<h3>Some of this Corporate Agenda Has Already Become Law</h3>
<h3>Some of this Corporate Agenda Has Already Become Law</h3>
[[Image:Wisconsin.png|left|90px]]'''Wisconsin Governor (and ALEC alum) Scott Walker took a cue from the ALEC corporate wish list and introduced a radical bill in February 2011 to cripple public employee unions.''' Wisconsin Act 10 inspired months of protests and has been subjected to a series of legal challenges. The changes to collective bargaining included an end to payroll deduction for union dues, which closely resembles the "[http://alecexposed.org/w/images/c/c9/1R9-Public_Employer_Payroll_Deduction_Policy_Act_Exposed.pdf Public Employer Payroll Deduction Act]" from ALEC; it also allows non-represented members to opt-out of dues payment, resembling the [http://alecexposed.org/w/images/1/15/1R8-Public_Employee_Freedom_Act_Exposed.pdf "Public Employee Freedom Act."] It also requires that unions be certified through a secret ballot vote, a policy put forth in the [http://alecexposed.org/w/images/9/9a/1R2-Employee_Secret_Ballot_Protection_Act_Exposed.pdf "Secret Ballot Protection Act"] from ALEC. To learn more about this story, click here (PLACEHOLDER) (Have any of these bills been introduced or enacted in YOUR state? If so, please add that information to the ALEC Exposed page on your state by searching for your state's name in the search engine at the top of this page.)</div>
[[Image:Wisconsin.png|left|90px]]'''Wisconsin Governor (and ALEC alum) Scott Walker took a cue from the ALEC corporate wish list and introduced a radical bill in February 2011 to cripple public employee unions.''' Wisconsin Act 10 inspired months of protests and has been subjected to a series of legal challenges. The changes to collective bargaining included an end to payroll deduction for union dues, which closely resembles the "[http://alecexposed.org/w/images/c/c9/1R9-Public_Employer_Payroll_Deduction_Policy_Act_Exposed.pdf Public Employer Payroll Deduction Act]" from ALEC; it also allows non-represented members to opt-out of dues payment, resembling the [http://alecexposed.org/w/images/1/15/1R8-Public_Employee_Freedom_Act_Exposed.pdf "Public Employee Freedom Act."] To learn more about this story, click here (PLACEHOLDER) (Have any of these bills been introduced or enacted in YOUR state? If so, please add that information to the ALEC Exposed page on your state by searching for your state's name in the search engine at the top of this page.)</div>
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Revision as of 17:10, 24 June 2011
ALEC's Efforts to Limit Worker's and Consumer's Rights
The bills on this page represent ALEC corporations' efforts to keep workers from exercising their rights under law, to drain labor unions of resources, and to limit their political influence. Bills here also attack consumer protection laws, encourage the Banksters who crashed the economy, and support slumlords and predatory lenders. These anti-worker and anti-consumer "model bills" are drafted at American Legislative Exchange Council conventions with input from, and approval by, Big Business, then introduced in state legislatures to erode the rights of working Americans. Politicians are elected to represent the people, not corporations; through ALEC, corporations have both a VOICE and a VOTE on specific state laws. Do you?
SPREAD THE WORD. Share information about ALEC through Facebook, e-mail and Twitter. Concerned groups and people in every state need this to investigate how ALEC corporations are rewriting laws for their own advantage. And, please join the conversation on Facebook!
EXPOSE ALEC LEGISLATORS. Demand the truth about which politicians in your state are in ALEC. Uncover whether YOUR tax dollars are paying ALEC "dues." Expose politicians who accept “scholarships” from ALEC's corporate-funded coffers for fancy trips.
EXPOSE ALEC'S ROLE IN YOUR STATE HOUSE. Read these corporate-backed "model bills" NOW and cross-check them with bills in your state legislature. Ask your local media to report on what you have found and write your local newspaper.
SHARE YOUR DISCOVERIES. Tell us what you uncovered! Tweet what you learn with the hashtag #ALECexposed, join a discussion on this site or email us a confidential tip via editor AT ALECexposed.org. And, follow our tweets on Twitter!
