Thousands Protest Prop 32 in Downtown LA

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Unions from all over Los Angeles united in opposition today against legislation they see as unfair to workers.

Proposition 32 would ban corporate and union contributions to state and local candidates including payroll deductions from worker's wages to be used for political campaigns.

Greg Campbell is one of those employees who came to the LA Convention Center to show his opposition.

"Collective bargaining is our voice, when it comes to the political arena. Nobody's gonna listen to myself, you know, just a working class person, working at Rite Aid, you know trying to make ends meet," said Campbell.

Labor unions argue prop 32 specifically targets Unions. The measure does not include Super PACS, which came as a result from the controversial Citizen's United Supreme Court Case which allows unlimited spending on political campaigns.

Also, corporations do not use payroll deduction for political giving. Unions need this practice to maintain their political influence.

Union member Mark Ramos says this will affect the political clout of unions.

"[It will] make the problem worse be we really only have, you will have only corporations involved in California, and the voice of the worker will not be heard," said Ramos.

Advocates for the Proposition say it will actually eliminate the role special interests have in the politics.

Jake Suski is a spokesman for the Yes on 32 campaign.

"Absolutely no one loses their voice if prop 32 passes other than the big special interest. Every individual in the state including union members in empowered by prop 32 because they're allowed to make their own decisions about how to spend their own money for political causes." said Suski

Unions have spent more than $35.7 million to defeat the measure.

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