Union organizing, economic badness and a political roundup

By Lisa Mascaro

Monday, Nov. 24, 2008 | 2:57 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- So just how quickly will Congress and President-elect Barack Obama move next year on labor-backed legislation to make it easier for workers to unionize – as has happened at the casinos on The Strip?

Judging by the campaign now underway, a vote could be coming quickly.

A new TV ad is running today opposing the union-backed bill. It comes from the coalition headed by uber-lobbyist Richard Berman.

The ad conjoins (or conflates?) the economic woes of the steel, airline and automotive industries, and blames them on unions.

“Hundreds of thousands of lost jobs and union bosses that helped put them out of business,” the announcer says. “If you think the economy is bad now, it could get worse.” The ad renames the Employee Free Choice Act the “Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act.”

The ad counters one now playing for the past week by the pro-union folks. It shows a working stiff being told by the big boss he’s getting a pay raise, health benefits and a retirement package – only to realize he’s dreaming.

I’ve seen that pro-union ad so many times during the beltway talk shows, I can’t tell if that reflects the size of the ad buy or the fact that I need to get a life. (What do normal people watch on TV these days?)

Some believe the Employee Free Choice Act will be an early agenda item for the new Congress, especially because the bill doesn’t come with a budget request.

Others suggest it may be shelved in the name of start-of-session comity.

But neither side is taking any chances.

Here’s a bit of other news from the weekend papers:

-- A coalition of 50 organizations penned a letter to the Department of Energy crying foul over its process for licensing Yucca Mountain.

The groups say the Energy Department keeps revising and amending the license application, making practically impossible for opponents to review and file challenges in the time period allotted.

The groups’ request the Energy Department restart the clock every time an addendum is filed.

-- All sorts of bad economic indicators to read, if you dare, from the rising unemployment rate (7.6 percent), to the state budget deficit to the little guy in the mini-mall taking a hit.

-- The Sun’s David Schwartz compares the auto bailout to the state bailout.

-- And if the state was counting on that $3 billion from the feds, forget it, says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (via Anjeanette Damon via GNS’s Deborah Barry.)

-- J. Patrick Coolican suggests a route forward for Republicans (hint: it’s not reining in spending) and I muse on the long December of special/lame duck legislative sessions awaiting us.

That’s it for now. Check back for Nevada political news here at The Sun.