Coalition for a Democratic Workplace to Air Spanish-Language Radio Ads in Colorado

Coalition for a Democratic Workplace to Air Spanish-Language Radio Ads in Colorado

Ads to Educate Latino Community on Threat to Secret Ballots and Worker Privacy

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of its public education campaign aimed at protecting private ballots in union organizing elections, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) today announced two new radio ads that will air on Latino radio stations in Colorado and nationwide. The airing of the radio ads coincides with the launch of a new Spanish-language website, http://www.mivotoprivado.com/.

The focus of the ads is on the mis-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). The EFCA is legislation in the U.S. Congress that, if passed, means that workers would effectively lose their right to a private ballot when deciding whether to be represented by a union. The private ballot would be replaced with a "card-check" scheme where a union is organized if a majority of workers simply sign a card; the workers' signatures are made public to their employer, the union organizers and their co-workers. Labor union bosses have made support for the EFCA, or "card check" bill, a top priority this year and are pressuring politicians to pledge their support.

"The idea that workers could lose their right to a secret ballot is a scary thing to many Latinos, including those who are union members," said Brian Worth with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. "We are concerned that this legislation could open workers up to threats and intimidation by union bosses and employers."

A comprehensive analysis of union household attitudes from six statewide polls conducted by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace indicates overwhelming opposition to replacing secret ballots with a public ballot, or "card-check" scheme included the mis-named Employee Free Choice Act. The combined findings from the key states of Colorado, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New Mexico found widespread opposition among union household voters (69%) to the EFCA, which would replace a federally supervised secret ballot process with one that requires a majority of workers to simply sign a card to authorize a union.

There is a bill in Congress called the Employee Free Choice Act which would

replace a federally supervised secret ballot election with a process that requires a majority of workers to simply sign a card to authorize organizing a union and the workers' signatures would be made public to their employer, the

  union organizers and their co-workers. Do you support or oppose Congress                         passing this legislation?             Total    CO      LA         ME          MN        NH       NM                  Union HH  Union HH  Union HH   Union HH  Union HH  Union HH   Support   23      25        26        11         21        29        20   Oppose    69      64        68        75         69        69        76    

The two 60-second radio ads, entitled "News" and "Workplace", will educate listeners about the issue and the threat to secret ballots in the workplace. The radio ads will begin airing on October 20. Copies of the scripts are attached.

As the leading, broad-based coalition fighting the anti-worker "card check" scheme, CDW has been actively working this issue since early 2007. The coalition began its public education campaign in last Spring with a series of national cable TV buys and ran TV and radio ads in states and Congressional districts last year urging members of Congress to support private ballots for workers and oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.

About the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is made up of more than 500 associations and organizations from every state across the nation that have joined together to protect a worker's right to a private ballot when deciding whether to join a union. For more information and a listing of our membership, please visit http://www.myprivateballot.com/.

