Labor groups step up effort to defeat Whitman

A coalition of unions has launched another ad attacking Whitman.

A new anti-Meg Whitman ad is hitting the airwaves in the coming days, paid for by a coalition of labor groups loyal to Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown.

The new spot focuses on some of Whitman's legal troubles while at EBay and FTD, and charges that she used cash to pave over some of her legal troubles.

The spot focuses on an age discrimination suit filed against FTD while Whitman was chief executive and an incident at EBAYin which she was involved in a physical altercation with an employee.

Both legal claims were settled.

"For billionaire CEOs like Meg Whitman, money makes life's little problems disappear," the ad claims. The Whitman camp says there is no indication that cash was paid in the FTD incident.

Law firm knee-deep in Bell pension scandal donated thousands to Jerry Brown

There are so many rocks in the Bell pension scandal that haven't been looked under yet.  The latest: looks like attorneys involved in the Bell pension scandal are Jerry Brown donors.

A law firm subpoenaed by the attorney general's office in its investigation of excessive pay in a Los Angeles County city gave $5,000 to the gubernatorial campaign of Attorney General Jerry Brown.

Brown, a Democrat, subpoenaed tax and salary records this week from the city of Bell, along with records from its former law firm, Best, Best & Krieger.

A partner in the firm, Edward Lee, was Bell's city attorney and approved the pay, which included $1.5 million in annual pay and benefits to the city manager.

Finance reports show the firm gave Brown's campaign $5,000 in March. Two attorneys with the firm also gave Brown money: Michael Cowett contributed $500 in March and Brant Dveirin gave Brown $1,000 in April.

Brown campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford says the firm isn't accused of wrongdoing.

The Bell pension scandal is going to fuel the public anger at bloated government pensions.  And as this scandal unfolds I predict Jerry Brown and SEIU and the AFL-CIO and other people close to Brown will be exposed as enablers in the pension scandals.

SEIU protesters remind me of cult members

Unliberal posted this video of SEIU union members protesting at a Whitman event in Bakersfield August 10th.



They chant and recite talking points and march in circles and honk horns like glazed zombies.

SEIU, other unions launch statewide radio campaign for Moonbeam

A group composed of several unions has launched a statewide radio ad program on behalf of Moonbeam.

Working Californians, an independent expenditure committee, will begin a radio ad campaign on behalf of Jerry Brown today. The campaign is designed to run four weeks and will take place in radio markets across the state. Working Californians represents a coalition that includes the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Service Employees International Union.

“Our research show us that voters are eager to hear more about Jerry Brown and why he is the best choice for governor of our state, “ said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11 and co-chair of Working Californians. “We believe that these radio ads make the case that Jerry Brown is the only candidate with the experience and the values to succeed in this critical time.”

Working Californians was formed in 2006 to support causes and candidates that improved the quality of life for average Californians.

Related:

• CA labor leader: "We are going to do everything in our power to make sure Jerry Brown wins"
• AFL-CIO to launch campaign to elect Jerry Brown
• California Professional Firefighers endorse Moonbeam
• California Nurses Association endorse Moonbeam
• Report: SEIU gives $150,000 to Moonbeam campaign

Public employee unions going all-out for Moonbeam

Public employee unions are planning to all in their power to make sure Moonbeam is elected governor of California.  Here is the latest development from the California Labor Federation.

California labor unions on Monday launched what they said would be an aggressive campaign against former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor.

California Labor Federation leader Art Pulaski (pictured above) said the unions will focus on exposing what he described as Whitman's Wall Street agenda. The labor federation will be joined by unions representing teachers and nurses, among others.

"As we have learned more about Meg Whitman's policies and proposals, it has become clear to us she would pose a serious threat to millions of California workers," Pulaski said in a call with reporters.

Pulaski said labor leaders are starting earlier than ever in the governor's race because Whitman, a billionaire, expects to spend $150 million on her campaign. He declined to specify how much the unions plan to spend but said it will involve 25,000 volunteers who will make phone calls, knock on doors and mail hundreds of thousands of fliers.

The unions said Whitman's corporate philosophy will hurt working families by cutting jobs and lowering taxes on the rich.

Whitman, Pulaski said, "shares a philosophy that what's good for Wall Street must be good for everybody. Most everybody has had to learn the hard way that that's a bogus policy."

Previous:

• CA labor leader: "We are going to do everything in our power to make sure Jerry Brown wins"
• California Professional Firefighers endorse Moonbeam
• California Nurses Association endorse Moonbeam
• Report: SEIU gives $150,000 to Moonbeam campaign

AFL-CIO to launch campaign to elect Jerry Brown

Art Pulaski, AFL-CIO chief, says his mega-union has planned an aggressive campaign to mobilize union members to elect Moonbeam.

California AFL-CIO chief Art Pulaski told me that they will put on a big effort to mobilize union members and provide ground forces for the overall Democratic campaign on behalf of Brown and other candidates. And that their negative focus is on Whitman...

In fact, they've already prepared materials for communication to their members, with three flyers. One is pro-Brown, citing the attorney general for "A Lifetime of Fighting for Working Families." Two are anti-Whitman, with one calling her "Miss Fortune," with the now notorious magazine cover photo of the billionaire in riding gear with the rented horse. The other, called "Wall Street Whitman," goes through her strongly pro-corporate positions and her unhappy tenure on the board of Goldman Sachs.

