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Andy Stern of SEIU attacks Spitzer, mocks WFP
Via MyDD comes this video interview with the head of SEIU, Andy Stern, explaining why his union, in New York, is supporting Maureen O'Connell.
In so doing, he manages to trash the Working Families Party ("[hasn't] worked successfully"] and to deliver a very simple message: reform of this state is not as important as every single last dollar spent, wisely or not, that SEIU is interested in. And to make sure SEIU keeps every last penny it considers its due, they'll be working with Senate republicans.
To quote: "Eliot Spitzer made a speech today that made our members incredibly angry, attacking them for some of the high costs of health care. [...] So you ask people, why would they support people who feel like they're the enemy against [republicans] who seem to want to work with us to get things done? And so, it's complicated, but it's fairly simple for our members."
Translation: we got ours, and we intend to keep it. Makes sense.
Andy Stern...
Wow, Andy Stern sure is evil for promoting living wages, worker recruitment and retention, and quality health care for ALL New Yorkers.
Better yet, the REAL evil people are the 1199 members cleaning out bedpans and changing adult diapers--makign sure that people have safe, clean, well-staffed places to rehabilitate from illness or reach the end of their life.
It seems very easy to make SEIU or 1199 the "enemy" without stopping to realize that the union represents real people doing very difficult, underappreciated work.