Title: "Workplace" -- RV4 -- AS PRODUCED

SFX Warehouse noise sup & under -- Machinery coming back and forth -- Bip sounds

   SFX bell calling workers    ANNCR:  "Atencion trabajadores, pasen a votar si quieren sindicato en la            empresa. Por favor, pasen y voten".   Pedro:   Sindicato en la empresa? Es un arma de doble filo. Por un lado te            defienden, pero por otro lado los companeros te pueden            intimidar...   Maria:   Al menos todavia hoy votamos con libertad y en secreto. Porque al            rato, si aprueban la boleta publica de voto al sindicato, el voto            dejara de  ser secreto. Bastaria una marquita en la tarjeta,            todos la verian.   Pedro:   Pero seria como quitarnos nuestros derechos!...   Maria:   Si, ...  y los jefes sabrian si votamos por el sindicato ...  Te            imaginas?    SFX Music in    ANNCR:  Ahora, los trabajadores votan por tener o no tener representacion           sindical en su lugar de trabajo con el voto secreto, como en las           elecciones presidenciales. Pero algunos candidatos quieren cambiar           el voto libre por una boleta publica de voto al sindicato. El           trabajador tendria que firmar publicamente si quiere al sindicato.           Los empleadores, los sindicatos y tus companeros sabrian si           votaste a favor o en contra. No habria libertad ni proteccion al           trabajador contra la intimidacion y la opresion.    SFX Music in            Tu voto privado es tu derecho. Informate. Visita mivotoprivado.com           y enterate de la posicion que los candidatos tienen en este tema.           Pagado por la Coalicion para la Democracia en el Lugar de Trabajo.     Title: "Workplace" -- RV4 -- AS PRODUCED    SFX Warehouse noises -- Machinery coming back and forth -- Bip sounds   SFX bell calling workers    ANNCR:  "Attention all workers, come and vote for union representation in           the company. Please, come over and vote."   Pedro:  Union representation? I think it is a two-side weapon. On one hand           they defend you, but on the other hand the co-workers can threaten           you  ...   Maria:  At least today we still vote freely, in private. Soon, if they           pass the public ballot for union elections, the vote will not be           secret anymore. Just a check mark on the card will be enough.           Everybody will see it.   Pedro:  But that would be like removing our rights!   Maria:  Yes,  ...  and our bosses would know if we voted for the union.           Can you imagine?    ANNCR:  Now, workers vote for or against union representation in their           workplace with a private ballot, like in the Presidential           elections. But some candidates want to replace the free vote by a           public ballot for union elections. The worker would only have to           publicly sign for or against the union. The employers, the union           and your co-workers would know if  you voted for or against it.           There would not be freedom nor protection to the worker against           intimidation and coercion.    SFX Music in    Your private ballot is your right. Get informed. Visit myprivateballot.com   and find out where the candidates stand in this issue. Paid for by the   Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.     Title: "News"-RV2-AS PRODUCED    SFX Outdoors. Birds singing in the morning up & under    Woman   Buenos dia mi amor, como amaneciste?   Man     Pues preocupado por lo que leo en el periodico.    SFX Newspaper noises up & under            Parece que estan proponiendo una nueva ley en Washington que nos           puede afectar a todos los trabajadores.   Woman   De veras? Y que dice la ley?   Man     Pues algunos candidatos quieren eliminar el voto secreto para           votar si queremos sindicato en el trabajo.   Woman   A poco quieren quitar el voto secreto. Seria un abuso!   Man     Si. Lo quieren cambiar por una tarjeta de transferencia de voto al           sindicato, en la que firmas publicamente si estas a favor o en           contra del sindicato.   Woman   Pero asi todos sabran lo que votaste!   Man     Pues si, los trabajadores ya no podriamos votar en privado. Por           eso el voto debe ser secreto, como en las elecciones           presidenciales. Sin voto secreto no hay democracia.   Woman   Claro, porque si no les gusta nuestro voto, como nos protegemos           los trabajadores contra las presiones del jefe y de los           companeros?   Man     Esto de la tarjeta de transferencia de voto al sindicato en lugar           del voto secreto me huele mal ...    SFX Music in    Female   Anncr:  Tu voto privado es tu derecho. Informate. Visita mivotoprivado.co           y enterate de la posicion que los candidatos tienen en este tema.           Pagado por la Coalicion para la Democracia en el Lugar de Trabajo.     Title: "News"-RV2-AS PRODUCED    SFX Outdoors. Birds singing in the morning up & under    Woman   Good morning dear, how's been your morning so far?   Man     Well, I'm just worried about what I am reading in the newspaper.    SFX Newspaper noises up & under            It looks like they are proposing a new bill in Washington that can           affect all of us, as workers ...   Woman   Really? What's the bill about?   Man     Well, some candidates are trying to eliminate the private vote           system for union elections at the workplace.   Woman   You're kidding, they want to get ride of the private vote? It           would be abusive!   Man     I know. They want to replace it to a public ballot for union           elections where you publicly sign for or against having a union.   Woman   But that way everybody will know what you voted for!   Man     I know,  there will be no privacy for the worker anymore. That's           why the vote needs to be secret, like in the presidential           elections.  Without a secret ballot there is no democracy.   Woman   Of course, because what if they don't like our vote? How will us           the workers be protected from the boss and co-workers           intimidations?   Man     This public ballot for union elections replacing the private           ballot smells bad to me ...    SFX Music in    Female   Anncr:  Your private ballot is your right. Get informed. Visit           myprivateballot.com and find out where the candidates stand in           this issue. Paid for by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Coalition for a Democratic Workplace

CONTACT: Rhonda Bentz of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace,
+1-202-580-7289

Web site: http://www.mivotoprivado.com/
http://www.myprivateballot.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment