Anti-Right-to-Work Big Labor Group Throws Late Money at Deeds

$25K to Deeds from United Association, Opponent of Right-to-Work

- Deeds Promised to Be "Partner" With Big Labor -

RICHMOND - The United Association, a big labor group with a known and proudly-stated opposition to Right-to-Work laws like Virginia's, has entered the governor's race late in the game with a $25,000 contribution to Democrat Creigh Deeds in the closing days. Deeds, who has promised to be a "partner" with big labor if elected governor, is now depending almost exclusively on financial contributions and volunteer efforts from UA and similar big labor groups.

Deeds to UA, Big Labor: Show me the Money!

UA sent Deeds the large donation on October 24^th, according to the non-partisan Virginia Public Access Project. With the full name of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, the big labor union has also forcefully expressed opposition to right-to-work laws.

"Do not be fooled by ‘RIGHT TO WORK' laws!" the UA posted on its official Facebook page and simultaneously linked to its Twitter feed. The anti-right-to-work pronouncement was posted just five days before the contribution to Deeds was made.

Deeds has received more than $2.2 million campaign contributions directly from organized labor and many millions more from Democratic political organizations that depend largely on big labor for their funding.

Deeds: Show me the Bus!

Already dependent on them for financial support, Deeds is now using big labor unions as the source of his "volunteer" efforts, as evidenced by the huge bus seen at the Richmond Folk Festival this fall - manned by union workers.

buildbetterva

Big Labor to Deeds: Show Us the Love!

Deeds appeared as the guest of honor at a July reception hosted by the AFL-CIO in Washington. "During his 18 years in the Virginia House of Delegates and in the state Senate, gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds has ‘been with us every step of the way,'" said Jim Leaman, president of the Virginia AFL-CIO. The union helpfully highlighted Deeds' record of supporting big labor's agenda 93.7 percent of the time.

Directly contradicting Deeds' claim to the contrary, the union leaders cast this year's Virginia elections in strict terms of national importance to liberal interests: "With only two states, Virginia and New Jersey, holding gubernatorial elections this fall, Virginia voters are ‘setting the stage' for the 2010 congressional elections," said John Sweeney, AFL-CIO national president.

Deeds: Never Fear, I'm Your "Partner"

When accepting the award for "Legislator of the Year," Deeds thanked the members of the Washington D.C. Building and Construction Trades Council and spoke of the battles he fought on behalf of Virginia's working families. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor next year, he pledged to continue working for fair wages, safe working conditions and to protect health benefits and pensions:

"Before I first ran for office, I believed in the power of organized labor; during my 17 years in the legislature, I have stood up for Virginia's working families. And, when I'm Governor, you won't just have a friend in Richmond-you'll have a partner." (Deeds press release, October 3, 2008)

Deeds: Card Check - Check!

Deeds has thrown his lot in with groups whose main legislative goal is the passage of Card Check. Card Check would gut right-to-work, hamstring employers, increase the cost of doing business and strangle job creation, is chief among the legislative proposals supported by organized labor.

During the first debate, hosted by the Virginia Bar Association, Deeds telegraphed his approval of Card Check legislation, by saying, "It's not going to do anything to impugn Virginia's integrity as a business-friendly state."

The day after Deeds attended the AFL-CIO soirée, the radical liberal group 21^st Century Democrats endorsed Deeds by press release, prompting Deeds to gush, "I respect their commitment to grassroots politics and admire their long record of electing progressives across the country." Candidates generally do not receive the endorsements of organizations without completing candidate questionnaires.

Question number five on the 21^st Century Democrats candidate questionnaire reads, in part, "Do you support the Employee Free Choice Act?"

Deeds - Walk Hilton Picket Lines - Check!

In January, just a few weeks before Tim Kaine proudly announced the movement of Hilton executives to Fairfax County, Deeds and his ticket mate Jody Wagner took part in a big labor picket line at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City in Arlington County. Deeds handed out coffee and popcorn to the people picketing a well-established employer.

"Check out, not in," chanted the picketers.

Deedspicket

What Has Deeds Promised Big Labor?

"When you see the amount of money and now this gaudy bus filled with union campaign operatives, you really have to wonder what Deeds has promised them," said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins. "It's pretty clear that they would expect something from him if he were to be elected. Could it be his continued allegiance as they advance the national agenda of attacking our Right-to-Work law?"

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