Specter: My Record On EFCA Is Consistent

Specter: My Record On EFCA Is Consistent

In a letter to the editor published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) said his views on the Employee Free Choice Act "have been consistent, and suggestions to the contrary by those intending to run against me are incorrect."

The claim will surely have some observers scratching their heads.

Specter -- who will most likely be running against fellow Democrat Rep. Joe Sestak in the 2010 primary -- was one of the original co-sponsors of the organized labor bill in 2003. In the spring of this year, however, when he was facing the prospect of a re-election battle against a Republican challenger -- the Pennsylvania senator announced that he would not support the bill and would, in fact, try to block it from coming to a Senate vote.

After Specter switched to the Democratic party in April, he again raised the hopes of labor leaders when he said prospects were "pretty good" for a compromise on the legislation.

Though the senator's record has left many wondering just where the he stands on EFCA, Specter adamantly denied any flip-flopping in Wednesday's letter to the editor:

Kevin Ferris' column analyzes my work on labor-law reform legislation ("Card check: Watch the good senator tiptoe," Sunday).

I have no hesitancy in stating my own views. I have voted to have the Senate consider the modification of labor law to reform the way unions are certified and to provide procedures for negotiating first contracts.

Earlier this year, I made a floor statement opposing giving up the secret ballot and suggesting the last-best-offer procedure on arbitration. My views on this subject have been consistent, and suggestions to the contrary by those intending to run against me are incorrect.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D., Pa.)

Washington

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