Nevada labor gloats over proposition’s defeat in California

Brian Seals

Wednesday, June 3, 1998 | 10:31 a.m.

In a vote that was expected to set the tone for similar proposals nationwide, California voters rejected an initiative that would have required unions to get permission from individual members before making paycheck deductions for political causes.

With 92 percent of precincts reporting, the measure was defeated Tuesday by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent.

Proposition backers, generally conservative Republicans, say the proposal is a matter of fairness in that workers shouldn't have to donate to candidates or causes with which they don't agree. Conversely, labor leaders say these proposals are attempts to silence the voice of labor, which tends to back Democratic causes.

The Nevada Republican Liberty Caucus is in the midst of a petition drive to get a similar proposal, dubbed the Paycheck Protection Act, on the state's ballot in November.

Labor leaders say the California vote should help swing momentum in favor of labor should the matter get on the ballot in Nevada.

"I think it speaks to the issue when two months ago it was up by 70 points and when people found out the truth and motives behind it, they defeated it," said Danny Thompson, political director for the Nevada AFL-CIO. "I predict that will happen here. I don't know anyone who is for that initiative."

Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Jim Arnold called the vote a big victory for working people.

"This shows they can put all the fancy names on it they want, but when corporate greed tries to silence labor, working people won't stand for it," Arnold said.

He said the victory should "wake up" the people of Nevada about the motives behind the proposal.

"I think it will have a tremendous effect on what happens in our state," said Teamsters Local 995 President Mike Magnani. "I feel the paycheck protection act has opened our eyes and brought our members a lot closer together."

But Chuck Muth of the Nevada Republican Liberty Caucus said it would not effect that group's efforts. He accused labor of conducting a deceptive campaign in California.

"I think the lesson here is, you can fool enough of the people some of the time," Muth said. "They won one battle, but the war is far from over."

Bruce Esgar, of the Nevada Employees for the Right to Work, said his group was more educational than political, but that he supported the initiative. He didn't expect the California vote to affect Nevada.

"I think every state is going to be different," Esgar said.

The Liberty Caucus is trying to garner enough petition signatures to get the initiative on November's ballot. Meanwhile, Judge Myron Leavitt is deciding on a challenge to the possible ballot proposition brought by the Nevada State Education Association.

Conservative forces from outside the state were joined by California Gov. Pete Wilson to back passage of the measure. Supporters of the measure had raised $7.8 million by mid-March, according to the California Secretary of State's office.

The measure's opponents had raised $11 million by mid-March, and an estimated $20 million was ultimately raised to defeat the proposition.

Earlier this year, the proposition enjoyed popularity with voters. Polls showed about 71 percent of California voters approved of it. However, in the waning days of the campaign, those numbers slipped to about 45 percent favoring it and 47 percent opposing it. The 8 percent of undecided voters in pre-election polling apparently made the difference in the measure's defeat.