There is no escaping the pro-union tone included as part of some of the advertising material President Obama’s labor attorneys have placed on Google. That should be a no go for anyone serving on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is responsible for investigating allegations of unfair labor practices. However, it has been evident for some time the NLRB is out to do the bidding of union bosses who are now working to reshape public policy without congressional consent.
Fortunately, the National Right to Work Legal Foundation has stepped in to call out the NLRB with a Freedom of Information Action (FOIA) request that seeks all documented business transactions between the Board and Google related to online ad buys beginning in 2008.
Foundation attorneys have expressed concern that the NLRB’s ad buys publicized information about workers’ rights to organize or join a union without providing equally important information about the rights of employees to refrain from union membership or eject unwanted unions from their workplaces.
“We’ve raised persistent questions about the impartiality of the NLRB that have yet to be addressed, and what looks like a selective information campaign through Google Ads is another example of this trend,” said Patrick Semmens, Legal Information Director for the National Right to Work Foundation. “We call upon the NLRB to immediately release any and all information related to this ad campaign to address public concerns about its perceived pro-Big Labor bias.”
Given the current make up of the board, it’s not difficult to see why free market groups and key congressional figures now question the NLRB’s ability to administer labor law in a fair and detached manner.
Craig Becker, a recess appointee to the Board, previously served as an attorney to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). He has also argued that the Board has the authority to implement major policy changes without congressional approval.
The bottom line is big labor still expects a big payback on the contributions it has made to elected officials, especially Democrats. Some the latest figures compiled below are very telling.
Leading Union Political Campaign Contributors 1990-2010
American Fed. of State, County, & Municipal Employees: Democrats $40,281,900 Republicans $547,700
Intel Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: Democrats $29,705,600 Republicans $679,000
National Education Association: Democrats $27,679,300 Republicans $2,005,200
Service Employees International Union: Democrats $26,368,470 Republicans $98,700
Communication Workers of America: Democrats $26,305,500 Republicans $125,300
Service Employees International Union: Democrats $26,252,000 Republicans $1,086,200
Laborers Union: Democrats $25,734,000 Republicans $2,138,000
American Federation of Teachers: Democrats $25,682,800 Republicans $200,000
United Auto Workers: Democrats $25,082,200 Republicans $182,700
Teamsters Union: Democrats $24,926,400 Republicans $1,822,000
Carpenters and Joiners Union: Democrats $24,094,100 Republicans $2,658,000
Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union: Democrats $23,875,600 Republicans $226,300
United Food and Commercial Workers Union: Democrats $23,182,000 Republicans $334,200
AFL-CIO: Democrats $17,124,300 Republicans $713,500
Sheet Metal Workers Union: Democrats $16,347,200 Republicans $342,800
Plumbers & Pipefitters Union: Democrats $14,790,000 Republicans $818,500
Operating Engineers Union: Democrats $13,840,000 Republicans $2,309,500
Airline Pilots Association: Democrats $12,806,600 Republicans $2,398,300
International Association of Firefighters: Democrats $12,421,700 Republicans $2,685,400
United Transportation Workers: Democrats $11,807,000 Republicans $1,459,300
Ironworkers Union: Democrats $11,638,900 Republicans $936,000
American Postal Workers Union: Democrats $11,633,100 Republicans $544,300
Nat’l Active & Retired Fed. Employees Association: Democrats $8,135,400 Republicans $2,294,600
TOTALS: Democrats $479,714,070 Republicans $26,605,500
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