WASHINGTON -- The Mitt Romney campaign and its business allies are driving home a final message unlike one we've seen in past presidential campaigns: Vote Romney, or you're fired. The pressure on workers in swing states to toe the GOP line hasn't been restricted to any particular industry. Corporate apparel makers in Ohio, truck stop attendants in Ohio and Virginia, casino employees in Nevada, construction workers in Florida, gift-card purveyors in Colorado and Florida, car-parts makers in Michigan, software technicians in Florida and Colorado, coal miners in Ohio, dock manufacturers in Wisconsin, frozen-food packers in Michigan, resort staff in Florida, Virginia and Nevada, and people all over the country who work -- or used to work -- for Koch Industries or another Koch-owned company have all been given notice by their boss that an Obama victory could lead to layoffs or otherwise harm the company and its workers. Even workers who'd already been laid off by the Kochs were mailed letters urging them to vote Republican or else "suffer the consequences" of Obama policies that would harm the company. Romney himself urged conservative business leaders this June to "make it very clear to your employees what you believe is in the best interest of your enterprise and therefore their job and their future in the upcoming elections." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/03/romney-voter-intimidation-businesses-bain_n_2068827.html
FT, you and I may not agree on all topics, but this is one fact that is far too ignored. People often wonder how so few republicans can have power and control over so many, but this is exactly why: Fear....just ask the workers at Westgate tech
I like to complain about all the employees that are forced through payroll deductions to make contributions to Politicians and political parties they may not agree with or support. They have no choice.
Imho this tactic could very well backfire on Team Right. There could be a fair number of "fu CEO, I'm a free citizen" votes for Obama, as a result.
I also will see it as a good thing if the CEO's who are constantly threatening to pack up their wealth and business and move to some Utopian island somewhere offshore, would actually do it. They will not be missed, and let some decent and sensible business person fill the niche they left behind.
1) Your vote is still secret. 2) Your union can't fire or lay you off, in fact your union typically opposes those. 3) Yes, your union can make your work life "difficult", but then so can management. 4) You're still free to go to a non-union shop, if you're willing to accept the lower pay. 5) Get yourself into management.