Kyrsten Sinema Asks Business Leaders For Anti-Union Rhetoric
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 3 years ago • 5 commentsBy: Michael Luciano (Mediaite)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By Michael LucianoApr 22nd, 2021, 5:11 pm
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) is taking broadsides from progressives on Twitter after a clip of her soliciting anti-union talking points from business leaders surfaced.
Appearing virtually at an April 7 meeting of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Sinema was asked about the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. The PRO Act would strengthen labor unions by taking aim at so called right-to-work laws that allow free riding, whereby those who decline to pay union dues nonetheless enjoy the protections of the union. The bill would also make it easier for workers to unionize and would crack down on anti-worker activity in part by allowing National Labor Relations Board to levy fines on businesses that violate labor laws.
The PRO Act has not been well received by much of the business community, and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce event showed as much. Sinema was asked by the event's host if she'd "be willing to have a discussion with employers in Arizona about our concerns about this bill being a disruption to the workplace and to our business environment."
This was her response:
NEW: We've obtained footage of @SenatorSinema addressing Arizona's largest business group about the PRO Act.
"The way I make decisions on behalf of Arizona & for our constituents is by listening to the business leaders" she assures them.
She never mentions listening to workers. pic.twitter.com/fYLI52eNCs
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) April 21, 2021
I would welcome such a discussion. As folks who are listening today know, the way I make decisions on behalf of Arizona and for our constituents is by listening to the business leaders who will be impacted by these decisions. So I want to discuss this legislation and I want to know the impact it would have on Arizona jobs and the economy.
[…]
So I would ask all the members who are joining us today to please stay involved with my office and help me by sharing information about how this would impact you and your company , so that I can go back to Senate leadership and folks on both sides of the aisle to discuss the concerns that Arizona businesses have.
Noticeably absent from Sinema's response was any talk of listening to workers. Moreover, her remarks came roughly a month after she was one of a handful of Democratic senators to vote against raising the federal minimum wage to $15 and drew the ire of progressives by literally giving the measure a thumbs down whilst curtsying before turning around and strutting out of the senate chamber.
Needless to say, her remarks at the event have further rankled progressives:
This is a fascinating exchange. She ends it by telling members of the Arizona Chamber to (basically) go out and campaign against the bill to give her cover to oppose it! https://t.co/99eSmGD7EY
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 21, 2021
Sinema asks AZ business leaders to arm her with arguments she can take back to Senate leadership about the PRO Act. This is what workers are up against. https://t.co/kSCocSIb6U
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) April 21, 2021
Huge missed opportunity to lock this woman in a Hot Topic and never let her out https://t.co/5SCbztrX8o
— Kate Willett (@katewillett) April 21, 2021
Krysten Sinema deserves a big thumbs down for telling businesses she'll help them stop the PRO Act. https://t.co/Po6tydfRPg
— Max Berger (@maxberger) April 22, 2021
When does the progressive primary against @SenatorSinema begin? https://t.co/xtJbY0wpPT
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) April 21, 2021
FFS, @kyrstensinema, why are you self-destructing https://t.co/wggGmY2b2C
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) April 21, 2021
Yes, Keith Olbermann just accused someone else of self-destructing. Anyway, back to our programming…
AZ Chamber of Commerce asked @KyrstenSinema her position on the PRO Act, and *wow* did she say the quiet part loud: "the way I make decisions on behalf of Arizona and for our constituents is by listening to the business leaders who will be impacted"pic.twitter.com/VADQoegNWF
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) April 21, 2021
Those defending @SenatorSinema are so self-savvily marinated in political tactics and techniques they can't comprehend the _substantive_ objection to the Senator's anti-labor position https://t.co/IUF4c7jAUv
— Chase Madar (@ChaseMadar) April 21, 2021
the hell is this lady's problem? https://t.co/QtqJIpM4at
— Atari Stoudemire (@Yelix) April 21, 2021
Kyrsten Sinema's 2012 congressional campaign relied on labor union support https://t.co/8gbQFBxmzypic.twitter.com/TkYA4ZqezT
— aida chavez (@aidachavez) April 21, 2021
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I am hearing a lot of bad things about Kyrsten Sinema, the woman with the last name that sounds like a porn production company.
She may be worse than Joe Manchin.
People are free to join any union they want--or not.
Shouldn't everyone have the right to decide what is in their own best interests--despite being told that they don't know what's best for themselves?
The Senator is entitled to her own opinion--just like everyone else.
Making fun of her name seems childish, like in a third-grade sort of way.
I thought it rather clever.
I'm quite sure that you did.
A bit disappointing at least she could have given a more balanced comment since I'm sure that some of those constituents are workers in AZ corporations.