Kansas Chamber Of Commerce Lobbyist: Bill Is Needed To End Public Sector Unions

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/23/kansas-chamber-of-commerce_n_2536360.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

John Celock [e-mail]

WASHINGTON -- The chief lobbyist for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce told state legislators Wednesday that he wants to see them pass a bill to end automatic paycheck deductions for public employee unions' political activities as a means to ending such unions.

Eric Stafford, the senior legislative affairs director for the Chamber, told members of the state House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee Wednesday afternoon that the bill would end public employee unions in the state, according to Twitter accounts of the committee hearing. Stafford's comment reportedly came in response to a series of questions from Democratic committee members during a hearing on the bill.

The legislation would prohibit public employee unions from having deductions taken automatically from their paychecks in order to fund union political activities, as well as expanding the definition of "political activities," in particular banning unions from campaigning for or against public referenda.

"I need this bill passed so we can get rid of public sector unions," Stafford told committee members, according to a tweet from Scott Rothschild, a reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World.

FULL story at link.

[LonePirate]

1. So why does the head of a private sector business organization want to end public unions?

If we disregard the fact that public sector unions in KS have very little clout or influence, it begs the question why he is so opposed to them. Surely it couldn't be because be is afraid of somebody competing against his organization which is perhaps the most powerful lobbying group in the state.

These greedy, power hungry fascists like Stafford disgust me. They couldn't be any more anti-American.

[madrchsod]

2. according to the supreme court all unions have the same rights as corporation's

i also know that afscme unions can only collect money for political purposes from those members who join the people committee. i would`t be difficult for my wife to by pass the employer deduction and collect money from those on her committee and send that money to the state union.

[LiberalFighter]

4. In our union any campaign funds had to come out of a PAC

And contributions to that PAC were entirely voluntary and did not involve any union dues.

[LiberalFighter]

3. I would say trying to ban unions from campaigning is a constitional violation.