Message from the Secretary-Treasurer Leo T. Reed

Proposition 32 is one of the most deceptive measures ever placed on the California ballot.Although it claims to restrict special interests, It would actually destroy labor unions’ political power and still allow management with ‘super-PACs’ to spend unlimited amounts of money.

It would prohibit unions from contributing to political campaigns and from using voluntary payroll deductions for any political purposes. This would silence the voice of unionized workers!

At the heart of this proposition is the very survival of the union movement! Every American workers’ benefits, wages, and working conditions came from the union movement.

What Prop 32 backers really want is to make California a ‘right to work’ state. This may be a difficult concept, but when it is fully understood, members will be aware of the real dangers of Prop 32.

Right-to-work laws give workers the option of not belonging to a union.

Right-to-work laws would destroy the unity and financial base necessary for labor unions to negotiate quality contracts and make sure they are enforced.

The 2012 California Conservative Party’s agenda clearly states: “California should be a ‘Right to Work’ state and enact laws that deny unions the right to make membership mandatory.”

That’s the agenda of this ‘Special Exemptions Initiative.’ If its backers can abolish the unions’ ability to make political contributions, they will take away their political power to lobby for workers’ rights. They will then have a green light to pursue right-to-work laws.

Members must understand that — without the union and contract protection— the employer decides your wages, benefits and working conditions. If you’re not satisfied, your only option is to get another job!

You could be competing with a temp agency or a subcontractor whose sole objective is to squeeze out more profits and not care anything about workers’ safety and job protection.

Passing this Prop 32 could lead to more outsourcing of jobs, slashing wages and health benefits and attacking retirement plans.

Prop 32 was intentionally written to give billionaire businessmen and corporate special interests even more political power than they already have — through the loophole of the ‘super-PACs.’

Remember: Prop 32 would silence the voice of working people. Then the big unregulated money by management would be there to strip away benefits and protections that the labor movement has always fought for.

We need to put all our efforts into defeating this dangerous Prop 32! Join us in this crucial cause!