Union rival to SEIU upset about Blago sleaze

The alleged roll of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in the auctioning of Barack Obama's vacant US Senate seat has drawn the ire of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union.

The two unions seek to organize the same workers--government employees. The president of AFSCME knows damage has been done to a sacred cause organized labor, "card check," as the Washington Times tells us.

Gerald W. McEntee, president of one of the nation's largest unions, said the labor movement was damaged when the FBI linked a competing union to Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's effort to sell Illinois' U.S. Senate seat and it hurts labor's push to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, unions' big legislative priority.

"I don't think it's helped, let me say that on the record. I don't think it's helped," Mr. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, told editors and reporters at The Washington Times, referring to allegations that the Service Employees International Union was linked to Mr. Blagojevich's moves in Illinois. "It sure ... is a shame it happened."

Mr. McEntee said labor must guard against overreaching and should avoid warring with other Democratic-leaning groups - "to turn the other cheek on this and be more interested in the bigger picture," he said - but he also said unions paid their dues by supporting Democrats and President-elect Barack Obama in this year's election.

Related posts:

Employee "free choice" may drive economic uncertainty

CBS refuses to air ad denouncing union "card check"

Stop the Employee FORCED Choice Act

Dems' secret ballot hypocrisy

Technorati tags: politics Unions SEIU AFSCME labor Democrats corruption Blagojevich Republican card check