Learn MORE about the "Model Bills" ALEC Corporations Are Backing to Rewrite YOUR Rights
The Center for Media and Democracy analyzed the bills ALEC politicians and corporations voted for. More analysis is available below and also at ALEC Exposed's sister sites, PRWatch and SourceWatch.
How are corporations attacking worker rights in these bills?
These bills aim to erode the rights of workers in favor of Big Business and corporate interests by:
Eliminating defined benefit pension plans for public employees in favor of defined contribution plans, and placing management of those funds in the hands of private sector management.
Imposing new burdens on union activities through, for example:
These are but a few of the bills that attack consumer rights. To see a full list of bills in this section and send them to your computer individually, click here.
Some of this Corporate Agenda Has Already Become Law
Wisconsin Governor (and ALEC alum) Scott Walker took a cue from the ALEC corporate wish list and introduced a radical bill in February 2011 to cripple public employee unions. Wisconsin Act 10 inspired months of protests and has been subjected to a series of legal challenges. The changes to collective bargaining included an end to payroll deduction for union dues, which closely resembles the "Public Employer Payroll Deduction Act" from ALEC; it also allows non-represented members to opt-out of dues payment, resembling the "Public Employee Freedom Act." To learn more about this story, click here (PLACEHOLDER) (Have any of these bills been introduced or enacted in YOUR state? If so, please add that information to the ALEC Exposed page on your state by searching for your state's name in the search engine at the top of this page.)
How are corporations attacking consumer rights in these bills?
These bills restrict the rights of consumers in favor of Banksters, predatory lenders, and other corporate interests by:
Prohibiting local governments from regulating unfair lending practices in favor of more centralized state control (a common theme in ALEC bills: local control is desirable when it applies to state’s rights against the federal government, but not when it applies to a community’s rights against the state)
Limiting the ability to develop smart transportation policy through a state Constitutional Amendment requiring that revenues from gas taxes and vehicle-related fees be used for highways, rather than investment in less fossil-fuel dependent rail transit or bike lanes. The proposed ALEC Amendment has been adopted in 29 states (eight of which copied the ALEC language verbatim).
These are but a few of the bills that attack consumer rights. To see a full list of bills in this section and download them individually, click here.
Did You Know about this Bill?
Authorizing "Car Title Pledges" for Predatory Lenders
One "model bill" from ALEC corporations would authorize a form of short-term lending that many states have recognized as unfair and predatory to low-income consumers. Specifically, it authorizes lending companies to give short-term, 30-day renewable loans backed by the borrower's car title, loans which usually have high rates of interest.
Consumer groups have opposed this type of lending not only because the high interest rates and short-term repayment period can trap consumers in a cycle of debt, but also because it places a working person in the position of risking their vehicle (an asset usually necessary in order to work and maintain a living). The bill also provides few consumer protections, for example failing to include a private right of action with strong remedies, and requiring that all claims be brought within one year. This provides little deterrence for predatory lenders, and because the budgets and resources of regulatory agencies are often limited, the state cannot adequately crack-down on abusive lenders.
The Consumer Federation of America, USPIRG, and the Center for Responsible Lending sent a letter to ALEC opposing this model legislation in November 2005, noting these concerns and referring to many examples of predatory title lending, and also pointing out that title lenders have been generous campaign contributors. "Title Pledge Acts" have become law in states such as Mississippi and Tennessee, and in 2011, Wisconsin rolled-back its ban on the practice. Is a local legislator who was elected to represent YOU actually protecting the profits of corporate interests?
ALEC Exposed is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). CMD does NOT accept donations from for-profit corporations or government agencies. More information about CMD is available here. You can reach CMD's Executive Director, Arn Pearson, via editor AT ALECexposed.org. Privacy policy: Other than material you post to this wiki in your name, our privacy policy is that we will not disclose private personally identifiable information or data about you, such as your name, email address, or other information, unless required by law. On copyright: ALEC Exposed considers contributions to this wiki to be released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License or in accordance with law. Information on how to provide us with notice regarding copyright is available at this link. Notices regarding copyright or other matters should be sent to our designated agent, Arn Pearson, via email (editor AT ALECexposed.org).
