Readers probably have figured out I’m no great fan of people or of organizations who use their power to beat others into submission, or humiliate others, or threaten others. That’s why I was disgusted by an email I got last night informing me that the local labor council had blackballed a local business owner, Bob Glaser. Glaser, upon further investigation, runs a petition and signature gathering firm that has done more than ten years of work for both Republican and Democrat causes. Equal opportunity gathering and capitalism… I like that!
It wasn’t clear why the labor council was banning Glaser, but the implication of the email was that it was for gathering petitions for a measure they don’t agree with. My guess is that means the Open Government/Fair Contracting measure that various reformers are trying to put on the ballot here in the city. I can’t write that I’m an expert on that measure, but I have the feeling that if this was the reaction from City Hall’s labor unions, there has to be something that benefits the regular taxpayer in there!
Labor appears to own much of the City Council for now… is this really the way they are going to do business?