Another Key Dem Senator Won’t Say Whether He’ll Cast Key Vote For EFCA

[babylonsister]

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/another-key-dem-senator-wont-say-whether-hell-cast-key-vote-for-efca/

Another Key Dem Senator Won’t Say Whether He’ll Cast Key Vote For EFCA


This one is very, very bad news for the Employee Free Choice Act: Senator Jim Webb, who was thought by labor to be supportive of the measure, now won’t say whether he’ll cast a key vote for it.

Worse, his office says he views this as a bad time to be introducing the legislation — a potentially serious blow, because Webb is generally seen as strong on labor issues.

“He doesn’t believe this is the appropriate time to introduce this legislation or to be debating it,” Webb spokesperson Jessica Smith confirms to me. “He’s always been a strong supporter of the right to collective bargaining, but as written, he would look towards improving the legislation in a way to make it more fair and equitable.”

In another blow, Webb’s also won’t say whether he’ll support bringing it to the floor for debate. “He’s not publicly going to say at this point,” his spokesperson said.

That could be a big deal, because the initial “cloture” vote to allow the bill to be debated, thus overcoming the GOP’s filibuster, is the one that requires 60 votes in the Senate. Labor, obviously, can ill afford to lose another Dem like Webb, particularly with another reliable backer, Senator Dianne Feinstein, also refusing to say whether she’ll back it.

So Webb’s position will cause some serious heartburn in labor circles.