Steelworkers won't participate in Dean rally

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/7581298.htm

GEORGETOWN, S.C. - The local chapter of the steelworkers union has withdraw permission for Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean to use its hall for a rally next week.

National union leaders ordered Steelworkers Local 7898 to back out because the union has endorsed U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri in the nine-way race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Dean wanted to speak to the job losses of the steelworkers and others in South Carolina suffering from layoffs, a campaign spokeswoman said. "Being there with these workers who are really suffering at the hands of the Bush administration really appealed to him," Delacey Skinner said.

Georgetown Steel Co. closed its doors earlier this year and filed for protection from its creditors in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Almost 600 workers lost their jobs.

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[dfong63]

1. the headline of that story is misleading

the headline says "steelworkers won't participate", but the body of the story just says that the national union has ordered the local not to allow Dean to use their (local's) union hall. it does not say that the union members are forbidden to go to the rally or otherwise participate if they so choose.

[mikehiggins]

3. It's still a pretty punk move on the USW's leadership though.

I'm a union man 100% but I'd get really hacked off if the heads of my International, the IBEW, would try to stifle political debate because they disagreed with a candidate's politics.

What they should be doing is educating their members as to what the last three years of the BushCo manuvering has cost them, and millions of other workers.

Dean is not the enemy.

[Jerseycoa]

6. I don't see it

If a union endorsement is going to mean anything, how can an opponent's rally in a union hall be anything but a public relations nightmare for the union and the endorsed candidate?

[Looiewu]

8. Unions out here....

are getting pissed because the national leadership does not reflect thier views at all.

Not sure what the rank and file can do about it thought...

[Jerseycoa]

9. I get that

But say an AFSCME or SEIU local wanted to hold a Kerry rally in a union hall. I would think the national would close it down, too, since those unions have given Dean their endorsement. I don't think they can just let it happen without weakening their political endorsements.

[Upfront]

20. Steel Worker Here

Our leadership was on the Gep. train in a big hurry. They have seldom been in touch with there membership. If that were our local we would have had the rally at our hall, if our membership wanted it. The International needs to be told where to go in this case. I doubt the International owns the hall.

[LiberalFighter]

29. That is why local union members should be more involved.

Then the endorsement by International or Regional officers is made more difficult.

Our regional director endorsed Gephardt. Previously, endorsements were not made until after the primaries. But he has a big head and thinks he is a political expert. He is just nailing his own coffin when he is up for election again.

[LiberalFighter]

37. Endorsements use to be made closer to the locals

In our union it use to be that certain local union officers and others would meet within our region and vote on the endorsement. Then the votes for all the regions would be tabulated and International would then make the decision.

[Lefty48197]

34. Wrong

union leadership is continually securing and fighting for job security, better wages, benefits, and working conditions for their members. The membership is quite grateful for that, thank you very much.

[goforit]

14. The irony is this will backfire, the workers will now vote for DEAN!!!

There are times when the top brass should just zip up their lips.

[IndianaGreen]

11. For those of us that are familiar with union politics

There is a big chasm separating the rank-and-file, as represented by the Local, and the party bosses at the national headquarters--many of whom don't even remember working for a living. (One blatant example is James Hoffa Jr. of the Teamsters. Hoffa never worked as a Teamster. He was a lawyer for organized crime!)

The fact that the national ordered the Local to prevent use of its hall, tells me that Dean has support in the Local. It is the Beltway bosses that are in cahoots with Gephardt, who is not going to win the nomination anyway!

[LiberalFighter]

28. International unable to force members to comply as individuals

They are able to put restrictions when it comes to union property but that is it.

Now if there was another local union other than Steelworkers that has not endorsed Gephardt or any other candidate that could be done.

[kainah]

40. Yes, but it's a local story

If you think of this in your local newspaper -- as opposed to on a national, political forum -- it reads differently. "Steelworkers," under those circumstances, is much more of an institutional word. It would imply the union, the hall, etc.

[Demobrat]

2. Gephardt people again.

Yuk. I wonder if Dean would ever insist that one of the unions that have endorsed him not allow one of their local halls to be used by an opponent. Somehow I find that hard to imagine.

[Lefty48197]

35. That's because Dean is so clean and wholesome

unlike all of those other (yuck) Democrats. :eyes:

[davidinalameda]

4. it just looks very petty

all it would take is one phone call from Gephardt to the USW leaders and Dean could use the hall

[LiberalFighter]

30. I wish that were true but...

there was a posting on here about his campaign people threatening the locals that were supporting his opponents.

[davidinalameda]

31. so many of the candidates sound like spoiled children

I don't remember the rhetoric ever being this bad, even before the primaries have started

[Deesh]

5. Gephardt's campaign

Gephardt's people are spending an awful lot of time trying to derail Dean. They're doing it through indirection. I wrote to Congressman Gephardt and asked him to forcefully disavow efforts to debase other Democratic nominees. No response so far.

There's a sense that Gephardt, once the leader in Iowa, is at best second to Dean, and perhaps third to Dean and Kerry. I would love to see the internal tracking polls.

The undecideds in NH, IA and SC do not seem to be breaking for Gephardt, but toward Kerry, Dean and Clark. Does anyone have any recent polls?

