Greetings from San Diego
I got a postcard in the mail at work the other day I thought I'd share with you.
On the front was a picture of the lavish Hotel Del Coronado, site of the recently concluded AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting. The hotel, situated on an island off the coast of San Diego, has been called one of the 10 top resorts in the world by USA Today. Room rates range from $270 to $735, according to the hotel's Web site. (The latter price includes breakfast.)
The back of the postcard read:
Dear Union Member.
Wish you were here! But don't worry, the AFL-CIO Leadership is having a great time. We've been using your dues money wisely - we only order the expensive drinks at happy hour! By the time we fly home first class, we'll have figured out which politicians to give your money to -
See you soon!
- John S
John S is AFL-CIO President John S. Sweeney
The postcard came from the Center for Union Facts, which claims it isn't anti-union. ''We are against union officials' abuse of power, often at the expense of their own rank-and-file members. We are against corruption, violence, and intimidation. We are against the misuse of union dues.'' Its Web site, http://www.unionfacts.com/index.cfm, features ''the 3.8 million facts union officials don't want you to know.'' It's interesting, often amusing, reading.
On the front was a picture of the lavish Hotel Del Coronado, site of the recently concluded AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting. The hotel, situated on an island off the coast of San Diego, has been called one of the 10 top resorts in the world by USA Today. Room rates range from $270 to $735, according to the hotel's Web site. (The latter price includes breakfast.)
The back of the postcard read:
Dear Union Member.
Wish you were here! But don't worry, the AFL-CIO Leadership is having a great time. We've been using your dues money wisely - we only order the expensive drinks at happy hour! By the time we fly home first class, we'll have figured out which politicians to give your money to -
See you soon!
- John S
John S is AFL-CIO President John S. Sweeney
The postcard came from the Center for Union Facts, which claims it isn't anti-union. ''We are against union officials' abuse of power, often at the expense of their own rank-and-file members. We are against corruption, violence, and intimidation. We are against the misuse of union dues.'' Its Web site, http://www.unionfacts.com/index.cfm, features ''the 3.8 million facts union officials don't want you to know.'' It's interesting, often amusing, reading.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 8:21 AM
2 Comments:
The group is apparently the latest astroturf creation of a D.C. lobbyist:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/13/AR2006021301913.html
"The group was created by Richard Berman, a lobbyist behind often unpopular campaigns, including one that aims to dismiss concerns about mercury in fish (FishScam.com), another that challenges Mothers Against Drunk Driving and its efforts to lower the legal blood alcohol content limit, and one that dismisses concern about obesity as 'hype.' "
Berman is also executive director of the Center for Consumer Freedom, a decade-old group founded with tobacco company and restaurant money to fight smoking curbs in restaurants. He is also founder of the American Beverage Institute, which fights restrictions on alcohol use, and the Employment Policies Institute Foundation, which has argued against raising the minimum wage."
At one time, in certain parts of the country, you could invite to dinner: the local union boss; the local boss of organized crime; the local Democrat precinct chairman. You would have had to set only one extra plate at the table.
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