Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: American Spirit who wrote (29349)	6/8/2004 11:51:04 AM
From: Ann Corrigan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81568

McCain & Bush share the same basic political beliefs, that's why they're both Republicans. Kerry's political soulmate is Pres Jimmy Carter. Looks as though the Dem National Convention is already off to a squabbling start: Union Protests Disrupt Democrats' Plans Tuesday, 08-Jun-2004 Story from AP / JENNIFER PETER BOSTON (AP) -- Hundreds of union members picketed outside the site of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday in a show of solidarity with city police that could delay preparations for the political gathering. Union firefighters, electricians and other trade workers joined police officers picketing over a long-simmering dispute with Mayor Thomas Menino. The 1,400-member police union has been without a contract for two years. Talks broke down on Monday, with each side blaming the other for the impasse. The beginning of round-the-clock picketing coincided with the start of a $14 million construction project to prepare the FleetCenter, a sports arena, for the Democratic National Convention on July 26-29. Telecommunications workers have already said they won't cross police pickets to install thousands of miles of telephone and data lines. Pickets gathered at the city's North Station commuter site, which shares a building with the FleetCenter. Union members handed out leaflets to hundreds of commuters on their way to work. Some held signs reading, "Friends Don't Let Friends Cross Picket Lines." The Greater Boston Labor Council on Monday rejected a project labor agreement that promised no union strikes if convention organizers used only unionized labor on construction projects at the FleetCenter. Organizers could be forced to hire nonunion workers, an unthinkable prospect for a Democratic Party built on a foundation of organized labor. Patrolmen's union president Thomas Nee said he was honored by the vote of the labor council, which represents 90,000 workers in 93 unions in the area. "I think the message that's been sent is that nobody owns organized labor in the city of Boston," Nee said. A spokeswoman for convention organizers declined to comment. Seth Gitell, a spokesman for Menino, had no immediate comment. Dennis DeMarzio, the city's chief operating officer, said the patrolmen's union twice has refused an offer to settle the contract through binding arbitration. He said the union's financial proposal is "far and away in excess of any contracts the city has agreed to, including the teachers." Richard Rogers, head of the labor council, said the vote showed area unions are behind the police. "If I'm head of the DNC, if I'm Terry McAuliffe, I'm thinking maybe it's time to get involved and push this process along," Rogers said of the city-police dispute. "In my mind, it sends a very strong message to the mayor that he needs to get back to the table and resolve this." Verizon workers hired to begin installing telephone and data lines have said they will not cross the picket lines.