Over 40 Fmr. UNITE HERE Staff, Volunteers Sign Open Letter Against Union’s Rahm Emanuel Endorsement

Source: In These Times

BY MICAH UETRICHT

A group of former UNITE HERE staffers and volunteers from around the country released an open letter to the union today, rebuking Chicago's UNITE HERE Local 1 for its endorsement of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and questioning the union's commitment to progressive unionism.

"Local 1’s endorsement of Rahm Emanuel for Mayor of Chicago ... is a betrayal of the cause of all workers and a black mark on UNITE HERE’s legacy," the letter reads. As of Friday morning, the letter was signed by 41 people, almost all of whom listed the local or locals where they worked with the union.

The letter was released this morning at a web site entitled "No Rahm Love," a reference to the union's "Rahm Love" ad campaign that praises the mayor's record on workers' issues, despite his widespread reputation as a strongly anti-labor mayor, most notably in his dealings with the Chicago Teachers Union. Members of UNITE HERE Local 1 stood prominently behind Emanuel as he gave his speech on election night February 24. (Full disclosure: I was briefly a member of Local 1 in 2010.)

"Local 1’s campaign, 'Rahm Love,' claims that the mayor 'loves' workers in Chicago, raising wages and supporting their unions. Nothing could be further from the truth," the letter continues. "Throughout his term as mayor, Rahm has enacted a program of devastation against workers throughout Chicago." Almost all of those who signed the letter are former staffers or activists.

FULL story at link.



Dozens of former UNITE HERE staffers and members are accusing the union of betraying its progressive principles in Local 1's endorsement of Rahm Emanuel.


Read more: http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17806/unite_here_rahm_emanuel_open_letter