Labor | The Real Arlen Specter for Senate

Labor - Standing Up For Corporations

“I think [The Employee Free Choice Act] is a bad bill and I am opposed to it”

- Arlen Specter, April 28, 2009

“I said when I made the switch I’m still against [the Employee Free Choice Act]. Democrats are all for it, Republicans are all against it and I’m the critical vote.”

- Arlen Specter, ‘Meet the Press’ May 3, 2009

Lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO of 61%

Denying Workers Rights

•The Real Arlen Specter opposed the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and ballot and arbitration reforms that would protect American workers and ensure their right to organize and earn a fair contract. [Philadelphia Inquirer, “Specter will Oppose Pro-Union Bill”, March 25, 2009]
•The Real Arlen Specter voted to deny collective bargaining rights to federal employees. [H.R. 5005, September 26, 2002]
•The Real Arlen Specter voted to restrict unions’ access to the workplace, voting for a bill that would have made it harder for unions to distribute materials and solicit contributions from employees [H.R. 3061, November 1, 2001].

Exporting American jobs

•To reduce job opportunities in the U.S., the Real Arlen Specter supported tax loopholes that export jobs, allowing companies to avoid having to pay federal taxes on earnings from foreign factories [S. 1637, May 5, 2004].
•The Real Arlen Specter also worked to allow companies that ship jobs overseas to defer taxes on profits on products shipped back into the United States [S 1357, 10/27/95, Record Vote 517].

Fair trade

The Real Arlen Specter voted for NAFTA and GATT

Limiting a right to a decent wage

•As part of his long history of denying workers a decent wage, the Real Arlen Specter has worked to: stop an increase of the minimum wage by $1 over two years [1999 Senate Vote #96, 4/28/99, Record Vote 98]
•The Real Arlen Specter voted to tie an increase in the minimum wage to allowing employers to use flex time to eliminate paying overtime and reducing the number of companies required to pay the minimum wage. [2005 Senate Vote #27, 3/7/2005]

Opposing prevailing wages for workers under Davis-Bacon

The Real Arlen Specter opposed Davis-Bacon employee wage protections, which ensure that construction workers receive locally prevailing wages. [S. 1072, February 12, 2004]

Reversing workplace safety

The Real Arlen Specter voted for the first reversal of a workplace safety law in 30 years and permanently prohibited federal regulators from implementing workplace safety laws against repetitive stress injuries [S.J. Res 6, March 6, 2001]

Preventing fair pay

The Real Arlen Specter voted for the Hutchison amendment to Lilly Ledbetter Act to prevent employees from challenging pay discrimination unless they complained within six months of the date they received the very first discriminatory paycheck. In doing so, he worked to cut off a woman’s right to challenge ongoing pay discrimination [S AMDT 25 to S 181, January 22, 2009]

Privatizing Social Security

The Real Arlen Specter supported privatizing Social Security to put retired workers; retirement security at risk based on the volatility of the market. [1998 Senate Vote #56, 4/1/1998]

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