Center for Union Facts
Encyclopedia
The Center for Union Facts is an interest group critical of union officials’ activities. It is one of several advocacy and public relations groups created by Richard Berman
. Berman’s Washington, D.C.
-based public affairs
firm, Berman and Company
, specializes in research, communications and advertising.
Berman’s website says he founded the CUF "to make employees and the general public
more aware of the questionable activities of labor officials.” Sources used are from primary document
s taken from government sources, including the Department of Labor
, the National Labor Relations Board
, the Internal Revenue Service
and the Federal Election Commission
.
in major U.S. newspapers, including The New York Times
, The Washington Post
and The Wall Street Journal
. In May 2006 the organization launched its first television advertisement
campaign. The 30-second spot, running on Fox News Channel
and local markets, featured "actors posing as workers" saying what they 'love' about unions," like paying dues, union leaders' "fat-cat lifestyles," and discrimination against minorities. The ad campaign cost USD$3 million, raised "from companies, foundations and individuals that Mr. Berman won't identify."
Another TV ad (shown on CNN
among other stations) shows paid professional actors posing as large, burly "union leaders" muscling their way into a worker's home and "intimidating" him into joining the union. Labor and economics
professor
Harley Shaiken said the effort "to create an antiunion atmosphere" more generally, as opposed to business-funded ads against a particular union organizing drive or strike, "is a new wrinkle." An AFL-CIO
spokesperson called the ad's accusations "unfounded and outrageous."
In August 2006 the CUF ran a series of advertisements in Montana
, Oregon
, Michigan
and Nevada
attacking public employee unions. It appears that this may have been connected with ballot initiatives in those states proposing public spending caps.
The Center for Union Facts is active in fighting the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act
.
reporter Kim Chapman he had raised "about $2.5 million from companies, trade organizations and individuals, whom he declined to identify."
Sarah Longwell, a CUF spokeswoman, echoed Berman's comments: "The reason we don't disclose supporters is because unions have a long history of targeting anyone who opposes them, whether it be in a threatening way or by lodging campaigns against them," she told the Detroit Free Press
. Longwell is also associated with the PETA Kills Animals campaign, is listed as director of communications for the Center for Consumer Freedom,, Managing Director of the American Beverage Institute, and a spokeswoman for the Indoor Tanning Association, all run by Berman & Co. The paper reported that while Wal-Mart
stores denied funding the group it stated that "it has a relationship in which it exchanges union information with Berman, the group's head."
Richard Berman
Richard Berman is a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer, public relations executive, and lobbyist. Through his public affairs firm Berman and Company, Berman runs several industry-funded non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom and the Center for Union Facts...
. Berman’s Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based public affairs
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
firm, Berman and Company
Berman and Company
Berman and Company is a Washington, D.C. based public affairs and non-profit management firm founded by lawyer and lobbyist Rick Berman. In addition to its public relations clients, Berman and Company runs several industry-funded non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom and...
, specializes in research, communications and advertising.
Berman’s website says he founded the CUF "to make employees and the general public
General Public
General Public were a band formed by The Beat vocalists, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, and which included former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Specials and The Clash...
more aware of the questionable activities of labor officials.” Sources used are from primary document
Primary source
Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied....
s taken from government sources, including the Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
, the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
, the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
and the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
.
Activities
CUF was launched in February 2006 via full-page adsADS
ADS or Ads may refer to:In computing:* Advanced Design System, an EDA tool from Agilent EEsof EDA* Advantage Database Server, a Relational Database Management System* Alternate data stream, a filesystem fork in Microsoft NTFS...
in major U.S. newspapers, including The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. In May 2006 the organization launched its first television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
campaign. The 30-second spot, running on Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
and local markets, featured "actors posing as workers" saying what they 'love' about unions," like paying dues, union leaders' "fat-cat lifestyles," and discrimination against minorities. The ad campaign cost USD$3 million, raised "from companies, foundations and individuals that Mr. Berman won't identify."
Another TV ad (shown on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
among other stations) shows paid professional actors posing as large, burly "union leaders" muscling their way into a worker's home and "intimidating" him into joining the union. Labor and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Harley Shaiken said the effort "to create an antiunion atmosphere" more generally, as opposed to business-funded ads against a particular union organizing drive or strike, "is a new wrinkle." An AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
spokesperson called the ad's accusations "unfounded and outrageous."
In August 2006 the CUF ran a series of advertisements in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
attacking public employee unions. It appears that this may have been connected with ballot initiatives in those states proposing public spending caps.
The Center for Union Facts is active in fighting the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act
The Employee Free Choice Act was a legislative bill that was introduced into both chambers of the U.S. Congress on March 10, 2009. The bill's purpose was to,...
.
Omissions
The Center for Union Facts has been criticized for failing to include relevant information in their anti-union campaign. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union workers earn 27% more than non union workers, and are more likely to receive health care and pension benefits. As well, unions take a strong stance on workers' safety. These omissions cause critics to question the whether the Center's focus is improving conditions for workers or increasing corporate profits.Funding
Berman told BloombergBloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg L.P. is an American privately held financial software, media, and data company. Bloomberg makes up one third of the $16 billion global financial data market with estimated revenue of $6.9 billion. Bloomberg L.P...
reporter Kim Chapman he had raised "about $2.5 million from companies, trade organizations and individuals, whom he declined to identify."
Sarah Longwell, a CUF spokeswoman, echoed Berman's comments: "The reason we don't disclose supporters is because unions have a long history of targeting anyone who opposes them, whether it be in a threatening way or by lodging campaigns against them," she told the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
. Longwell is also associated with the PETA Kills Animals campaign, is listed as director of communications for the Center for Consumer Freedom,, Managing Director of the American Beverage Institute, and a spokeswoman for the Indoor Tanning Association, all run by Berman & Co. The paper reported that while Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
stores denied funding the group it stated that "it has a relationship in which it exchanges union information with Berman, the group's head."
External links
- UnionFacts.com website
- SourceWatch profile
Articles
- "Anti-union group launches media campaign", United Press InternationalUnited Press InternationalUnited Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
, February 13, 2006 - Amy Joyce, "Full-Page Ads Launch Anti-Union Drive - Lobbyist Aims to Show Labor Groups to be 'Duplicitous'", Washington Post, February 14, 2006.
- Steven Greenhouse, "Group Starts Anti-Union Campaign", New York Times, February 14, 2006.
- Kim Chapman, "New group launches anti-union drive", Seattle Post Intelligencer, February 14, 2006.
- Kris Maher, "Taking on the AFL-CIO", Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2006.
- Kortney Stringer, "Antiunion ad campaign in Detroit's face today", Detroit Free Press, May 24, 2006.
- "New evidence shows Wal-Mart working closely with right wing attack group", WakeupWalmart.comWake Up Wal-MartWake Up Wal-Mart is a campaign group founded by United Food and Commercial Workers Union. It is based in Washington, D.C. and is often critical of the business practices of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, and the largest private employer in the United States...
, May 26, 2006. - Marcus Kabel, "Wal-Mart denies funding anti-union ads", BusinessweekBusinessWeekBloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
, May 26, 2006.