Union Bosses Play Politics While Nevada’s Largest Industries Flounder

(NN&V Staff) – The New York Times reported over the weekend on Nevada’s gaming and construction industries continuing weakness. This recession has disproportionately affected Nevada’s two largest industries of tourism and construction.

The problems Nevada’s tourism industry faces are so severe that analysts say it could take several years to fully rebound, long after much of the nation would have returned to prosperity. It will take the nation being on firm financial footing before visitors start feeling comfortable traveling to Las Vegas in large numbers again and investing in the local economy.

Senator Harry Reid has discussed this issue many times, recently at the Latin Chamber of Commerce luncheon where he talked about the need to get America’s economy moving again in order to have Nevada rebound as well. His understanding and apparent advocacy of this adds to the disappointment over his support of the Employee ‘Forced’ Choice Act (EFCA).

This job-killing legislation which would add 600,000 to the unemployment rolls in one year alone and shackle our economy by eliminating the secret ballot and empowering government arbitrators to make contractual decisions for employees and employers without their consent.

“It’s baffling how Senator Reid can say that we need to put Americans back to work so people will travel to Nevada and yet, he continues to stand by legislation that would have the exact opposite effect,” said McKay Daniels, state director of the Alliance to Protect Nevada Jobs (APNJ).

“Senator Reid has chosen a side on this issue that will hamper Nevada’s recovery, cost us even more jobs and add to the pain that nearly 200,000 unemployed Nevadans feel each day. Senator Reid is choosing union bosses over Nevada’s small business owners and it is shameful.”

Underscoring where Senator Reid appears to be getting his marching orders, one of the largest unions in the nation, National Nurses United, announced plans to spend $200,000 in support of Reid’s reelection campaign. This news comes on top of the millions of dollars labor bosses have already pledged to Senator Reid.

(The Alliance to Protect Nevada Jobs (APNJ) is an organization committed to protecting jobs in Nevada and standing up for the small businesses and workers in the state who grow the economy and create opportunities. To learn more, please visit: www.AllianceforNVjobs.com.)