The United Auto Workers union suffered a crushing defeat Friday, falling short in an election in which it seemed to have a clear path to organizing workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volkswagen workers rejected the union by a vote of 712 to 626.
The setback is a bitter defeat because the union had the cooperation of Volkswagen management and the aid of Germany’s powerful IG Metall union, yet it failed to win a majority among the plants 1,550 hourly workers.
Rank, Entity, Total Political Donations, % to Democrats, % to Republicans
1 ActBlue $97,192,340 99% 0%
2 American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,667,379 81% 1%
3 AT&T Inc $56,449,317 41% 57%
4 National Education Assn $53,594,488 61% 4%
5 National Assn of Realtors $51,207,902 44% 47%
6 Goldman Sachs $44,847,951 53% 44%
7 Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $44,478,789 92% 1%
8 United Auto Workers $41,667,858 71% 0%
9 Carpenters & Joiners Union $39,260,371 74% 9%
10 Service Employees International Union $38,395,690 84% 2%
11 Laborers Union $37,494,010 85% 7%
12 American Federation of Teachers $36,713,325 89% 0%
13 Communications Workers of America $36,188,135 86% 0%
14 Teamsters Union $36,123,209 88% 5%
15 JPMorgan Chase & Co $34,527,277 48% 51%
16 United Food & Commercial Workers Union $33,756,550 86% 0%
17 United Parcel Service $32,214,128 35% 64%
18 Citigroup Inc $32,198,122 48% 50%
19 National Auto Dealers Assn $31,818,910 31% 68%
20 Machinists & Aerospace Workers Union $31,313,097 98% 1%
21 EMILY’s List $31,267,654 98% 0%
22 American Bankers Assn $31,135,202 36% 63%
23 AFL-CIO $30,938,977 61% 3%
24 American Medical Assn $29,990,879 40% 59%
25 Microsoft Corp $29,245,015 55% 43%
26 National Beer Wholesalers Assn $28,976,510 35% 64%
27 Blue Cross/Blue Shield $28,491,678 36% 63%
28 General Electric $27,741,628 47% 51%
29 National Assn of Home Builders $27,509,880 34% 65%
30 Lockheed Martin $27,246,173 42% 57%
31 Bank of America $26,822,749 41% 57%
32 National Assn of Letter Carriers $26,106,359 84% 9%
33 Morgan Stanley $26,074,770 42% 56%
34 Verizon Communications $25,490,499 40% 59%
35 Deloitte LLP $24,979,333 35% 63%
36 Time Warner $24,463,922 72% 25%
37 Newsweb Corp $24,387,371 41% 0%
38 Credit Union National Assn $24,056,155 47% 51%
39 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union $23,886,248 85% 4%
40 Altria Group $23,750,298 28% 70%
41 Ernst & Young $23,114,243 42% 57%
42 Operating Engineers Union $23,036,848 82% 14%
43 International Assn of Fire Fighters $22,963,260 79% 16%
44 American Hospital Assn $22,909,326 52% 46%
45 PricewaterhouseCoopers $22,461,596 35% 64%
46 Sheet Metal Workers Union $22,372,978 95% 2%
47 American Dental Assn $21,791,508 44% 54%
48 Boeing Co $21,502,737 46% 52%
49 UBS AG $21,354,742 40% 58%
50 Comcast Corp $20,603,390 57% 42%
51 AFLAC Inc $19,822,809 43% 56%
52 National Rifle Assn $19,771,191 17% 82%
53 Pfizer Inc $19,699,869 35% 64%
54 Northrop Grumman $19,633,964 42% 57%
55 Union Pacific Corp $19,617,968 27% 72%
56 Air Line Pilots Assn $19,538,047 83% 16%
57 Honeywell International $19,447,557 44% 54%
58 Natl Assn/Insurance & Financial Advisors $19,305,624 41% 58%
59 Koch Industries $18,083,948 8% 90%
60 American Postal Workers Union $17,957,308 86% 2%
61 American Assn for Justice $17,581,358 80% 3%
62 FedEx Corp $17,506,083 39% 60%
63 Ironworkers Union $17,386,345 92% 6%
64 Club for Growth $17,271,352 0% 95%
65 Credit Suisse Group $17,191,340 41% 57%
66 United Transportation Union $17,096,750 87% 11%
67 New York Life Insurance $16,898,487 49% 50%
68 Raytheon Co $16,864,289 44% 55%
69 National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn $16,552,363 47% 52%
70 General Dynamics $16,549,202 46% 53%
71 Akin, Gump et al $16,463,510 61% 37%
72 United Steelworkers $16,426,444 99% 0%
73 American Institute of CPAs $15,952,635 41% 58%
74 National Air Traffic Controllers Assn $15,883,050 77% 20%
75 Chevron $15,826,864 19% 64%
76 Anheuser-Busch $15,612,613 48% 51%
77 Reynolds American $15,574,198 22% 77%
78 Exxon Mobil $15,220,537 13% 85%
