Labor spending on state races more than doubled since the 2004 elections.

According to campaign finance reports, six unions spent about $2.2 million on contributions and independent expenditures for campaigns for state office in 2004.

That's less than half the $4.7 million spent this year.

Here's a breakdown:

Service Employees International Union: $1.5 million

N.C. Association of Educators: $272,803

International Brotherhood of Teamsters: $198,150

National Education Association: $149,000

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: $40,000

State Employees Association of N.C.: $35,059

N.C. chapter of the AFL-CIO: $8,000

UNITE HERE: $5,000

United Auto Workers: $600

Sen.-elect Kay Hagan received $199,000 from unions in 2008.

The Greensboro Democrat received donations from 29 political action committees affiliated with labor unions during her run for the Senate, according to federal campaign finance reports.

Top donors included the Teamsters, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, United Food and Commercial Workers, the International Association of Firefighters and the Communications Workers of America, which each gave $10,000.

She also received significant donations from the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the United Transportation Union. 

Change to Win, a federation of unions including the Teamsters, also made robocalls on Hagan's behalf, and the SEIU and the UFCW donated to Majority Action, which ran ads attacking Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

What is labor looking for in North Carolina?

Unions and employee associations are pushing for three major pieces of legislation which would make it easier to unionize Tar Heel workers:

CARD CHECK: A U.S. House bill that would allow unions to form if employees checked a card — rather than by secret ballot — stalled in the Senate after a narrow vote last year. Sen.-elect Kay Hagan has said she is open to the bill.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: A state law from 1959 forbids any municipal or state agency to negotiate with a union. The State Employees Association of N.C., now an affiliate of SEIU, hopes to repeal the ban on collective bargaining. 

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, PART II: A U.S. House bill would require all cities and towns of more than 5,000 people to allow collective bargaining for firefighters, police officers and EMS workers. If passed, it would put increased pressure to overturn the state ban entirely.

These are not the only goals of unions in North Carolina, obviously. The National Education Association, for example, also has specific educational goals, while SEANC is concerned about government workers' pay and benefits.

But these are the major goals shared across union lines. 

How much did labor groups spend in 2008?

We're still working through the campaign finance reports, but here are the numbers Dome has collected so far on spending in state races by unions and employee associations:

National Education Association: $1,935,703

Service Employees International Union: $1,810,569

International Brotherhood of Teamsters: $334,117

N.C. Association of Educators: $267,230

State Employees Association of N.C.: $194,800

United Food and Commercial Workers Union: $116,500

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: $41,500

Communications Workers of America: $18,750

UNITE HERE: $16,500

United Auto Workers: $9,000

N.C. Chapter of the AFL-CIO: $4,000

That adds up to $4.7 million for the 2008 cycle. However, it does not take into account money given by unions to groups such as the Democratic Governors Association, which also spent heavily here.

It also does not include spending in the U.S. Senate race.

The National Education Association spent $1.8 million in 2008 races.

The national teachers union, which is affiliated with the N.C. Association of Educators, gave $250,000 to the Alliance for North Carolina, $300,000 to the N.C. Democratic Party and $9,500 to Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's campaign.

It also spent $1.3 million on research, polling and advertising on behalf of Perdue, including some administrative costs.

Update: Contributions to the Democratic Party updated to include two last-minute filings. 

Second update: Independent expenditures updated as well. 

Three major labor leaders are based in North Carolina.

Though the state has historically not been considered friendly to labor, it has produced three leaders of major national unions in recent years:

John Wilson: A former Raleigh teacher, Wilson worked his way up the ranks of the N.C. Association of Educators, serving as president and executive director. Now executive director of the National Education Association, he has ties to Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

Jack Cipriani: After moving to North Carolina in 1975, Cipriani was a shop steward at Miller Brewing and now serves as Eastern Region vice president of the Teamsters. Gov. Mike Easley appointed him to the state's Employment Security Commission.

Chris Chafe: The Carrboro resident began organizing textile mills, eventually heading UNITE HERE and advising John Edwards' presidential campaign. Earlier this year, he was appointed executive director of Change to Win, a coalition of labor unions.

