Ben Nelson finally supports filibuster when it doesn't make any difference

Ben Nelson finally supports filibuster when it doesn't make any difference

cardcheck SenatorBenNelson SenatorScottBrown Unions

With Senator Brown seated, the Republicans had the votes finally to block something happening in the Senate. The nominee to the National Labor Relations Board was going to use regulations to push card check, so blocking the nomination was a big deal. Democrats had hoped to push back seating Brown until after the vote, so presumably they thought that at that time they had Sen. Nelson's vote.

When you talk to labor officials these days, much of their animus is directed at Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who helped filibuster Becker's confirmation.

"Ben Nelson has got principles until you buy him off," Gerard said.

A group affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, called Change That Works, had defended Nelson's support for an unpopular health care reform bill in his home state.

But the Nebraska director of that group, Jane Kleeb, now criticizes Nelson for not allowing the Becker nomination to come to the floor for an up-or-down vote. And Bill Samuel, legislative director for the AFL-CIO, accused Nelson of following a "double standard" since he had argued that the nominees of then-President George W. Bush should get up-or-down votes.

Another AFL-CIO spokesman, Eddie Vale, pinpointed Nelson, saying he had "let down" working families.

Nelson said Becker’s stance on labor issues made him worry whether he would be "impartial" in making NLRB decisions.

But labor unions can’t pin all their blame on Nelson. The failure of a wide range of union priorities has been deflating for the labor movement, which seemed destined to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Barack Obama’s presidency. . . .

Forced Unionization bill looks likely to pass

Forced Unionization bill looks likely to pass

cardcheck

Politico reports that Harry Reid claims that he has enough votes to pass the forced unionization bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid weighed in on a divisive labor union bill introduced in both chambers of Congress today, saying he's confident he can round up votes to pass the measure in the Senate.

“We'll look and see if we can get enough votes to pass it,” Reid told reporters today. “I certainly think we can.”

Reid said he believed he already had the 60 votes needed to pass the bill — which would make it much easier for labor unions to organize — through its early procedural votes. Sponsors call the legislation the "Employee Free Choice Act," while opponents call it "card check" because it allows workers to simply sign a card if they endorse formation of a labor union instead of going through a traditional union election. . . .

"Card Check" is really, really bad

"Card Check" is really, really bad

cardcheck

I have mentioned this before, but it is so bad that it is worth repeating. Kausfiles has this: A government official will serve as the arbitrator. Arbitrators will impose a two-year contract when unions and firms are unable to come to an agreement. Guess whether unions will have much of an incentive to negotiate.