The N.C. Assocation of Educators hired a former aide to Gov. Mike Easley as its executive director.

Scott Anderson, who went to work for the National Education Association after he left Easley's office, was caught up in the lottery scandal and former lottery commissioner Kevin Geddings 2006 fraud trial, Lynn Bonner reports.

Sheri Strickland, NCAE president, said she thoroughly checked into Anderson's involvement with Geddings and the lottery and shared everything she found with the NCAE search committee.

"The legal and ethical implications were vetted through NEA at the time," Strickland said, and she found nothing about Anderson's involvement that would disqualify him from holding the NCAE job.

NCAE had 166 applications for the job, Strickland said, and Anderson stood out for his knowledge of the state and his work for Easley.  NCAE signed Anderson to a two-year contract. He started work March 1.

More after the jump.

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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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