UAW to Missouri Governor: “Good Boy!”

Posted by Margaret Mire on Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 at 10:09 am - Permalink

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) recently accepted a “$50,000 campaign contribution” from the United Auto Workers (UAW) international headquarters in Detroit, according to the Associated Press.

The donation came just days after Nixon vetoed a right-to-work bill, which would have given workers the freedom to opt out of union membership and dues.

Right-to-work has been proven to attract business and boost economic growth, which is probably the reason most of Missouri’s neighboring states have such laws. Further, Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder was recently quoted in an Associate Press article as saying:

“Missouri is at an economic disadvantage that must be reversed…Missouri has a well-trained workforce and great resources, but we have been told time and again by site-selection consultants that companies pass over non-right-to-work states, no matter their qualifications.”

Even so, Governor Nixon rejected it, and no surprise.

Project Vote Smart listed “General Trade Unions” as the fourth biggest funder of his 2012 gubernatorial campaign, giving him a whopping $1,375,763. The United Auto Workers Region 5 Western States alone gave him $525,000.

Unions don’t want workers to have the freedom to withdraw their membership so they typically bankroll candidates who keep opting out difficult, if not impossible. And since their puppy in the Missouri Governor’s Mansion vetoed the right-to-work bill on command, we shouldn’t be surprised the UAW quickly rewarded him with a milk bone, a $50,000 campaign contribution.

But for what campaign?

Nixon is currently serving his last allotted term as Missouri Governor. He previously served four consecutive terms as Attorney General, but would he really want to step back to that? It seems Nixon won’t be running for Missouri’s United States Senate seat since he endorsed Democrat Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander in February this year.

So does Governor Nixon have his eyes on the White House?

If you too are wondering which campaign the UAW’s contribution is going towards, don’t bother asking Governor Nixon’s office. The Center for Worker Freedom called it June 15 and was told that question could be answered by “the Nixon campaign team” but that the Governor’s office did “not have the contact information.”

Ballotpedia.org lists www.jaynixon.com as Governor Nixon’s campaign website which seems to consist only of a landing page that reads, “you have reached the future home of jaynixon.com.” It looks like he’s definitely running for something.

Be it the presidency or any other office, voters should take note:

Right-to-work would have been great for Missouri and its workers. But Nixon announced his veto of the bill at the United Auto Workers Local 249, part of United Auto Workers Region 5 that helped put him in the Governor’s office.

That’s a good boy.