G.O.P. Makes Its Pitch to a Pivotal Union

[brooklynite]

WASHINGTON, March 20 — With the election season heating up, the Bush administration and the Republican Party used a good deal of energy and charm on Monday to woo a group that has long been part of the Democrats' base: organized labor.

Ken Mehlman, the Republican national chairman, and other Republican officials addressed the firefighters' union Monday in Washington.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska; and the Republican National Committee chairman, Ken Mehlman, spoke to the annual legislative conference of the main firefighters' union, saying they were eager to work with the union on issues of common ground.

The White House chief of staff, Andrew H. Card Jr., had been scheduled to speak, but canceled, citing illness. Mr. Mehlman praised the union for an increasing focus on bipartisanship and said if the firefighters and other unions worked with Republicans they could achieve more of what they were seeking, including greater preparedness for emergencies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/politics/21labor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[NanceGreggs]

1. "... including greater preparedness for emergencies."

Hate to be a party-pooper, Mel et al, but America got a snoot-full of your 'preparedness strategy' in the wake of Katrina.

You're talking to unionized professionals about how you can 'work together' to increase 'preparedness'?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[William Seger]

8. "...eager to work with the union on issues of common ground."

... and that's the closest he could come to coming up with one! Shamless, lying bastards...

[HuffleClaw]

2. bwahahhahahaaaa

wow, what ARE they drinking? surely they don't think the firefighters are gonna forget how they got srewed by the administration post-911?

[Bozita]

3. Remember the EPA altering air quality reports for lower Manhattan?

I'm sure the NYC firefighters do.

[FloridaPat]

4. The repubs want good paying jobs sent overseas. They've been

getting rid of unions in the federal sector. They have tried to change the donation laws to stop unions from giving politicans and parties money. If the unions follow these creeps, they should be tossed out of the country.

[loudsue]

5. Just another friggin' MAFIA threat coming from the GOP.

You want $$ ??? You want to be prepared?? You don't wanna DIE like we let your buddies die in the WTC on 9/11?

Then, support us. It's worth the money you'll get.

Don't support us? No helping you "achieve more of what you're seeking".

PHUCKING REPUBLICAN MAFIA!!! SAME SHIT DIFFERENT DAY!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[badgervan]

7. mehlman barking up the wrong tree, as usual

Any union member who votes for a republican deserves exactly what will happen to them under four more years of repub rule. Management, not labor, benefit - and you can kiss your pension and health insurance bye-bye. Have the last 5 years taught union members nothing? I have a feeling mr. mehlman's lying ways have finally caught up with him.

[Bozita]

6. Efforts to privatize fire services will begin soon, IMHO

Think Wal-mart wages and working conditions.

What's a financially struggling city to do?

[katinmn]

9. Why would the firefighter's union invite the GOP?

:shrug:

The GOP is no friend of labor.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. The GOP has been known to throw a few bones to certain unions

They will support public works projects that benefit the building trades, and sometimes support salary and benefit increases for government employess. Sometimes the unions reciprocate.