"she asked that her name not be used for fear of reprisal"

WTF is this primary turning into? Workers being intimidated into voting the union endorsed candidate - Rather fascist, don't you think -- no, actually, TOTALLY fascist.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4112536

Now, I suspect this may be going on elsewhere, but, have not read any similar reports. However, IF IT IS, I hope folks will stand tall and vote for who they want to. And, if there are reprisals -- report them here and all over the progressive web and to any journalists (if you can find one) that will listen. This is the most disturbing thing I've read so far.

Sheez, when did Karl Rove/Joseph Stalin/Adolph Hitler start advising the Dem Party on how to treat the electorate (when they got 'out of line')? Disgusting!

Ironically :tinfoilhat:bama is turning into the worst person to run for the Democratic nomination since George Wallace.

I really can't believe there are people like you out there. What do you think you are gaining by saying such shit?
People like you have turned more people away from this election than you have influenced with your shit!

Voter intimidation is NOT democratic. And, from the original article, it appears, it may be occurring - and, how could it not?

You're the member of a union who endorsed Candidate X -- you have to walk into a room and face your 'bosses' and co-workers, raising your hand as all watch -- what are you going to do? Vote for Candidate Y??? And, go against your bosses/union/coworkers?

It is just a strange way to 'do' democracy.

It was about the process and the potential for intimidation. I tried to make it exceedingly clear that I believed it may occur elsewhere - guess you missed that part - even though I repeated it JUST for anyone who might think this was OBAMA specific.

Sheez, you guys are starting to get on my nerves ... and, it has little to do with your candidate and more to do with his supporters paranoia/defensiveness.

I just survived what I thought was a fairly innocuous original post in GD and it got weird in a hurry. Expect to be accused of hatred, superiority, ignorance, etc.

Don't let it get you down. Your opinion is as valid as anyone's.

"Now, I suspect this may be going on elsewhere ..."

But, given my experience in any group with power (union or management - I've been in both), I would not want to have them scrutinizing my vote. It would be intimidating and, I have no doubt, cause some who might want to vote otherwise, to vote 'safe'.

And the ones that support Hillary will do the same thing. But somehow I doubt that Barack will sensationalize it this badly.

in a caucus they stand up in front of everyone in the room and declare who they want their vote to go to..there is negotiating ..there are deals..

but in the workplace..there can be horrible intimidation.

I spent a lifetime in a union..they never knew who i voted for..i never had to stand in my workplace and declare who i was voting for.

fly

Fact is no matter which candidate it serves, it is wrong.

Ever since the French revolotion and the international Bill of rights in the 19th centuries, all civilized countries have had voting that was SECRET, DIRECT, EQUAL and universal.
US has caucases, electoral colleges, early primary states - we are centuries behind the world.

this is not boding well for democracy

the rank and file, (that's us) need to see that some changes are made the
way the party is running things...seems a lot has changed since the DLC took over the party.

We need a new party.

The more they pull this crap, the more likely liberal dems will leave and form
a third party

how I'm feeling more and more

...was a racist Dixiecrat.

How ironic to now be hearing the same thing from the left. It shows how far the Democratic party has veered toward Reaganism. We need to get it back on track.

switch back after the deed was done. Mme Butterfly herself "but the ballots were made by a Democrat" LePore.

If the Democratic party decides to keep pandering to "Reagan Democrats" then there may be no alternative except to form a new party. Unfortunately for us, the system is rigged to prevent it.

nor direct.

It's a caucus, not a primary. I thought I would never say this, but police should videotape every strip location. The intimidation factor will most likely be very intense.

Culinary Union Intimidating Members to Vote for Obama
Iowamomentum in Diaries
1/16/2008 at 9:21 PM EST

This needs to be pushed to CNN/MSNBC/Foxnews ASAP... Disgusting Chicago politics...

http://www.taylormarsh.com /

There's nothing dainty about Las Vegas but things are getting rough.

Intimidation. Pledges demanded. People to vote for Obama or stay away from the caucus.

Call this union vs. the casino workers.

I just did an interview with a Culinary union member who was intimidated while eating lunch in the cafeteria at work. She didn't want to give her name, but she wanted to tell her story. The connection is rough, but her story tells the tale. It's below in a podcast:

Culinary Union pressures members to vote for Obama.

Pamela over at Democratic Daily posted on a tip she received about the intimidation.

Jon Ralston talked about it this morning on MSNBC.

I just got off the phone with a unimpeachable source that there has been more than one confrontation between union reps and members.

This is not an indictment against unions, especially considering I joined my first union when I was in my teens, totally four eventually. Unions are the backbone of the middle class. But in every good group there lies opportunistic cretins. Obama's supporters are obviously applying Chicago style politics in Sin City and they've got three days to get the job done.

Meanwhile, you've got big shots like John Kerry talking about "let the people vote" doing so within a stacked system titled towards the Culinary union, with many of their members who'd much rather vote for someone other than Obama being intimidated and forced to sign pledge cards. Some will fight back, but most will not. From what I'm hearing, this is getting ugly. It's the opposite side, with the story actually being "make the people vote for me."

If you don’t sign, we’re going to send you back to Mexico.’ ”
This is from a few years ago, about the Culinary Union and it’s tactics. This was written by the Nevada Journal and describes the union’s practices while trying to organize at the MGM Grand hotel. The union forced workers, particularly inon-English speaking workers, to sign cards in support of the union but used threats and outright lies to coerce them to do so.

“Where is Justice for the Working People?”

nj.npri.org/nj98/03/cover_story.htm

“”It was just very hostile,” Restori said. “If you did not agree with the other side, people no longer spoke. A wonderful place to work has turned into a frenzy—splitting up people, making enemies out of friends.”
Restori, originally from Pittsburgh, used to be a strong supporter of unions. Her husband was a member of the Steelworkers Union before they moved to Las Vegas. An employee of the MGM since its opening, Restori helped the Culinary Union Local 226 in its first effort to organize the hotel-resort until she realized it was taking advantage of people.
“Unions are good but not this one,” she said. “My feeling is that the Culinary Union has targeted—I will say—foreign people. They manipulated, tricked and fooled them and took advantage of their lack of knowledge of labor laws, their rights.
“They were saying, for instance, ‘Sign this card, you’ll get a free turkey. If you don’t sign, we’re going to send you back to Mexico.’ ”

This one is from 2004 from the Nevada Policy Research Institute. It describes the Culinary Unions merger with UNITE.

“Culinary’s Sinister New Partner”

DISGUTING!

Whoever heard of such a thing? Oh, but wait, if we criticize unions here on DU would that makes us neo-con reagan-loving fellators?