79 KPMG LLP $15,112,328 34% 65%
80 National Cable & Telecommunications Assn $15,048,560 47% 51%
81 DLA Piper $14,902,117 68% 31%
82 Merrill Lynch $14,865,217 37% 62%
83 Wal-Mart Stores $14,851,004 32% 67%
84 GlaxoSmithKline $14,625,493 30% 69%
85 CSX Corp $14,118,661 34% 65%
86 Walt Disney Co $14,104,107 68% 30%
87 News Corp $13,917,083 58% 41%
88 American Financial Group $13,910,355 15% 73%
89 Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America $13,731,200 34% 64%
90 American Health Care Assn $13,727,858 51% 48%
91 Wells Fargo $13,639,116 36% 61%
92 Associated Builders & Contractors $13,577,082 1% 98%
93 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance $13,565,554 38% 60%
94 University of California $13,552,056 89% 9%
95 American Crystal Sugar $13,309,209 61% 37%
96 WPP Group $13,257,197 53% 45%
97 American Society of Anesthesiologists $13,166,537 41% 58%
98 Prudential Financial $13,051,316 49% 50%
99 Southern Co $12,973,439 29% 70%
100 National Restaurant Assn $12,605,181 16% 83%
Source: Opensecrets.org
IS IT TRUE February 14, 2014
IS IT TRUE that if the City of Evansville’s 2012 Smoking Ordinance had contained a severability clause, the exemption allowing smoking on the Tropicana (Aztar) riverboat might very well have been the only provision in the City’s Smoking Ordinance to be declared unconstitutional by the Indiana Supreme Court?…severing that one exemption from the rest of the ordinance would have resulted leaving the rest of the City’s Ordinance prohibiting smoking in bars, taverns, restaurants, etc. in place?…if that one and only one unconstitutional provision had been stricken by the SCOI today Evansville and Vanderburgh County would both have the same smoking ordinance and Tropicana’s employees would enjoy the same protections from toxins that every other employee in the entire county had until this week?…the failure of the resolution to include a severability clause has caused us to be back to a situation where smoking may be permitted in some bars, taverns, and clubs in the City, but not in the County?
IS IT TRUE it is worth asking the question of the appropriate members and former members of the City Council, Mayor Winnecke, and the attorneys involved in drafting the resolution if the severability clause was left out intentionally?…as was confirmed in Kentucky before when Louisville tried to get by with an exemption to their smoking ordinance for Churchill Downs that such things are unconstitutional?…the Evansville City Council had this information and was even admonished by private citizens and organizations that the resolution would be struck down?…given all of these facts and the Supreme Court’s action, it is not at all out of the realm of possibilities that our leaders conspired to pass a “pig in a poke†knowing it would be overturned?…whether this was deliberate or just another instance of sloppiness this “pig in a poke†has come back to bite Evansville squarely on the backside creating a period of transition and analysis when an appraisal for a downtown convention hotel may just be depreciating during the loan qualification process?
IS IT TRUE that the American Medical Association has a total of 17 annual meetings scheduled and published on their website?…all 17 of these annual meetings are being held in cities that have comprehensive smoking bans?…all of the AMA medical student section annual and interim meetings with information on the AMA website were held in cities that have comprehensive smoking bans?…some might say the assertions that having “dirty air†from allowing smoking were just the musings of one man in Indianapolis, but the reality of the AMA’s choice of destinations just happens to confirm that assertion for the AMA?…it could all be coincidence but does that really make sense?…there has been much speculation about the prospects for medical conferences in downtown Evansville that are drawn by the IU Medical School, a new hotel, and a re-named Centre?…these opportunities if not gone are certainly diminished based on the recent venue choices of the AMA?
