They've used the traditional means - newspaper and television ads - however opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the Card Check legislation, are on the ground in Maine convincing Mainers not to vote for the candidates that support the legislation.
The EFCA seeks to make it easier for workers to organize, but has drawn criticism because it takes away the private ballot process in unions.
U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, who is running for Senate, and Chellie Pingree, who is running in the First Congressional District, both support the legislation.
They've used the traditional means - newspaper and television ads - however opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the Card Check legislation, are on the ground in Maine convincing Mainers not to vote for the candidates that support the legislation.
The EFCA seeks to make it easier for workers to organize, but has drawn criticism because it takes away the private ballot process in unions.
U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, who is running for Senate, and Chellie Pingree, who is running in the First Congressional District, both support the legislation.
Employee Freedom, the group behind the opposition, has established a volunteer effort in Maine. Tim Miller, communications director for the group, said this is a grassroots effort to inform people about the candidates.
The group’s YouTube channel has four videos of these volunteers approaching Mainers. The first one shows volunteers approaching people in downtown Portland. “Tom Allen and Chellie Pingree want to take away your right to a private ballot, did you know that?” the volunteer asks people.
Another video shows the volunteer approaching Pingree, who tells them the conversation is more complicated than what they are presenting. Another video shows them approaching Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings.
The volunteer was challenged in another video by House Majority Whip Sean Faircloth, who peppered the volunteer with questions about how the organization is funded.
Allen’s campaign has denounced the ads from Employee Freedom.
"We believe this ad has no place in this campaign, and we denounce it. To accuse hard-working Mainers of being aligned with organized crime and to suggest Congressman Allen is protective of organized crime is not only false and negative, but personally destructive," said Carol Andrews, Allen Campaign communications director, in a recent press release.