And this week, union members begin showing up at Whitman events, starting with her string of fundraisers with Mitt Romney, her longtime mentor who came up with the idea for her to run for governor of California.

Related:

• CA labor leader: "We are going to do everything in our power to make sure Jerry Brown wins"
• California Professional Firefighers endorse Moonbeam
• California Nurses Association endorse Moonbeam
• Report: SEIU gives $150,000 to Moonbeam campaign

Great!... another public employee union endorses Jerry Brown

First it was SEIU, then the California Nurses Association.  The latest big union to endorse Moonbeam is the California Professional Firefighters.  From their press release yesterday:

When interviewing the candidates, CPF pushed hard on the issues that will make a difference in the lives of its members: retirement security, safety on the job, collective bargaining rights and funding for state and local disaster response.

In all of these areas, Brown stood out.


•Retirement security: Brown was the only candidate who stood fast in support of a secure pension for firefighters and their families; 


•Collective bargaining: Brown was the only candidate committed to working with employees through the collective bargaining process;


•Fire service resources: Brown was the only candidate who supported finding more resources to save our endangered mutual aid response.


"Jerry Brown doesn't run down public employees ... he stands up for them," said Paulson.

Fire service resources sounds good -- putting out fires -- but you can bet it translates into empire building: more unionized employees, bigger adminstrative buildings, more equipment.  Meanwhile the state government will go bankrupt.

Pictured above is CPF president Lou Paulson.

SEIU, other unions launch campaign to defeat Whitman

The SEIU will join with two other unions to launch a campaign against Meg Whitman, who is expected to win the GOP primary in June given her huge lead over Steve Poizner. writes Joe Garafoli at SFGate.

For starters, each of the three unions at the forefront of Working Families 2010 is kicking in $1 million each, Bob Balgenorth, president of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC), told us. "It will probably go more than that," he said. Plus there's another $1 million -- and more to come if needed, we hear -- from supermarket magnate and Dem superdonor Ron Burkle.


The best news, in the interest of saving precious printed page space -- is that they've named themselves something less clumsy and lawyerized than "Level the Playing Field 2010 Against Billionaire Meg Whitman for Governor, a Coalition of Nurses, Faculty and Painters Organizations."


Led by the California Professional Firefighters (30,000 members), State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), "California Working Families 2010" will spend the next several weeks in research/fundraising mode.


They're likely to stay on the down low until after the June primary. Then the artillery will start.

Previous:

• Report: SEIU gives $150,000 to Moonbeam campaign
• SEIU California president: electing Jerry Brown is "first priority"
• Massive public employee union SEIU set to endorse Jerry Brown

Report: SEIU gives $150,000 to Jerry Brown campaign

The massive public employee union SEIU apparently has given Moonbeam a big infusion of cash.

Related:

• SEIU California president: electing Jerry Brown is "first priority"
• Massive public employee union SEIU set to endorse Jerry Brown

Massive public employee union SEIU set to endorse Jerry Brown

SEIU heard a pitch from Moonbeam yesterday, and looks like they'll anounce their endorsement Monday or Tuesday.

Union members had a chance to quiz the attorney general on how he would help the members if he's elected to the state's highest office.


“How would you approach and support strengthening collective bargaining in California and giving workers a voice?” asked Yvonne Walker, SEIU representative.


“Collective bargaining allows two very important things: for ordinary working people to be a partner with management, and for working people to organize so you're not an isolated individual with no power,” answered Brown.


Union members say they liked what they heard, but they won't be rubber-stamping anyone with their endorsement.


“There is not a candidate out there that gets the SEIU endorsement without earning it,” said Walker.


Voting is going on Saturday night among SEIU members and the results of that vote and who the union will be endorsing is set to be announced Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Public employee unions are accelerating California's financial crisis -- anybody they endorse isn't a friend of taxpayers or fiscal sanity.

Previous:

• Massive public employee union lays groundwork to elect Jerry Brown

Massive public employee union lays groundwork to elect Jerry Brown for governor

Andy Stern, president of the the mega-union that spent tens of millions to elect Barack Obama in 2008, says SEIU is making plans for an all-out campaign to elect Jerry Brown for California governor this fall..

The leader of one of the nation's top campaign donors - the 2.2 million-member Service Employees International Union - said Tuesday the union will have less enthusiasm for congressional campaigns this year out of frustration over Washington's political gridlock, a move that may have major implications in California.

SEIU president Andy Stern told The Chronicle that the focus of its 700,000 California members will be on state races, including the governor's race, where Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown will square off against the winner of the Republican primary in June between state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

But if other unions follow the lead of the SEIU, it could affect what are expected to be tough re-election campaigns for Democrats like Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton.

Organized labor not only provides cash to candidates - predominantly Democrats - but its membership has traditionally done the door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor campaigning that is the lifeblood of any political campaign.

"I think you'll see a little less enthusiasm for congressional races, particularly in the Senate," Stern said Tuesday in Oakland. He was in the East Bay to walk off the job with health care workers at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin to protest what they feel are unfair labor practices there.

"But I think you'll see a lot of enthusiasm in the statewide races," Stern said. "I think our members totally understand what the Legislature, what the governor mean to the future of the state."

I can't imgine worse news for California taxpayers. Thanks to the Dem-controlled legislature, taxpayers are already on the hook for bloated public employee pensions that are billions of dollars in the hole.