Unions hit Democratic convention where it hurts

By ROBIN BRAVENDER and ANNA PALMER | 8/9/12 6:44 PM EDT Updated: 8/10/12 11:48 AM EDT

The Democrats are hitting up unions — their go-to cash cows — for last-minute donations to help pay for next month’s convention in Charlotte.

The response from some big unions? Tough.

Union leaders insisted from the start that they wouldn’t help fill the piggy bank for this year’s Democratic National Convention after the party picked a labor-hostile location and at the same time made fundraising tougher by banning corporate contributions and capping individual donations. And with the event less than a month away, they’re sticking to their guns.

Labor unions aren’t slated to sponsor any official convention events, according to a recent convention itinerary obtained by POLITICO. Unions are also refusing to put up the money to back get-out-the-vote efforts they’ve funded in the past.

Heavy hitters like the AFL-CIO, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers’ International Union of North America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers say they won’t be making big money contributions this year.

Other unions are toning down their convention involvement with many opting to send a few staffers to engage with union delegates. And some, like the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, have said they are sitting out entirely.

“There was a general disappointment in the selection because of the non-union hotels, the non-union accommodations in North Carolina,” said Chuck Rocha, president of the union consulting firm Solidarity Strategies and former political director of the United Steelworkers union.

“I think everybody is on the same page politically around a lot of different candidates, but the unions are going to invest in their members before they invest in a convention that’s being held in a place where there are no organized hotels, organized restaurants, etc.,” Rocha added.

It’s a far cry from 2008, when unions accounted for nearly $9 million of the $62 million raised to fund the Democratic Convention in Denver, according to campaign finance reports. Unions also cut big checks for delegate lunches, rallies and policy events on issues like immigration and housing.

And it’s clear that labor’s money is being missed. While some big unions, such as the Service Employees International Union, are giving, convention organizers were reportedly more than $25 million short of their $36.6 million goal as of late June. Democrats also cut the week shorter by eliminating Labor Day Monday from their schedule, then moved a planned rally and organizing event from the Charlotte Motor Speedway to the streets of uptown Charlotte.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79533.html#ixzz23BtQokvD

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So much for the narrative that the unions are in the pocket of the Dems...

Soulshiner wrote: So much for the narrative that the unions are in the pocket of the Dems...

What does that say about unions when they turn their backs on leadership under Obama?

The unions may be upset with the DNV, but I doubt they will start voting Republican. It's no surprise they can't send a lot of money to the Democrats, they are fighting Republican attempts on multiple fronts to destroy them, and that can be expensive.

archer wrote: The unions may be upset with the DNV, but I doubt they will start voting Republican. It's no surprise they can't send a lot of money to the Democrats, they are fighting Republican attempts on multiple fronts to destroy them, and that can be expensive.

What fronts? They already lost in Wi.

archer wrote: The unions may be upset with the DNV, but I doubt they will start voting Republican. It's no surprise they can't send a lot of money to the Democrats, they are fighting Republican attempts on multiple fronts to destroy them, and that can be expensive.

You're correct. They won't start voting Republican. But they may be disillusioned enough just not to vote. That'll work fine.

The Liberals GOP Twin wrote:

archer wrote: The unions may be upset with the DNV, but I doubt they will start voting Republican. It's no surprise they can't send a lot of money to the Democrats, they are fighting Republican attempts on multiple fronts to destroy them, and that can be expensive.

You're correct. They won't start voting Republican. But they may be disillusioned enough just not to vote. That'll work fine.

I agree :thumbsup: And just because someone is in a union, that doesn't necessarily mean they are braindead liberal drones, many actually understand where the country is headed under Obama.

The choice of Paul Ryan will certainly get them into the voting booth voting for Obama....thank you Romney.

archer wrote: The choice of Paul Ryan will certainly get them into the voting booth voting for Obama....thank you Romney.

Who could Romney have picked that would get an Obama supporter to switch? Nobody short of Hillary. But people who are not satisfied with Obama's economic policy or the health care take over aren't going to care much who he picked if they want a change in direction. The slowest recovery in 70 years does have meaning and consequences whether or not Dems want to admit it or not.