IS IT TRUE this all happens in the same week of February that Evansville is treated to an AIR QUALITY ALERT?…these things are of course not related at all, but as Alanis Morrisette sang “Isn’t it Ironic, Don’t you think?â€
IS IT TRUE that the Race for the Cure is heading back to the Eastland Mall after a five year run of holding the event in downtown Evansville?…while both venues offered a good location for a morning run with over 10,000 participants, the Eastland Mall location causes less disruption and even is a safer race course due to the quality of the streets?…this was probably inevitable but the CCO encourages our readers to support the Race for the Cure wherever it may be?
STATEHOUSE  — Evansville resident, Derek Hugo, is serving as an intern for the Indiana Senate Majority Caucus during the 2014 legislative session, said State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville).
Hugo is the son of Ron and Sheila Hugo and Amy and Scott Tenhumberg. He is a graduate of North High School and is currently a sophomore at Ball State University studying accounting.
As a caucus assistant to the Senate Majority, Hugo assists with constituent correspondence through phone calls, letters and emails and helps staff Senate committees and floor proceedings. Hugo is one of three interns who serves all 37 Majority senators.
Senate Majority interns work through the duration of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end by March 14.
Becker said to visit www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/intern-program for additional information about Senate internship opportunities.
‘LEE BRICE’
Presented by 93.5 The Wolf
Thursday, March 27 – 7:30PM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 AT 12PM
Evansville, IN- Victory Theatre is excited to welcome Lee Brice, presented by 93.5 The Wolf, Thursday, March 27 at 7:30PM. With the release of 2011’s “A Woman Like You†from his gold-certified album Hard 2 Love, Lee kicked off a string of consecutive Billboard No.1 singles, with “I Drive
Your Truck†being certified platinum and landing Lee a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo
Performance and winning Song of the Year at the CMA Awards. Tickets for Lee Brice go on sale
Friday, February 14 at 12PM!
For more information about the Victory Theatre, visit: www.victorytheatre.com www.facebook.com/VictoryTheatre www.twitter.com/Victory_Theatre
TICKETS ARE $32.00 AND $36.00
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE FORD CENTER TICKET OFFICE, TICKETMASTER.COM, BY PHONE AT 800-745-3000, OR VICTORY THEATRE BOX OFFICE ON DAY OF SHOW.
Ticket prices subject to applicable fees. Ticket prices increase $3.00 day of show.
The Evansville Police Department has issued Digital Ally body worn cameras to all of their officers who work in patrol and uniformed specialty units.Â
In conjunction with the cameras being issued, the department has crafted a policy that governs their usage. Officers will be using the cameras when they are performing official police functions. That includes self-initiated activities and dispatched runs.
The videos will be uploaded on a secure server and can be used in criminal and internal investigations. Officers can only access their videos to view them and to label them for future reference.
Although the cameras have only been out for 10 days, video footage has already been included in 2 separate complaints against officers. In those cases, the video was used to exonerate both officers.
The cameras cost around $190,000 and were purchased using seized drug money.
The Evansville Police Department will be at the St. Joe Ave Donut Bank on Tuesday, February 18th for Coffee With a Cop. This is your chance to come out and talk to the police about anything that is on your mind.Â
Officers will have the new body worn cameras on display and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the cameras or the policy on their usage.
Â
Friday, Feb. 14
7:40 – 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Reitz High School, 350 Dreier Blvd.
Reitz High School will have some slippery visitors Friday when the herpetologists or as students call them — “the snake guys†from the Tri-State Herpetological Society — visit students in Rachel Ordower’s environmental science classes.
Students will have the opportunity to observe the snakes and learn more about the different species.
Roo is a 9-month-old female black Lab puppy! Her family got her from a relative who had an unwanted litter of puppies, but now they’re moving and can’t take her with them. Roo is a happy, playful girl who can’t wait for a real forever family to continue helping her with her manners! She will need an active family who can give her plenty of exercise to be her best self. Roo’s adoption fee is $100, and includes her spay, microchip, vaccinations, and a goody bag!
