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Group plans petitions on secret ballots, paycheck deductions
Feb. 24, 2010
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
By ED VOGEL
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU
CARSON CITY --
A national organization unhappy with organized labor
intends to circulate two petitions in Nevada this
year that would require union elections to be by
secret ballot and require employees to agree before
political contributions are taken from their
paychecks.
A third petition to be circulated by SOS (Save Our
Secret) Ballot would add to the state constitution
the requirement that elections for public office and
issues be conducted by secret ballot, as they are
done now by widespread practice.
"I cannot imagine anything more private than how you
vote and how you spend your money," said Tim Mooney,
national spokesman for the organization, which is
made up of many small-business owners.
SOS Ballot is countering a nationwide union movement
to force state and federal governments to adopt
"card check," which would allow workers to form a
union by signing cards instead of holding a secret
ballot vote.
Businesses say card check would make it easier for
unions to organize workers, pushing up the cost of
doing business and restricting managements' ability
to control its work force.
David Kallas, a legislative lobbyist for the Las
Vegas Police Protective Association, objected to the
two questions that would affect unions.
"Their goal is to impede unions' ability to
organize," Kallas said Wednesday.
"We (unions) act in the best interests of our
members," he said, adding that members approve
bylaws that spell out the rights and
responsibilities of unions.
He said unions need contributions from members to
support politicians who back their causes.
The SOS Ballot Nevada initiative on paychecks really
is an "impediment" to block unions from acting in
their members' best interest, Kallas said.
Mooney acknowledged that unions have opposed similar
efforts in other states, and he expects challenges
in Nevada.
In Wyoming, unions sought to do away with a
requirement calling for secret ballots in union
elections, he said.
Mooney said the paycheck deduction proposal is
important because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court
decision that lifts limits on the amount of money
that corporations and unions can contribute to
political campaigns. SOS Ballot believes that
because of that decision, there will be a concerted
effort by unions and others to secure contributions
from employees.
"We expect a union challenge," Mooney said. "They
want to know how I vote and who I give money to."
Concerning SOS's third petition, Mooney said that
under the Nevada Constitution, a secret ballot is
not guaranteed in elections for public bodies and on
public issues. The Nevada Constitution states only
that elections will be by "ballot."
Mooney admitted, though, that local, state and
national elections have been by secret ballot for
about 130 years.
Mooney wouldn't identify people and companies that
contribute to the national effort, but SOS' state
chairman is Steve Wark, a Republican political
consultant who is handling the gubernatorial
campaign of former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike
Montandon.
Mooney said he will comply with state laws requiring
the identification of contributors to the SOS Ballot
Nevada Group.
The three petitions, if approved by voters, would
amend the state constitution.
SOS needs to get more than 97,000 signatures of
registered voters on each petition by Aug. 4. If it
does, the measures will be placed on the November
ballot. To be placed in the constitution, they must
be approved in November and again in 2012.
Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at
evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. The
Associated Press contributed to this report. |
