Minnesota's working families need a new friend in U.S. Senate

From the Minneapolis Labor Review, October 23, 2008

By Bill McCarthy, President,
Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation

In the close race for U.S. Senate, only one candidate is a union member who we can count on to be a steadfast advocate for working families: Al Franken.

Franken is the AFL-CIO endorsed candidate in the race.

The U.S. Senate debate October 16 featured Franken, incumbent Norm Coleman, and also Dean Barkley.

Of the three candidates, Franken is the only one who will support federal legislation to make it easier for workers to organize unions, the Employee Free Choice Act.

In the October 16 debate, all three candidates professed to be advocates for the middle class. Only Franken, however, truly “gets it” when it comes to understanding the best way to preserve and expand the middle class: that’s giving more workers the opportunity to join unions, earn union wages and benefits, and gain a voice on the job.

That’s what the Employee Free Choice Act would do. And that’s why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is waging a multi-million dollar ad campaign on radio and television to smear Franken and sow confusion about the legislation.

Don’t be fooled by this media blitz paid for by big business. The Employee Free Choice Act is pro-worker and pro-union.

Incumbent Coleman and his supporters want to distract you from Coleman’s record in the U.S. Senate these past six years. Coleman voted with President Bush nearly 90 percent of the time. He has championed big business interests, not working families. And that’s why corporate interests reward Coleman with piles of campaign cash. Coleman has received a combined total of more than $3.8 million from the finance, insurance and real estate industries.

Franken will be a champion for the middle class because it’s part of his DNA. Franken grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, he relates, in a two-bedroom, one bathroom home shared with his parents and older brother.

Franken excelled in Minnesota schools and went on to Harvard and a successful entertainment career. He and wife Franni, married 32 years, raised two children.

While Franken could have stayed in the entertainment world, he was increasingly troubled — like many people — by the direction of this country. He began writing best-selling books exposing the lies and hypocrisy of right-wing media and politicians. He became the featured star of Air America Radio and helped re-energize the progressive movement nationwide.

Franken campaigned alongside Paul Wellstone and, before launching his own race for Senate, Franken campaigned tirelessly across Minnesota for two years for progressive, labor-endorsed candidates.

Franken, in fact, is a member of four unions: the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Screen Actors’ Guild, the Directors’ Guild, and the Writers’ Guild.

Franken understands just how important unions are to sustaining and building the middle class. He will be a strong ally for working families in the U.S. Senate. He will work for change. That’s why he’s the subject of a vicious corporate attack campaign. And that’s why he deserves our support.

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