDS

Letters to the editor on the value of unions

Outreach to union friendly employersMail out information to the state’s Democrats

Mail out information to coalition groupsEnviromental, Womens, Civil Rights,Farmers and Religious Community

Involve our Union Constituency groups



#3 LABOR’S SPEAKERS BUREAU

Goal - 300 trained member to member speakers Fall 2007

(Currently 200 are trained)

Training at all Central Labor Councils Fall 2007

Presentations to all Local Union meetings, trainings and conferences



#4 MOBILIZING MEMBERS

Using State Legislative Bills to mobilize members

Call and write your legislator

Begin preparing for a ballot signature campaign



Next step for all of us

Worker to Worker outreach in worksites

Speaking at CLCs and Local Union Meetings

Speak to family and friends

Information to Local Unions

I.D. and inform constituency Groups



Talking to members about Right to Work - Skills practice

•What is RTW?

•Why is RTW bad for Michigan?

•The facts - state comparisons?

•Who is really behind RTW?

•RTW: Fairness vs. Free Riders?



RTW laws state that a worker can get all the benefits of having a union without having to pay any dues or agency fees.

RTW forces unions to spend resources and members’ dues dollars on “free riders.”

This weakens the union ,collective bargaining and the contract.

Federal law already protects workers who don’t want to be members of a union, but everyone must pay their share of negotiating and administering the contract - that’s just fair.

What is RTW?



Why is RTW bad for Michigan?

The average worker in a RTW state makes $5,900 less per year.Workers in non RTW states are more likely to have health benefits.The rate of workplace fatalities is 44% higher in RTW states.RTW states have higher poverty and infant mortality.RTW states spend $2,260 less per pupil on K-12 education.Workers’ comp benefits are lower in RTW states.



Who is really behind RTW?

The right wing interests behind RTW want to further eliminate the middle class and concentrate even more wealth to the richest 1% in the country.

The National Right to Work Committee is funded by big multinational corporations and insurance companies.

Here in Michigan the Mackinac Center, a right wing think tank has distributed numerous studies and papers to newspapers, TV and radio.



RTW: Fairness vs. Free Riders?

"Right-to-work" laws just aren't fair to dues-paying members. If a nonunionworker is fired illegally, the union must use its time and money to defend him orher, even if that requires going through a costly arbitration process. Amazingly,nonmembers can even sue the union if they think it has not represented them wellenough.



Starting Yesterday:

Message Education: Monthly Worker to Worker flyers will go into every worksite and we will try to reach every member

Voter Registration: We will do an October 2007 and a March 2008 campaign and outreach to registered members. In Oklahoma they reached 92% membership registration!

We are close to winning this effort if we reach all of our members and their households.


Build coalitions : include an education component


1. Log on to www.aflcio.org2. Begin voter ID of union households3. Worker to worker flyers distributed via affiliates

network4. Articles in local news letters

What you can do


http://www.aflcio.org/

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