JOHN McCAIN DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS

The facts about John McCain's dismal record on working family issues are spelled out on a new AFL-CIO website, part of which opens like a briefing book titled, "McCain Revealed."

CWA NEWSLETTER March 6, 2008

McCain's anti-worker, anti-union positions on the economy, trade, health care, retirement security and more are detailed, along with his cozy relationship with the Bush administration. Despite his so-called "maverick" image, he has voted with the White House 89 percent of the time and says he wants to continue many of the Bush policies that are devastating working families, such as tax cuts exclusively for the rich.

Just this week, the AFL-CIO notes, McCain reiterated his support for Bush's Social Security privatization scheme and, when Bush vetoed a bill to renew and improve the State Children's Health Insurance Program, McCain told CNN it was "the right call."

The site is part of the federation's full "Working Families Vote 2008" coverage. Read more at www.mccainrevealed.com.

McCAIN WILL NOT PROTECT OUR RIGHTS

Sen. John McCain is clearly not a fan of workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages and benefits. He has spoken out against unions and consistently voted against collective bargaining rights for workers. Union members know the right to bargain is essential to preserving good jobs with good wages and benefits.

McCAIN DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS

McCain: Unions Have Played ‘Important Role’ But Have ‘Serious Excesses.’ When asked if unions are good for America, McCain responded, “I think the unions have played a very important role in the history of this country to improve the plight and conditions of laboring Americans. I think that like many other monopolies, in some cases they have then serious excesses.” [GOP Dearborn Debate, MSNBC, 10/9/07]

• McCain: Teachers’ Unions Serve Unions’ Interest, NOT Children’s Interest. McCain has repeatedly attacked teachers’ unions. “It’s time to break the grip of the education monopoly that serves the union bosses at the expense of our children,” he said. [The New York Times, 2/11/00]

McCain Says Government Workers Are ‘Crippled’ by Union Contracts. In his speech to the Oklahoma State Legislature, McCain said, “We must streamline our workforce, demand high standards of behavior, promote excellence at every level based on merit and accountability, and not let good workers be crippled by the fine print of the latest union contract…. The civil service has strayed from its reformist roots and has mutated into a no-accountability zone, where employment is treated as an entitlement, good performance as an option, and accountability as someone else’s problem.” [Address to the Oklahoma State Legislature, 5/21/07]

McCAIN OPPOSES OUR FREEDOM TO FORM UNIONS

McCain Voted Against the Employee Free Choice Act but For a National Right-to-Work for Less Law.

McCain voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions. He voted for a National Right-to-Work for Less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. [H.R. 800, Vote #227, 6/26/07; S. 1788 Vote #188, 7/10/96]

McCain Crossed a Writers Guild Picket Line to Appear on ‘The Tonight Show.’

McCain crossed the picket line of the Writers Guild of America to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” [Think Progress, accessed 2/27/08]

McCain Voted to Allow Employers to Hire Permanent Replacements During a Strike. McCain voted against ending debate on a bill that would bar employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. [S. 55,Vote #189, 7/13/94]

McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for State and Local Police and Firefighters. [H.R. 3061, Vote #323, 11/6/01]

McCain Did NOT Co-Sponsor the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. McCain did not co-sponsor S. 2123, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, legislation to grant fire fighters and police officers minimum collective bargaining rights. [S. 2123, 10/1/07; IAFF]

McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners. McCain voted against a measure to grant Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights. The measure would not have allowed them to strike or negotiate for higher pay. [S. 4, Vote #64, 3/7/07]

Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE) Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.