LOS ANGELES (AP) - Entering a fight over union rights that could have national implications, Sen. John Kerry warned Thursday that a ballot initiative backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could tip the balance of democracy by muzzling the voice of working people.
Proposition 75 would force public employee unions, such as those representing teachers, firefighters and prison guards, to seek written permission from members before using dues for political purposes. Kerry, speaking outside a downtown firehouse, said the initiative would condemn workers to "a completely unfair system."
The proposal "represents part of an ongoing effort by the Republican Party to create an unfair playing field, to change the balance of democracy in America," the former Democratic presidential nominee said. "They want a one-sided argument - their side."
While pharmaceutical, insurance and other industries pump millions of dollars into political races, the California proposition would "take away the voices of the firefighters, the police officers, the teachers, the nurses," the Massachusetts senator said.
Republicans want "to strip away Democratic power," Kerry added. "We saw this in the Senate. This is not just a California fight."
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