Trumka: We're Getting Card Check in Obama's Second Term

Katie Pavlich | November 05, 2012 2:10 PM

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is looking forward to some "flexibility" in a second Obama term should the president win tomorrow. Trumka told the Atlantic an Obama re-election will bring back card check, or in other words, the elimination of a secret ballot for union members.

"[...] You'll see it," he says. "That's within the next term." How is that possible, without a Democratic House of Representatives or 60 votes in the Senate? Trumka smiles. His eyes twinkle.

"There's another election between now and then," he says. And the AFL-CIO isn't going anywhere.

Trumka is the same guy who is strongly opposed to Voter I.D. laws. This was his response to a judge striking down a photo identification requirement at the polls for the 2012 election.

Elections are serious events, with lasting consequences for working families. That’s why it’s so important that our laws be written and applied in a way that makes it possible for as many people as possible to cast ballots.

Voter ID laws like Pennsylvania’s work in the opposite direction, disenfranchising voters and making it harder for people to participate in elections. These and other measures to restrict voting are cynical and wrong, and they undermine our democracy.

We are pleased that Judge Simpson enjoined the voter ID law so Pennsylvania voters will not be required to show photo ID at the polls on Election Day. With this roadblock to voting removed, all eligible Pennsylvanians will be able to exercise their right to vote.

We remain concerned that the judge is allowing the state to continue to publicize and promote voter ID. This is going to cause unnecessary confusion leading up to and on Election Day. We urge the state to make sure Pennsylvania voters know that they will NOT be denied the right to vote on Election Day if they lack a photo ID.