We Are Ohio reacted furiously to the Michigan state legislature’s passage of a workplace freedom law, comparing the move to Japan’s December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. We Are Ohio posted a branded graphic and a series of Facebook updates bearing this theme, the latest in the union front’s already vicious campaign to protect the flow of forced dues from Ohio workers into union coffers.

“We Are Ohioans and Americans,” We Are Ohio wrote. “On Pearl Harbor Day, we know our greatest generation taught us you can survive a sneak attack and come back to win the war. This is far from over.”

In a post accompanying the graphic shown above, We Are Ohio wrote, “On this day when we honor our greatest generation let’s remember to honor our everyday local heroes who are under attack in Michigan. Please share.”

We Are Ohio has received over 95 percent of its funding from labor unions. The brief description on the group’s Facebook page reads, “Protecting and Creating Jobs for All Ohioans,” but We Are Ohio’s true purpose from day one has been to protect the interests of union bosses.

Although out-of-state unions poured over $20 million into We Are Ohio in 2011, We Are Ohio has 110,000 “Likes” on Facebook from people apparently taken in by its gold-plated marketing campaign. Because Ohio reporters have failed to identify We Are Ohio as a union front group, union bosses can now demonize workplace freedom while hiding behind an everyman image crafted out of whole cloth.

As Republicans in Michigan’s legislature discussed the possibility of passing a workplace freedom law before the upcoming recess, Democrats made it clear they would do everything in their power to block it.

On December 6 when a mob of union protesters filled Michigan’s capitol building, We Are Ohio linked to a news story and wrote, “This is what democracy looks like in Michigan.”

Police closed the capitol building when union protesters sought to overrun it – and in response, Democrats walked out of debate. In 2011, when Wisconsin’s state legislature passed a law limiting the power of public employee unions, union demonstrators took over the state’s capitol for weeks as Democrat lawmakers fled the state.

The Ohio Statehouse was similarly swarmed by union protesters when Republicans passed reforms limiting the power of union bosses in early 2011. Ohio’s reforms were ultimately overturned following a $40 million smear campaign led by We Are Ohio.

In Lansing on December 6, protesters were pepper-sprayed after charging at Michigan State Police officers. We Are Ohio linked to the news and wrote, “Right to work is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.”

Soon after, We Are Ohio linked to a story about conservative group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) lobbying for workplace freedom. We Are Ohio blamed AFP and key donors the Koch brothers for the unions’ manufactured outrage, writing, “This story in the Detroit Free Press explains why things suddenly got ugly in Michigan. Please share. Right to work is wrong because it is unsafe, lowers wages, reduces benefits, and increases poverty.”

The morning of December 7, We Are Ohio linked to a story from the progressive Center for Media and Democracy blaming the Koch brothers and the right-of-center American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for the “union-busting” bill.

Between posts comparing the passage of workplace freedom legislation to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the union front group reiterated the “sneak attack” meme. “The Koch Brothers lead the sneak attack against workers in Michigan,” We Are Ohio wrote, linking to a story from hard-left magazine The Nation.

We Are Ohio spokesman Dennis Willard – who is also the spokesman for Strong Schools Strong Communities – sent a hyperventilating message to the We Are Ohio mailing list early December 7. Using the union front’s usual tone, Willard wrote, “In just hours yesterday, extreme anti-worker lawmakers in Michigan bullied through right to work legislation. Right to work is WRONG!”

Media Trackers has previously highlighted We Are Ohio’s shallow, dishonest talking points against workplace freedom. It remains to be seen whether legacy media reporters will recognize the “citizen-driven coalition” desperate to protect the flow of mandatory union dues is in fact a union front group.

Media Trackers has also analyzed wage trends and job growth in workplace freedom states compared to Ohio, Michigan, and Ohio’s other forced-unionism neighbors.

Willard’s complete December 7 message to the We Are Ohio mailing list follows.

In just hours yesterday, extreme anti-worker lawmakers in Michigan bullied through right to work legislation. Right to work is WRONG!

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who just a few days ago said he didn’t support this attack on worker rights and safety, flip-flopped and will sign the law.

What is going on?

The Detroit Free Press reported yesterday the change agent was the Koch Brothers who are going to do everything they can to step on the rights and safety of working men and women.

Join the fight against the Koch Brothers and their legislative lackeys. Please go to our webpage at www.weareohio.com or our Facebook page and like us at http://www.facebook.com/weareohio.

Follow our posts and share them with your Facebook friends. We need to keep workers in Ohio informed and engaged. We need to further grow our movement.

Michigan passed the law yesterday. Indiana passed a right to work (is WRONG) law last year. Our enemies are going to be emboldened here in Ohio so we have to spread the word. Our friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers need to understand that the so-called, trick-titled right to work is WRONG because it is an attack on workers’ rights and safety.

Please visit our website at www.weareohio.com and like We Are Ohio’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/weareohio so we can all communicate on a daily basis about threats to working and middle class families and how we can fight back.

If the Koch Brothers and their legislative lackeys target Ohio, we’re going to be ready because We Are Ohio!

Cross-posted from Media Trackers Ohio.