Where Do RI Labor Unions Go From Here?
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Where do Rhode Island's labor unions go from here, now that the split between Clay Pell and Angel Taveras supporters within the state’s labor base ultimately helped elect Gina Raimondo in the Democratic Primary?
"The primary was tough for the RI labor movement," said Brooking Institution Vice President Darrell M. West.
Divided we fall?
According to West, labor's divide-and-conquer strategy between Raimondo's two opponents had the unintended consequence of propelling the least labor-friendly candidate in the race to victory.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"It was a classic divide and conquer strategy in the Democratic gubernatorial race. The candidate disliked by labor won by having two opponents split the progressive vote," said West.
Jim Cenerini of Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, which represents over 4,000 state employees and 3,500 municipal employees disagreed, emphasizing that unions endorsing different candidates is nothing new in Rhode Island elections.
“Everyone has been saying that labor is divided because some unions endorsed Pell while the others supported Taveras, but there are plenty of examples when you look at past races when labor unions were not always on the same page" said Cenerini .
Looking ahead to the general election and the next gubernatorial administration, political experts predict a tough road ahead for the unions.
"Regardless of whom wins in November, labor will face a governor who is not that sympathetic. This will create serious problems in terms of future labor influence," said West.
“I believe that the days of the unions dictating policy are a thing of the past,” said veteran Rhode Island pollster Victor Profughi.
Backing the winning candidate is no guarantee
To be sure, endorsing the winning candidate in an election is not a guarantee that all of the endorsing union's policy priorities will be enacted when the candidate takes office
“If you go back in history, you will see that forty, fifty years ago the unions used to dominate what came out of the State House,” said Profughi. “But the policies that have come out of the State House and the Assembly over the course of Governor Chafee's term indicate that the legislation that gets enacted into law is not necessarily dictated by who a union supports in a gubernatorial election.”
Chafee received endorsements from some of Rhode Island's most powerful unions including the National Education Association of Rhode Island (NEARI), SEIU Local 580 and United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) while running for Governor as an Independent in 2010, yet ultimately got behind Treasurer Raimondo's pension overhaul, which those unions vehemently opposed
“I am proud that I have kept 'labor peace' in Rhode Island," said Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee. "During the campaign and as Governor, I have been consistent about what I have said about pension reform. I have said we have to look at the following: age of retirement; length of service and the COLAs; a hybrid plan; and municipal plans. I initiated and took a leadership role in the mediated settlement, which came close to being approved by all of the unions."
Chafee maintained that since taking office, there has been absolutely no difference between the nature of his relationship with the unions who endorsed his candidacy for governor in 2010 and those who endorsed his opponent Frank Caprio.
“I have had and continue to have a very professional relationship with all the unions over the last three years," said Chafee.
Will the unions sit this one out?
"Unions are going to continue to endorse candidates. After all is said and done, each union will assess Gina Raimondo and Allan Fung and come to a conclusion regarding who is the ‘better’ candidate from their perspective and fall in line behind that candidate," said Profughi. “It would be a tremendous step back if they were to sit this one out."
“It will be very difficult for them to endorse the Republican candidate for Governor and then down ticket Democrats for the rest of the statewide and legislative offices,” said Profughi.
According to West, should the unions decide not to endorse anyone, it could present an opportunity for Fung.
"If union leaders don’t endorse anyone in the general election, their members will spread out between the candidates," said West. "That gives Fung an opportunity, but since his policy positions against unions are much stronger than those of Raimondo, it is hard to believe he will get a big share of the vote. She will run against him by tying him to the unpopular stances of the national GOP."
To date, the unions have remained non-committal on if and who they will be endorsing in November.
“It will be very difficult for them to endorse the Republican candidate for Governor and then down ticket Democrats for the rest of the statewide and legislative offices,” said Profughi.
“I am not certain we will endorse either candidate in the gubernatorial election, that decision will be up to RI Council 94 PAC’s delegates. We will have to see what comes out of the Convention on Friday Night,” said Cenerini.
Working with the next Administration
Labor leaders indicate that regardless of who wins in November, they remain committed to working with the next Governor's administration.
“I expect that labor will look forward and approach the November elections with a unity of purpose, as we usually do. From NEARI’s standpoint, our issues will still revolve around what is best for children, public education and working families," said NEARI Executive Director Bob Walsh.
"My position as the President of Council 94 for more than 9 years is that we will continue to work with the next Governor as we have worked with Governors we did and did not support for more than 30 years," said J. Michael Downey, President of Rhode Island Council 94.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was first published September 12th at 2:30 am.
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