In 2006 the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) sued the City of Houston on the grounds that the City’s Sound, Parade and Parks Ordinances were a violation of the union member’s First Amendment free-speech rights.

Where have I heard of SEIU before? Oh yeah.

Here

Here

And here

5300 janitors belonging to the union went on strike four years ago against Houston employers; the janitors wanted to hold daytime rallies, marches and parades through Downtown Houston. The City of Houston, though, refused to issue several of the required papers….err, permits. Here is a good synopsis of SEIU’s position. Notice one FOCUS of the opinion was the First Amendment issue of CONTENT-BASED regulation of speech (emphasis mine).

Fast forward to October 2010 and the period of early voting.

This City of Houston Public Works employee was caught on camera trying to shut up a Conservative resident ….err, interfering with a Houstonians First Amendment right to CONTENT-BASED political speech, specifically REMOVING the Faulk for Congress yard sign from the resident’s front yard.

What UNION represents City of Houston Public Works employees?

That would be HOPE Local 123, a partnership formed between AFSCME and SEIU.

Here is a screen shot of the SEIU Texas Home Page

Hey SEIU!

First Amendment speech for thee but not for me, right?