Unions Claim they are non partisan while collecting Liberal campaign f

[drummindiver]

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/10/28/we-are-non-partisan-oecta-insists

The OECTA have claimed they are non partisan. This after distributing attack ads against the conservatives on behalf of the Liberals, then collecting huge amounts of money from these same Liberals.

If this is not partisanship, what is it?
Do you feel this should be legal?

If so, why?

[scribblet]

Of course they are partisan. We can't stop third parties from advertising or spending their forced union dues on anti conservative ads but the gov't could limit third party advertising as in the Federal elections - level the playing field a bit.

Interesting that it just so happens that the amount paid to these Unions for "expenses" is nearly dollar for dollar what the unions spent on their pro Liberal anti-Conservative attack ads which placed order to get Wynne's Liberals elected.

[69cat]

Are the Liberals going to repeal bill 377 or leave it to the courts? The NDP had it in their election platform.

There is a problem when a voter pays their union dues and has those funds used to campaign against the party that voter favors.

[Topaz]

I think I'll wait in judgement until Election Canada makes their decision.

[The_Squid]

Clearly, if they were working for the Liberal Party and claimed to be non-partisan, then they lied.

I do think that union and corporate donations need to stop to political parties.

There is a problem when a voter pays their union dues and has those funds used to campaign against the party that voter favors.

If I buy a car from Chevrolet, I don't want that company giving money to a political party that I don't favour either....

Edited October 28, 2015 by The_Squid

[69cat]

Yeah i agree, union funding of any partisan adds should be made illegal. Actually all union adds should ended. Lord knows we have lots of that crap in Sask as it is, unions running adds in support of a certain party is way over the line. But so it is when the worker serves the union and not the other way around.

[drummindiver]

Clearly, if they were working for the Liberal Party and claimed to be non-partisan, then they lied.

I do think that union and corporate donations need to stop to political parties.

If I buy a car from Chevrolet, I don't want that company giving money to a political party that I don't favour either....

I have to agree.

As a person who works for a very large corporation that Unifor has been trying to get into, one of my main arguements against is the fact I don't want to help fund Unifors' partisan politics.

I have to accept that the person who wants the union may not want the same party elected as the company who may contribute to xyz.

I'm sure both unions and big business will find their way around any loop holes unfortunately.

[The_Squid]

Yeah i agree, union funding of any partisan adds should be made illegal. Actually all union adds should ended. Lord knows we have lots of that crap in Sask as it is, unions running adds in support of a certain party is way over the line. But so it is when the worker serves the union and not the other way around.

By that logic, the Chamber of Commerce or any 3rd party business organization shouldn't be allowed to run ads either.

I am fine with this, but you can't limit unions' voices and not others just because you don't like them.

[Ash74]

By that logic, the Chamber of Commerce or any 3rd party business organization shouldn't be allowed to run ads either.

I am fine with this, but you can't limit unions' voices and not others just because you don't like them.

could not agree more.

The one thing Chretien did right was the pay per vote. Hope it comes back

[The_Squid]

could not agree more.

The one thing Chretien did right was the pay per vote. Hope it comes back

I have said that exact thing before about Chretien... Publicly funded elections are a good thing that eliminates undue influence by special-interest groups.

[scribblet]

I have said that exact thing before about Chretien... Publicly funded elections are a good thing that eliminates undue influence by special-interest groups.

How would it do that - they can still advertise and register as third parties.

[cybercoma]

If I buy a car from Chevrolet, I don't want that company giving money to a political party that I don't favour either....

That's the funny thing about exchanges. You can do whatever you want with the car and they can do whatever they want with (what's no longer) your money.

[Ash74]

That's the funny thing about exchanges. You can do whatever you want with the car and they can do whatever they want with (what's no longer) your money.

True but Chevy does not represent me. The union does or at the very least pretends that is their purpose.

[69cat]

The union member has no choice but pay his dues, the car buyer has choices. And having SUN, SGEU and CUPE and other unions running adds does not seem a good use of the members dues either, but so it goes.

To put some numbers to context, a union drawing in more than the NDP party is a big deal for the members opposed to how their dues are spent.

http://skcaucus.com/index.php?pageid=NewsDetail&newsid=126

Edited October 29, 2015 by 69cat

[69cat]

Also, yes i think unions have outlived their need but i am not against them when they serve their members. In Sask it seems more common for the union to have an agenda and use members due to pursue that. SUN comes to mind with registered nurses vs licensed practical nurses.

[The_Squid]

You choose where to work... People aren't slaves that aren't allowed to leave their unionized jobs.

[Smeelious]

The biggest problem with public funding (as it was anyway) was that it gave the advantage to the party with the most seats. Still, it's better than privately funded elections.

You choose where to work... People aren't slaves that aren't allowed to leave their unionized jobs.

..but is it in their interest to leave the union job?

Regardless, unions need to re-evaluate what their purpose is somewhat. Also, I think it's a shame that when unions are needed the most (economic downturns) they are also the most derided.

[overthere]

union and corporate

they are one and the same. Organized labour. is Big Business.

Corporations exist to make money for their shareholders.

Unions exist to make money for their shareholders, aka members of that union. In a clever, longterm marketing smarm that reality is couched in terms of nobly standing up for the working person.

[Scotty]

You people are forgetting that this isn't just a case of third party advertising or corporate or union money going to help political parties. This is a case of a back scratching exchange of money between the government and it's own employee unions. The government pays money to the unions and gives big benefit and salary increases to their members in exchange for 'free' support during election times and donations. If this was being done by a company or corporation everyone would be in agreement that it's corruption, but because it's unions the same old gang feel the need to come out in support of their comrades.

[69cat]

Sure Squid, you choose where you work. What is wrong with your workplace not picking political sides and using your earnings to further political goals against your ideals? Not much democracy for a democratic society. Same with unions and government, not a lot of democracy when the government does its best to appease unions to garner votes regardless if public spending in that sector is way out of line.

[The_Squid]

Sure Squid, you choose where you work. What is wrong with your workplace not picking political sides and using your earnings to further political goals against your ideals? Not much democracy for a democratic society. Same with unions and government, not a lot of democracy when the government does its best to appease unions to garner votes regardless if public spending in that sector is way out of line.

There is no difference if you work for a big company that donates to political parties that you don't agree with. The only difference is you don't like unions, so their donations are bad.

I have no problem getting rid of 3rd party donations. But you can't pick and choose what's good and what's bad 3rd parties...

[69cat]

Isnt donations by big companies to political parties illegal now?

And past indicators are that when big companies did contribute, they spread it around fairly evenly. And finally, those big companies were not taking it directly off your pay check, the company made a profit and spent it as they like so whether they spent it on gold plated toilets are not your concern. But when you pay to a union whose sole purpose is to ensure the well being of the worker and instead that money is put to other uses, then i do see a difference between the two. Union members are generally concerned with where their dues go, but if you want to label it instead as me not liking unions then so be it. Few things define 'big business' like the finances of a union.

[overthere]

And union dues are not optional.

There is the farcical option of not joining the union.

[Topaz]

One thing u r forgetting, most voters wanted Harper gone and all these third party advertising, should have saved their money and just waited.

[overthere]

Oh goody, Liberals and advertising.....

what could go wrong there?