SEIU State Council Reverses Course, Endorses Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s Run Against Rahm Emanuel

[marmar]

(In These Times) The SEIU Illinois State Council has decided to endorse Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in his run against Rahm Emanuel for mayor of the City of Chicago, reversing the council's previous decision to remain neutral in the race—and overriding the desires of SEIU Local 73 to maintain that neutrality.

The Chicago Tribune reported this afternoon that while an official announcement of the endorsement would come tomorrow, the council had made the decision today. Jerry Morrison, a "political operative" at Local 1, told the paper, "We usually play to win in politics, and (the union's involvement in the race) will be significant."

Not all SEIU staffers were pleased with the decision. Matt Brandon, Secretary-Treasurer for Local 73—whose union had previously filed an internal cease-and-desist request against HCII for its endorsement of Garcia—said his local attempted to block the vote. "We raised several objections at the meeting to procedure and rules, but of course we were overruled," Brandon told the Tribune before accusing the other two locals of being radicals:

"They are trying to create more of a socialist agenda," Brandon said, while his local is trying to take more of a realist approach. "I just think the mayor has done a lot for our members."

Similarly, in early March, Brandon told In These Times he "totally disagreed" with the widespread characterization of Emanuel as an anti-union mayor, saying Local 73 had been able to secure key gains from the mayor. .............(more)

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17747/seiu_state_council_reverses_course_endorses_jesus_chuy_garcias_run_against

[merrily]

1. K & R for opposition to Rahm.

[daleanime]

4. Hell yes....

[CanadaexPat]

2. What does a populist resurgence in NYC and Chicago portend?

[HereSince1628]

3. Basically, 2 things, first that dem labor isn't composed of F***ing retards with no place to go.

second, winning elections still requires voters. Wall St money notwithstanding.

[mucifer]

5. I'm voting for Chuy but my enthusiasm has died down a bit

because he seems to be promising everything in the world but has not been specific about how to pay for it. We are very deep in debt here in Chicago. It is a common thought going around here that there is no way he can do a lot of the stuff he says he would do.

That said, I have a Chuy sign in my window and I will vote for him.

[Enthusiast]

6. Thank you, SEIU.

The mayor hasn't done shit for your members.

[HereSince1628]

10. Well he has done a little, too little

but that's why within the union there is a fight about it.

[mountain grammy]

7. Giving this a K & R, from the outside looking in..

I'm inspired by what's happening in Chicago. Even if Rahm wins, and he probably will, he can't ignore this opposition.

[Omaha Steve]

8. Organized Labor rocks (link fixed)

http://action.seiu.org/page/content/JoinUs/


http://www.seiu.org/


K&R!

[mopinko]

9. while his record is mixed, you cannot say rahm is anti-union.

from a linked article on the site-

When asked if he agreed with the characterization of Emanuel as a strongly anti-union mayor, Brandon says, "I totally disagree."

"We just finished successfully negotiating a contract in which almost 4,000 of our members have been guaranteed no layoffs for the next three years. There have been 250 additional people hired in the city of Chicago bargaining unit since the mayor's been [in office]. He's never come out and said he's 'anti-union,' although the way he started out, you would have perceived that." Local 73, Brandon says, "was the first union that felt the wrath of Mayor Emanuel," with a number of layoffs coming shortly after the mayor took office.

"We've been able, for a period of time, to get to a point of dialogue where we've been able to get some gains and maintain some job security for the members of Local 73, and that's very important to us."


sorry haters. see, this is what makes me good w rahm as a mayor. like his former boss, the public perception is one thing, the facts say another. accomplishments are forgotten, and the future is forecast based on not much.

he got the endorsement of every major environmental group in the state.
he totally gets the food system, and has done much to make food deserts bloom.
he has expanded urban farming and improved farmers markets. he got whole foods to build a store in the worst neighborhood in the city.
he has brought a lot of jobs to the city. a lot. good jobs.
he overhauled the city college system, and established full scholarships for all cps graduates in need.
he even got some givebacks on the parking meter deal.

i like chuy fine, i really do. i wont be upset if he wins.
i just wish that emanuel was seen clearly, not through a tilted lens. rahm derangement.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. The vast majority of commenters on this on DU know fuck all about Chicago and have no skin

in the game.

They hate Rahm for previous faults, and they're all rah rah about it, but most have never been outside of the Loop or River North, supposing they've been to Chicago at all.

I voted for run-off. Period.

I don't know whom I will vote for in the run-off. It actually matters to me if pensions are funded correctly, because if they're not, the state can divert Chicago general funds to the pension fund, depleting the general fund and taking money from just about every service and social tool in the city, including the CTA. It actually matters to me what the school plan is, since I have two small children in CPS.

You have a bunch of "progressives" fist-pumping the end of "Rahmbo" because of previous issues, or they were insulted, or it stands as some kind of symbol in their larger fight, or it is a stand-in for their fight against Hillary Clinton or whatever. That's fine. But it is largely a worthless opinion, especially when the result costs them nothing. For those of us in Chicago, it actually is a difficult decision that requires a great deal of research and thought.

[mopinko]

15. yup. they still have the exact same opinion they did 4 years ago.

iow, they are not paying attention.

i like chuy. if he wins i will gladly support him.
but rahm is not exactly driving the car into the ditch. he has done some amazing things that either cost little, or bring in additional revenues.

how many other elected officials have the grasp of the food system that rahm does? and how many have found so many creative ways to improve it?

[LiberalFighter]

11. Rahm has done a lot for our members.......

Yet, he didn't say what Rahm has done.

[hughee99]

12. Perhaps he ment to say "TO our members"... n/t

[mopinko]

16. more here

from the links at the bottom of the article.

[Oilwellian]

17. Here is what Rahm did

Emanuel to unions: Contract changes or layoffs

In a recurring early theme of his tenure, Mayor Rahm Emanuel put the squeeze on organized labor Wednesday, telling City Hall unions he’ll lay off 625 workers unless they quickly get on board with money-saving changes to their jobs.

Emanuel’s latest declaration, which comes on the heels of a bitter exchange with the Chicago Teachers Union over pay raises, is but a precursor to the more profound debate on the budget problems the city faces next year and beyond.

(snip)
The group also notes that two-thirds of labor costs cover police officers, firefighters and emergency management workers. The unions representing those employees are not being asked to change their work rules, so the “shared sacrifice” Emanuel has repeatedly called for may fall on other city workers.

Chicago Tribune

Matt Brandon was a Chicago police officer for many years. I wonder if he would still support Rahm had he targeted Chicago's police union for budget cuts as well.

[LiberalFighter]

18. They tend to target groups that have the least amount of clout.

[sabrina 1]

13. 'They want more of a Socialist Agenda!' Finally. As opposed to Rahm's Heritage Foundation

privatization of all public funds.

That is GREAT news.