Labor Coalition Seeks Overturning of Proposition 8

When one thinks of union members, I tend to picture blue collar and hourly union workers who are anything but the "effete liberals" that the Christianists and Sarah Palin like to vent about. They are about as "real American" as you can get and surprisingly, their unions have consistently been supporters of gay-friendly employment non-discrimination laws and now the overturning of Proposition 8. It is yet another aspect of the phenomenon where Christianists oppose what true followers of Christ would support: living wages for workers, medical insurance benefits for all, and non-discrimination. I continue to believe that the Christianists and the Kool-Aid drinker controlled GOP have turned Christianity into something evil. Here are some highlights on labor's opposition to Proposition 8 from the Sacramento Bee:

*

A coalition of more than 50 labor unions Tuesday urged the California Supreme Court to overturn a ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in the state. In their amicus brief, the unions argue that Proposition 8 would amend discrimination into the state constitution and divide Californians into "suspect classifications." "It really does establish the potential for a slippery slope of taking away the rights of one group and then potentially the rights of another group and another group," Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, said during a teleconference with reporters.

*

Joining in the brief were the Service Employees International Union State Council, the California Federation of Teachers, the California Nurses Association, the California Faculty Association, UNITE HERE! and the Screen Actors Guild. Combined, the labor organizations claim 2 million members.

*

Sal Rosselli, president of the United Healthcare Workers union, noted that unions and gay rights advocates worked together in the 1970s to defeat the Briggs Initiative, which would have banned gays from working in California's public schools, and to boycott Coors beer for anti-labor policies. "We in labor unions have an obligation to support all our members," said Rosselli, a longtime gay rights advocate. "We have many gay members who want to marry same-sex partners."

*

In the brief, the unions argue that Proposition 8 should be overturned by the court because it is not a "constitutional amendment," but an illegal "constitutional revision."