SOS: Group Pushes Amendment to Keep Secret Ballot

A statewide group is pushing to amend Missouri's Constitution to require secret ballots for union elections.

It's in response to pending federal legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize.

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At issue: Impact of the Employee Free Choice Act

"Ten union organizers show up at your 10 employee's house all in one night. It they can get five of them to sign a card, by the time you come to work the next day, you are a unionized company," said Save Our Secret Ballot's Tim Mooney. "This is bad stuff. It ought to be awfully scary to you. You pass this in a dozen states, with the kind of numbers we have in our poll, and it will kill this idea."

"Shame on them for choosing this way to tip the scales. That is an absolutely offensive, brazen, cynical tactic," said Missouri Save Our Secret Ballot Chair John Loudon.

So far the group has said its raised $100,000 and landed 40,000 signatures for the ballot initiative that would force unions to hold secret ballot elections.

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Clark Brown, the SEIU legislative liaison in Missouri:

"I can very confidently say that workers are intimidated," Brown said about how companies delay and stall union elections under the current system. "The act we're looking at is wanting to put that choice in hands of the workers, whether they have a private election."

Said he's sure EFCA would grow unions in Springfield But notes . . . "The Employee Free Choice Act does still entitle secret ballot elections, but it makes it the choice of the workers."

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ALSO: The Missouri Chamber of Commerce held a separate meeting on a similar topic with GOP strategist Karl Rove. Ky3 requested an interview with Chamber president Dan Mehan or Rove, but did not receive a call back. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who was billed as the headliner for the SOS event, instead cancelled to attend the Missouri Chamber event with Rove. That event was not open to press.

When I asked Loudon why the Mo. Chamber president Mehan would schedule a similar event on the same day, he replied, "You'll have to ask him."

"The Missouri Chamber of Commerce has opposed civil rights, the 40 hour work week, the 8 hour work day, OSHA safety regulations and the 2006 increase to the minimum wage. And now they're bringing in George W. Bush's old friend Karl Rove to raise money to fight against the Employee Free Choice Act," said Brad Stokes, president of the Springfield Labor Council.

Kinder, Rove Compete For Card Check Audience

ROVE EVENT DESIGNED TO PRESSURE MCCASKILL

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder and political strategist Karl Rove are holding separate meetings within hours of each other in Springfield Wednesday on the ramifications of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Kinder's meeting is part of a statewide tour to promote a ballot initiative designed to protect Missouri from passage of the legislation. The meeting is sponsored by Associated Industries of Missouri and the Southwest Area Manufacturers Association, and is slated for 4:30 p.m. at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. There is no charge for the event, but pre-registration is required.

Karl Rove is speaking to an invitation only crowd at the Loren Cook Company at 2:30. That meeting is sponsored by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. "We will be using a number of methods to get the attention of members of Congress who are important swing votes on this matter -- and making our opinions ring as clear as a bell," wrote state Chamber president Dan Mehan. In a letter to invites, Mehan said a group of business organizations in the Midwest will be using a 527 to communicate their message through TV, radio and newspaper ads. "It is our intention to become the 'point of the spear' in the American business community's efforts to defeat these onerous new labor laws," Mehan wrote.

Former State Sen. John Loudon, who serves as chair of the "Save Our Secret Ballot" tour, said the two events are unrelated. Loudon told The Notebook that Kinder's event "is a Missouri ballot issue, theirs is designed to lobby (Sen. Claire) McCaskill to change her vote."

Loudon said that Rove's event was scheduled after the ballot initiative tour, and that "a lot of people are confused."

New Year's Eve Potpourri

After a few days back east, I'm back in the Show-Me State to clean up a few items before we ring in the New Year:

• SOUR PURPLE POWER: Northwestern came oh-so-close to knocking off big ole' once-national-title-bound (psych!) Mizzou in the Alamo Bowl. It was gut-wrenching to watch them fall short. An explanation why: The Wildcats let in smarter kids. (Disclosure: I went to journalism school at NU.)
• KOSTER TAPS JUDGE: Attorney General-elect Chris Koster has selected Cass County Judge Joe Dandurand as his Deputy A.G. "Naturally, in our roles as judge and prosecutor, we have not always agreed on all issues. Through the years, however, we have developed a strong mutual professional and personal respect," Dandurand said in a statement.
• AMENDMENT HAPPY: State Sen. John Loudon held a press conference earlier this week to announce a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment to protect "the secret ballot." If at first you don't succeed . . .
• BOND BACKS ISRAEL: Fresh back from his trip from Israel, Sen. Kit Bond is defending the country's recent relentless assault on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He wants the U.S. to provide Israel with an anti-missile defense system. "Israel has every right to defend its borders, and protect its people," said Bond. "With their unprovoked attacks on Israel, Hamas is demonstrating their true commitment is violence, not peace."
• KEY NIXON APPOINTMENT: Governor-elect Jay Nixon appointed St. Louis health care official Ronald Levy to be his Director of Social Services. Nixon said Levy would begin transforming Missouri's health care system by helping to increase access for children. The 58-year-old Levy was the chief executive of SSM Health Care in St. Louis before retiring last year. Levy's appointment requires Senate approval.
• SPEAKING OF HEALTH CARE: The Missouri Foundation for Health is urging lawmakers not to help make up a projected $340 million dollars shortfall by cutting Medicaid reimbursements. The group says it will be tempting to make up money there, but that lawmakers should resist. "They would be strongly cautioned against doing so, as it will reduce access to health care services for lower-income Missourians, increase inefficiencies in the delivery of care . . ." said MFH president Dr. James Kimmey.
• BLUNT GETS (ANOTHER) JOB: The auto board thing just sounded odd to people. Downright strange. Now, outgoing Governor Matt Blunt says he'll be a senior adviser to a private equity firm in Massachusetts (A Romney connection?). Blunt is signing on with Solamere Capital on January 13th. The release says Blunt will "help evaluate opportunities for Solamere, while also helping to grow its investments and portfolio companies." The Notebook wishes the Gov. the best of luck in his new non-political endeavor. He'll need it to help "grow" anything in this economy.
• NIXON'S CHALLENGE: You may have noticed Nixon's Challenge hasn't been updated since I've been on holiday. We'll have a fresh batch of entries for you tomorrow on our political page at ky3.com.
• BLOG MOVE: Oh, and about that blog move we told you about a few weeks ago. It's still likely to happen, but after some smart suggestions and feedback from you, we're still working out the exact software to make our transition as blog-worthy as possible.
  

Happy New Year!

Stem Cells To Return Again?

Anti-abortion Group Seeks To Take on Stem Cell Amendment in 2010
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Townhall on Taxpayer Money for Abortion, Cloning Tonight

The Missouri Roundtable For Life holds a townhall meeting Thursday night in Springfield to tout a proposed 2010 ballot initiative that would forbid the use of tax dollars for abortion services, human cloning or "other controversial research.

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The public is invited to attend a townhall at the Executive Conference Center on 910 West Battlefield. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The townhall will run from 7-8 p.m.

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Speakers included State Senator John Loudon and Ed Martin from the Missouri Roundtable For Life.

Reads the release: "Since the passage of constitutional Amendment 2 in 2006, restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortions and human-cloning research have been swept away. Missouri Roundtable For Life will explain exactly what has happened and how you can help put things right."

For more information, click HERE.

DEVELOPING . . . For KY3 News @ 10