From CalMatters: California’s top Senate Democrat called a prominent labor union “morally bankrupt” after it spent more than $1 million to oppose the state’s most vulnerable Democratic senator in a tight race that could put a Republican in his seat.
The union apparently spent the money against Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton because leaders were angered by at least one vote that he cast. And while it’s not uncommon for unions to criticize or threaten Democrats who stray from their agenda, Senate Democrats said that spending such a large amount to help elect a Republican was a step too far... On Tuesday, Newman was trailing Steven Choi, a former Republican Assemblymember and Irvine mayor, by about 9,400 votes with about 126,000 ballots left to process in Orange County.
The union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, was furious at Newman for joining a group of Senate Democrats in killing a bill last year that the union sponsored, according to Newman and his Senate colleagues. The bill sought to enshrine the rights of workers at the University of California in the state constitution.*
A spokesperson for the union and its lobbyist, Richie Ross, could not be reached for comment. The union, representing 30,000 workers at 10 UC campuses as well as medical centers, clinics and research laboratories, is planning a two-day strike for next week, the latest in a longstanding labor battle that was reflected in the worker rights issues raised in the bill...
Full story at https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/11/afscme-against-california-democrat/.
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*A description of the bill: This measure would require employees of the Regents of the University of California to have the right to, and be covered by, certain basic state labor standards, as provided. The measure would require individuals who perform certain work for the regents to have the right to the payment of a prevailing wage. The measure would authorize the Legislature to enact laws that further these rights, establish, define, or specify the basic state labor standards applicable to the regents, or establish other health, safety, and labor protections for individuals performing work for the regents.
Source: https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240aca6.
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