Labor unions will be holding a major event in Philadelphia on August 11 to list their grievances with the current economy ahead of the Democrats’ convention in Charlotte, N.C. Just don’t call it a “shadow convention.”
That’s not quite right says International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers spokesman Jim Spellane. He was trying to walk back an Associated Press story that labeled the event exactly that.
“Rally would be more accurate,” Spellane said. He said it was not intended as a protest against the Democrats or their choice of where to hold a convention. Rather it is a forum to address “bread and butter” issues affecting the middle class.
Asked why they were not holding the rally in Charlotte, Spellane said it was because “Philly has a certain symbolism.”
That’s not how the Associated Press is reporting it though. They state the event is “inspired by the anger many labor officials felt after Democrats decided to stage their nominating convention in North Carolina, a right-to-work state that is the least unionized in the country.”
Big Labor has viewed the party’s decision as a slap in the face. IBEW President Ed Hill told AP it was a “wakeup call.” Hill has other reasons to be annoyed with the White House too. IBEW had supported the Keystone XL pipeline project.
But the broader labor movement has had little choice but to go along, having tied itself so closely to the Democratic Party. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has already endorsed Barak Obama for reelection.
Its a tough spot for Big Labor. They want to register their frustrations with the White House, but they don’t want the story to be divisions between them and the Democrats either. Hence Spellane’s efforts to walk back the AP story.
