Ask any member of a union if they're familiar with with union-busting tactics by employers, and you'll not only get an affirmative answer, you'll also understand why their union is so important to them.
It's because a majority of them stuck together through divide and conquer tactics, intimidating one-on-one meeting with their bosses, and countless fear-mongering memos from management - all with the help of union busting consultants.
So what do you do when a majority - say, 60% - of Americans say that they'd like to see a public option as part of any final health care reform legislation?
That's right. Bring in a health care buster.
Yesterday, Sen. Judd Gregg took a page from the union busters and sent a memo to his Republican colleagues in the Senate - detailing how they can use the parliamentary process to obstruct progress on the health insurance reform bill.
Sen. Gregg's health care busting memo is a blueprint for obstruction. It directs Republicans on how to force roll call votes for procedural motions and points out how to submit an "unlimited number of amendments -- germane or non-germane -- on any subject."
This is cynical politicking at its worst, as Sen. Reid pointed out on the Senate floor this morning:
"The first and only plan Senate Republicans could be bothered to draft is an instruction manual on how to bring the Senate to a screeching halt."
Sen. Reid is right and we need to make sure that the Senate isn't brought to a screeching halt.
You can help make this happen by signing up to be part of SEIU's Adopt-a-State campaign. In doing so, you'll be reaching out to constituents in key health care "swing states", asking them to call Senators who are being targeted by Republicans to join their filibuster.
Every union member knows the importance of standing together, now we need to make sure that these Senators stand together for health care reform.
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I'm proud to work for SEIU.