Spitzer No Friend to Unions, Says Duncan
Green Party of New York State
www.gpnys.org
November 06, 2006
Released November 03
Contact: Ann Link 347-226-1195 eastst@hotmail.com
Binghamton contact: Jim Little 607-725-6046 Jli2533838@aol.com
NEW YORK, NY -- "Spitzer has sent a very strong signal to the corporate
community -- both as an official and as a candidate -- that he does not
intend to meaningfully challenge its power over working people," said Alison
Duncan, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor. "Major unions have
contributed heavily to Eliot Spitzer's campaign for governor of New York
State despite the fact that corporations have also donated generously to the
Spitzer-Paterson ticket. Yet his words and actions strongly suggest that it
will not be business but labor that will be disappointed by a "Governor
Spitzer."
Duncan is a hotel audiovisual technician and a delegate in the New York
Hotel Trades Council. She will campaign Saturday in Binghamton with Malachy
McCourt, Green Party candidate for Governor. They will appear in his show
"You Don't Have To Be Irish To Vote For Me," at 7:30pm Saturday at American
Legion Post #80, 76 Main Street in Binghamton.
"Before the transit workers went on strike in December, they tried to
resolve legitimate grievances with the MTA regarding benefits," said Duncan.
"But Spitzer was not only determined to break the strike, but also to punish
the strikers and their leaders." Those punishments are described in Spitzer's press release
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2005/dec/dec21b_05.html.
"Compare Spitzer's behavior with that of my running mate, Green Party
candidate for Governor Malachy McCourt," said Duncan. "Malachy, a former
longshoreman, didn't just support the strike, he joined TWU Local 100 head
Roger Toussaint in his march across the Brooklyn Bridge in April to begin
his jail term. Spitzer, using the Taylor Law, was the one who urged the
judge to imprison Toussaint. Notably, none of the corporate criminals Spitzer has gone after in his term as attorney
general have served jail time."
After accepting the endorsement of the Working Families Party, Spitzer
opposed two of the party's top legislative priorities: a bill giving day-care workers the right to unionize and a bill requiring large companies
to provide health insurance. He also promised to weaken union-supported laws
requiring separate contracts on public works jobs and disability awards to
injured workers. He told New York magazine, "When you're an A.G., it's sort
of a binary choice: good and bad . . . As a governor, you're really making
triage decisions."
The Green Party does not make "triage decisions," said Duncan. "Our
officeholders make moral choices based on what is good or bad for ordinary
working individuals and families, or those unable to work. Such choices are
easy because our party does not accept corporate contributions. And of the
five Green candidates for statewide office this year, four are active or
retired union members. Malachy is a member of SAG, AFTRA and Equity, Howie
Hawkins is a Teamster, and Julia Willebrand was a United Federation of
Teachers delegate. No non-union candidate could have quite the passion for
union issues that union members themselves have."
"Unions and their members may fear that endorsing third-party candidates is
wasting their vote," said Duncan. "But the only wasted vote in this election
is a vote for the candidate who is taking union support for granted. We are
urging union members to vote Green this Nov. 7 to send a message that they
will not be taken for granted."
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PEACE SLATE CANDIDATE WEBSITES
Malachy McCourt for Governor
http://votemalachymccourt.org/
Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor
http://www.alisonduncan.org/
Rachel Treichler for Attorney General
http://www.voterachel.org/
Julia Willebrand for Comptroller
http://gpnys.org/
Howie Hawkins for US Senate from New York
http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org/