Let me start out by saying I don’t think John Sweeney or the top folks at the AFL-CIO are aware of this but it still is a bit disturbing. The Federation is doing business with a guy who is supporting efforts to destroy the labor movement in California…

Here’s the story. I’ve written a few posts about Proposition 75, an initiative backed by Arnold Schwarzenegger that would require public employee unions to give prior notice to members before using dues on political activity. The initiative is crafted to create a bureaucratic hurdle for organized labor. We already know that very few union workers support the initiative so who is behind it?

Well, a bunch of anti-union millionaires, including one Angelo Mozilo, the CEO of Countrywide Financial, one of the nation’s largest lenders in the home mortgage business. Mozilo’s contribution of $2,000 is relatively small compared to some other contributions. But, it is the fact that his company makes millions off union members that makes my skin crawl.

You see, Countrywide Financial is the parent company of Countrywide Home Loans. Together with the AFL-CIO, the company offers a program called Hit Home, which, according to its website, provides “affordable home mortgages for union members.” And the website gushes about the relationship.

So, let me get this straight: union members are helping make a guy rich who is, then, trying to undercut the labor movement? Does not make a lot of sense to me.

It seems to me that, though Mozilo’s contribution is relatively small, the Federation should cut ties with the company. Or, at the very least, make a LOUD PUBLIC fuss about this. It would help undermine the Proposition by showing the underhanded nature of its supporters.