Vote no to stop anti-union recall

By Sheri Williams

Millionaires who want to roll back worker protections in California are funneling big money into a campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, and union members are fighting to stop them.

“Let me be clear, if they are successful, we’ll lose many of the hard-fought gains we’ve made on higher wages, pensions, health care and more,” said Fabrizio Sasso, head of the Sacramento Central Labor Council, where a full-scale campaign to inform union members of the danger of the recall has been underway for weeks. “It is absolutely urgent that every union member take the time to vote no on the first question of this recall ballot – whether or not to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. Regardless of your opinion of the governor, those on the ballot trying to replace him are anti-worker, anti-union and would do everything they can to take power away from working people.”

As mail-in ballots hit homes, union members in Sacramento and across the state have been phone banking, going door to door and speaking to co-workers about the rollbacks workers would likely face if Newsom was removed from office.

The California Labor Federation has a website, noantiworkerrecall.com, with more information including these key facts:

Who is behind this Recall? It is a national network of very rich anti-union funders who are taking aim at our pensions, prevailing wage, project labor agreements and voting rights. They have spent millions to put this special election Recall on the ballot. Funders like tech moguls, corporate CEOs and millionaire politicians.

Why? Because they couldn’t win with a union-busting candidate in the last election. They want to control California by pulling a fast one on California’s working folks by trying to steal the governor’s office in a low-turnout special election.

How does the special election Recall work? There are two questions on the Recall ballot. First: Should Governor Newsom be recalled? The answer is “NO!”

For the second question about replacements, many unions are advising to leave it blank. The anti-union candidates trying to replace the Governor all share one thing in common: They have a long history of attacking wages and pensions. Any one of those candidates could become Governor with just 10% of the vote! That means someone with a fringe anti-union agenda could sneak into office to attack all of the things we’ve worked so hard for as a union. One of the leading replacement candidates, radio talk show host Larry Elder, even said it’s a “big myth that unions help workers” and said there should be NO minimum wage!

California’s laws to protect workers are the strongest in the nation. Under Gov. Newsom’s leadership, we’ve secured major gains for our members and all workers. But this Recall isn’t really about Gavin Newsom or any one individual. It’s about millionaire funders trying to strip away our hard-fought wins on wages, health care and pensions just to make themselves even richer.

We can’t afford to allow wealthy anti-union special interests to seize control of California. The Recall risks undermining the values we share as Californians.

Ballots were mailed out beginning August 16. Watch your mailbox for your ballot and join other union members by returning your ballot right away (no postage necessary) to vote NO on the Recall!