To Whom It May Concern:
When I learned of the SEIU mayoral candidate night, my campaign
contacted John Gezinski, an event coordinator. I promptly received a phone
call from SEIU’s Ruby Anderson saying my questionnaire had not been
received. When I told her I didn’t receive it, she kindly offered to send
it by fax. Again it didn’t arrive as promised, so I called Ms. Anderson to
inquire.
Ms. Anderson then said that SEIU questionnaires were actually only sent
to a few candidates, and I was not one of them. When asked who received
the questionnaires, she said the information was private. I informed Ms.
Anderson that Libertarians strongly supported the right of workers to
organize. But I also said unions shouldn’t be making the political process
less open and less democratic - especially unions whose members are
largely paid from public funds. Responsible union leadership seeks to let
workers hear all sides of the political debate, not only those they
personally favor.
Campaigns are simply marketplaces for ideas. By trying to limit debate,
union officials are conspiring to shut their workers out of that
marketplace. I care deeply for union workers and want them to succeed in
difficult times. Exclusionary tactics may serve the political interests of
union officials beholding to politicians, but they are not in the interest
of ordinary workers who could lose job opportunities because their union
might appear to be biased against members of the business community.
As a business leader, I know the security of a broad and healthy
customer base. Sadly, SEIU’s local leadership has chosen to rely on
heavily on government. The public sector is not in good economic shape.
Unions representing a diverse customer base back candidate promising to
balance government budgets with fiscal restraint. SEIU local union leaders
propose raising taxes which will lead to fewer jobs for workers as a
whole. That’s why SEIU members need to hear from candidates who represent
the chance to broaden their base outside government, not just
establishment candidates who pander and offer the false hope of business
as usual.
Please help uphold democratic values and do the right thing for your
workers. Invite all candidates for office to your debate, and avoid the
embarrassment of having the event picketed by protestors saying ‘SEIU
unfair to union members’.
Sincerely,
Michael F. Denny
