Union endorsement process flawed Published
in the Budgeteer 10-24-99
This is not quite the letter I sent in
to the Budgeteer. My original letter included the complaint about Gary Krause. The
Budgeteer removed this allegation when they published my letter two weeks later. Because
Bob Heimbach was attacked for telling "lies" I wrote a press release
explaining that I had been the source for the Krause story. Later a slew of letters
attacking Mary Mary Mars and Bob Heimbach appeared in the newspaper. They all glibly
assumed that the Mary Mary Mars letter was full of inaccuracies. These letter writers were
misinformed.
To the Budgeteer:
I wonder how many union members know anything about how their leaders endorse political
candidates? This year's screening committees were an eye opener for me.
At the AFSCME screening, I expressed my regrets to Alan Netland about not getting an
invitation to be, interviewed by the AFLCIO. Mr. Netland is president of both
organizations. Alan told me "their" process, the AFL-CIO's, was not as
"clean" as AFSCME's endorsement process. That gave me little comfort. The AFSCME
screening committee was composed of Al, two other union officials, two school board
members who are trying to cleanse the board of anyone who disagrees with them, their
buddy, and six rank and file union members. These people made the endorsement for the
several thousand AFSCME members who didn't attend.
I wasn't asked a single question about our children's education. I trust that most union
members do care, even if their leaders can't be bothered with such inconsequential
matters.
Harry Welty, candidate for 2nd District
Duluth School Board