The three may be as much a symptom as a cause of increased labor activity in North Carolina, since their experience in traditionally hostile territory dovetails nicely with an increased emphasis on offense by national unions.

A mailer criticizes Kay Hagan's ties to major unions.

The Employee Freedom Action Committee, an anti-union advocacy group, sent a mailer to North Carolina voters noting that the Democratic Senate candidate "has taken more than $175,000 from Big Labor Bosses."

"Big labor bosses have a history of corruption and sexual discrimination," the mailer says, "and Kay Hagan supports their radical agenda."

The group is particularly concerned with a card check bill that Hagan supports that would make it easier to unionize by signing cards instead of through a secret-ballot election.

It has previously run a full-page ad in the N&O.

Hagan has received donations from the National Eductaion Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Communications Workers of America, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Teamsters, among other unions.

Political committees, including PACs gave the candidates for governor $468,000.

The largest share of contributions to both candidates came from individual donors.

Democratic Party committees gave Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue $1.1 million in the last three months. That represents 25 percent of her contributions in the recent quarter. Other political committees such as other campaigns or political action committees gave her $297,151, or 6 percent of her donations. Those committees, unlike political parties, are limited to a maximum of $4,000 per election cycle. Individual contributors gave 69 percent of the money she received.

The rest came from interest or refunds.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory received $311,401 from Republican Party committees. That represents 10 percent of the money he reported raising. He received 84 percent — $2.6 million from individual contributors and 6 percent, or $311,401 from political committees.

The rest came from refunds or interest.

McCrory got a $4,000 donation from a Coca-Cola political action committee. Perdue got $4,00 from a Pepsi committee.

More PACs that gave $4,000 after the jump.

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Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory is airing a TV ad touting his support for offshore drilling and attacking Democratic rival Beverly Perdue's position.

What it says: The ad shows McCrory speaking against a white background as images of a recent ad attacking him and high gas prices show nearby. "I'm Pat McCrory, candidate for governor, and I approve this ad. While my opponent's secret allies are running misleading negative ads, I'm seeking solutions to help create jobs and lower gas prices. I support conservation, deep-sea exploration for natural gas and oil. Beverly Perdue is 100 percent opposed and says it won't happen on her watch. I agree. It'll happen on my watch with your support. I'm Pat McCrory and the difference is leadership."

The background: In mid June, national Republicans began calling for a reconsideration of a federal moratorium on offshore drilling in the United States.

On June 18, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue issued a press release saying she was "100 percent opposed to oil drilling off the coast of North Carolina."

At an appearance before the N.C. Press Association that day, Perdue said that drilling would never occur during her administration.

"On my watch, we'll never solve the gas problem by drilling off the coast of North Carolina," she said. "That's politically popular. If you want somebody who looks at a poll and gets solutions, that's not me."

On Aug. 13 — the same day that McCrory unveiled his ad — Perdue announced that she had shifted positions in a letter previously sent to U.S. Rep. David Price but not made public until then.

She now says she would appoint an independent panel of scientists and engineers to study the issue before making a decision on whether to allow offshore drilling in North Carolina.

Spokesman Tim Crowley said that Perdue has "consistently supported" offshore drilling on federal land already under lease in other states and would support drilling in North Carolina only under certain conditions.

McCrory supports offshore drilling in North Carolina, promoting mass transit, requiring state-owned cars to use alternative fuels and providing tax incentives for homeowners and businesses to be more energy efficient.

A 2007 report from the U.S. Department of Energy found that offshore drilling would not lead to lower gas prices until 2017.

The Alliance for North Carolina, an independent group funded by the Service Employees International Union, the Democratic Governors Association and the National Education Association, has run ads critical of McCrory and released proposals that echo Perdue's plans.

A previous Claims Department by the N&O found the group's first ad overstated its case on two points.

Is the ad accurate? Mostly — at the time. Perdue said she was "100 percent opposed" and drilling would not happen on her watch. Now that she's changed positions, the ad is no longer true, however. The ad does not make a distinction between offshore drilling in North Carolina and other states, but the reality is that Perdue is running for governor here. Calling the Alliance for North Carolina Perdue's "secret allies" is a stretch.

Note: We have made a  change to our judgment of the ad after the Perdue campaign provided more information.