You have seen the commercial, employees saying how much they love to pay union dues, how much they love to give money to politicians they don't even like... I want to say that the ad almost killed me while I gagged. However I know that some people believe everything they see on TV, time to unmask this guys. I guess I am gonna have to do some serious research... Thank God for google.
www.unionfacts.com was registered to Berman & Co. in May 2005 and it is part of lobbyist Rick Berman's family of front groups including the Employment Policies Institute. It started running in... you better sit down for this, because you will not believe it... Fox News. I thought they were fair and balanced. Anyway Rick Berman is a former labor lawyer, and according to http://www.sourcewatch.com/ "Berman was tied to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich through possible ethics violations involving Gingrich's PAC (GOPAC). In 1993, Berman made a $25,000 contribution to Kennesaw State College for Gingrich's class on "Renewing American Civilization" on condition that Gingrich teach ideas supported by EPI. House Ethics Committee reports revealed that Berman's contribution was solicited by GOPAC and that Berman had already helped GOPAC in recruiting big donors. In the cover letter to the check, Berman thanked Gingrich for his "help" in enabling Berman to testify at a Congressional hearing on another matter of interest to the industry."
www.unionfacts.com was registered to Berman & Co. in May 2005 and it is part of lobbyist Rick Berman's family of front groups including the Employment Policies Institute. It started running in... you better sit down for this, because you will not believe it... Fox News. I thought they were fair and balanced. Anyway Rick Berman is a former labor lawyer, and according to http://www.sourcewatch.com/ "Berman was tied to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich through possible ethics violations involving Gingrich's PAC (GOPAC). In 1993, Berman made a $25,000 contribution to Kennesaw State College for Gingrich's class on "Renewing American Civilization" on condition that Gingrich teach ideas supported by EPI. House Ethics Committee reports revealed that Berman's contribution was solicited by GOPAC and that Berman had already helped GOPAC in recruiting big donors. In the cover letter to the check, Berman thanked Gingrich for his "help" in enabling Berman to testify at a Congressional hearing on another matter of interest to the industry."
He also opposed the Americans with Disabilities Act because it "will cost our industry untold millions in added construction and labor costs"... Asshole.
So who is funding Berman and Unionfacts.com, well they won't reveal their sources, however it is known that they called on Wal-mart, there is a surprise, for help on funding. Lee Culpepper, who was hired by Wal-mart in 2005 as a lobbyist worked with Berman from 2000-2005. They argued against raising the minimum wage all those years. Culpepper remembers Berman “I’ve worked with Rick for years, and indeed he is a lightning rod." Yeah that's nice. To be fair Wal-mart denies funding the add.
Let's look at Mr. Berman's resume shall we? His company represented the Alcohol industry against MADD (Mother's against drunk driving), the cigarette industry against the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). He is such a pro-death character, isn't he?
Now, some union officials make some money and Unionfacts.com, quotes THEIR salaries, but I wonder if they quote the obscene salaries that CEO's make? You guessed it, not a peep. They also say that Unions usually back democrats, well that is true, and that is because most democrats favor organized workers and higher minimum salaries.
If union members feel their leaderships are corrupt, the fact is that they CAN vote them out. Unions are an asset to workers, because if you think that companies give their employees salaries higher than minimum because of the goodness of their hearts, IMHO you are beeing naive. There is one thing that most CEO's and big cats in wall street care about... the bottom line. So Mr. Berman, if you're gonna throw your money on TV ads while trying to poison the minds of people at least have the balls to say that you are anti-union and that In Your Humble Opinion they are bad... until then, good luck you pussy.
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