[MGKrebs]

7. Here's one.

"Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is the leading choice for the nomination among respondents who said that they "definitely" or "probably" will attend the January caucuses. Dean was the first choice of 28.5% of these respondents, followed by Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) with 20.9%. "

"However registered Democrats who say they “"might or might not" or will not attend the caucuses favor Gephardt over Dean 27.5% to 22.1%. "

"Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is running third with both groups of respondents, but he is favored by 15.3% of those who probably will attend the caucuses, compared to just 8.5% of those who probably will not."

[Deesh]

27. Your response to my question...

Hello, and thank you for posting that poll. It's pretty interesting. I wish I had time to go to Iowa and hang out there a little while, just to see how things go in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for taking the time to post the poll, MGKrebs. Much appreciated.

[joefree1]

10. Sense of loyality?

I don't really fault the Union folk for being loyal. However I hope the Union's rank and file look past the Washington politics and see what all of our party's candidates have to offer. We've got a heap of healing to do and not much time before our chosen candidate goes up against Rove and company.


Images from Dean Rocks the House of Blues, Hollywood
From wtmusic http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=919849
From Joefree1 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=921300

[IndianaGreen]

15. We are talking about the union bosses

The Local was apparently okay with letting Dean use the hall:

Union local President James Sanderson said he offered the use of the hall to the Dean campaign because he thinks it's important to have politicians visit.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/7581298.htm

[goforit]

12. LOL!!...After being dumped on by Bush .....Gepthardt to the rescue!!!!

Better yet,
ROFLMAO!!!!!

Should be interesting if these workers choose to follow
inadequate leaders.

[MrPrax]

13. Unions leaders are not high enuff...

on the food chain to play games like this.

Steelworkers need all the help they can get--pity USW if they just went and pissed off a guy that potentially might get the nod and the Presidency...
If so, then Dean by allrights, can say--remember the time you guys...? well...and fuck you and your membership...!

These people should show a little more solidarity like the Employer does ...

[doc03]

16. USWA

Leo Gerrard, the President of the USWA is an idiot. He endorsed Gephart for President just before the steel tariff issue came up.
Gephart has little chance of winning, why not a least hold out the
endorsement until after Bush made his decision. The membership
doesn't pay any attention to what the international says anyway.

[SayitAintSo]

21. That sounds like a Bush move if anything ...

Vintage, mean spirited Bush ....

[54anickel]

17. This is ridiculous. The union halls can be rented by anyone for anything

around here, weddings, meetings, educational meetings, quilting gatherings whatever. They do not belong to the National but to the locals.

The Unions should not be blocking informational meetings for their members. It's best to have an informed electorate, period. They just like to say they endorse Gephardt, then push those not willing to educate themselves to vote for the guy they endorse.

I am going to get started on letters to the locals here in WI to be able to educate their rank and file in their halls now, just in case anyone other than the Nationals chosen candidate wants to use the halls here. I like to would recommend any union DUers to be proactive and attempt to open their halls as well.

[NNN0LHI]

25. Actually union halls cannot be rented by anyone for anything

I would like to see Ford Motor try and rent my local 588 UAW union hall for a retirement party for salaried employees once. That would be a hoot.

Don

[jburton]

18. Another example of national "Leadership" not getting it

The Local probably would have enjoyed the publicity (media bonanza following Dean everywhere) and the MONEY for the event!

Will the national "leadership" give the local some $$$ to offset the lost rental fees for this event?

Instead of Dean's $$$ going to rent a union hall, would the "leadership" rather he go spend it at some hotel meeting room or whatever?

This isn't just a Union thing, either. Pro-Choice groups, Enviro groups, the DLC, whatever. The disconnect between the DC office and the field office is amazing, yet they still want to control every little move of the field offices.

Whew. This turned into a little rant, but maybe you get the idea.

[patricia92243]

19. I thought the article said that steelworks factory was closed down

[Brian_Expat]

26. Precisely my point!

If the union leadership had spent as much time on saving the workers' jobs as they spent on playing games in politics, things would be a lot better for everyone, non?

[Lefty48197]

36. If the union members had agreed to work for $5 per hour

then their mill would probably be open today. Yippee.

[SayitAintSo]

22. In SC Gephart is strong with Clyburn's endorsement

Dean is not that well regarded among the party faithful here - partly because he hasn't spent that much time here until recently. He just recently opened an office, very late compared to all the other candidates. Early buzz was that he had written off SC - and that was from the Dean supporters I talked to. Things have changed a little since then - Dean has obviously changed his mind about the need to spend time here. Wonder why ?

[Brian_Expat]

24. Dean in SC

Dean has obviously changed his mind about the need to spend time here. Wonder why ?

With the collapse of John Edwards, the latest polling apparently shows Dean being very strong in the primaries and general election in SC, and it's now viewed as a state "in play."

[stickdog]

33. Because he's kicking ass everywhere now?

Just a wild guess.

[SayitAintSo]

38. I think not actually ...

I think he sees a vulnerability with SC leading the southern primarys and opening up a wedge that could threaten his position.

[Brian_Expat]

23. Another union leadership group out of touch with reality

If unions spent half the time fighting for their members' jobs that they spent playing Tammany Hall political games, a lot more working Americans would still have jobs.

[stickdog]

32. Way to cut off your eyebrows to spite your face, national union "leaders"!

[nohopewithnodope]

39. They need to be forced to understand that Democrats are good for them

Nobody in the US workforce can be allowed to vote anyother ticket than Democratic. Under repub control the US has fallen into poverty and demise and now it's time to demand that all people MUST vote for Democrats or not vote at all. We are the rightfull party to run this country and it's past time for the numbskulls to come around to our better way of running the show.