Ms. Christine Quinn has revealed that she favors business over the blue collar in her pursuit for mayor office. As many of you are aware day laborers are being exploited daily in New York region for either one reason or the other. Therefore as members of TWU Local 100 we abhor such practices especially by those who condone such practices for the sake of profit.
As we are about to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday January 17, 2011 we must not forget his message about labor workers which was clear in the labor dispute fight for the Memphis sanitation workers. There was a 65 day strike leading to his death in 1968. Those workers as stated by Martin Luther King Jr. deserved improved wages, working conditions and union recognition. However those morally right demands were denied to them by the Memphis mayor Henry Loeb III as well as his sympathizers.
It is troubling for TWU Local 100 that we would embrace people who favor business and profit over improved wages, working conditions and union recognition for day laborers. Clearly John Samuelsen and his leadership team support those who are against the blue collar. In addition there has been a gulf of understanding as union officials promise to protect their members literally and figuratively which means siding with other laborers in New York region.
This is not a minor error that John Samuelsen committed. However is it one that can not be overlooked? No but it goes against the grain of the union principles and core beliefs of improved wages, working conditions and union recognition. Which is why it is incomprehensible that Samuelsen would embrace Ms. Quinn. Samuelsen may endorse her in her pursuit for the mayor office. Similar to in 1968 when Memphis mayor Henry Loeb III sympathizers and admirers were egging him on while everyone else knew it was wrong.
We remind John Samuelsen president of TWU Local 100 of Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of improved wages, working conditions and union recognition for the day laborers. Samuelsen should never embrace those who favor profit. Samuelsen cannot claim he is not familiar with Ms. Quinn’s positions when he embraced her because that would add insult to injury. We hope in 2011 that he would move prudently and wisely in adhering to Martin Luther King Jr.’s messages.
Manhattanville this is a wonderfuly creative piece of writing. To start with day laborers go to C.Quinn move to Samuelsen jump the the entire leadership of Local 100 and arrive at MLK is no easy feat.
ReplyDeleteIt is like that game the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon where you attempt to link Kevin Bacon to some unlikely figure.
Your article is long on dubious connections but short of common sense.
Please try to do better next time.
Laid-off Station agents were at 180 Livingston st. doing required paperwork to come back to work.
You owe stations an apology.