Union Endorsements: Geller 9, Gunzburger 2
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Former state Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller has gotten a campaign donation built on real sweat.
The International Union of Operating Engineers No. 487 has donated Geller’s county commission campaign $500.
Gary Waters, the union’s business manager, says the donation represents “10,000 hours of work at 5 cents per hour voluntarily submitted by the hard working members of this local union.
I never thought of it that way.
The Operating Engineers’ members mostly operate heavy construction machinery, but some work as laboratory technicians.
The IUOE gave Geller his ninth union endorsement. Geller’s opponent in his race for county commission Sue Gunzburger has two union endorsements.
Waters said Geller was getting the support of the IUOE because of his “long record of favorable legislative service supporting the needs of working families.
Past votes in Tallahassee drive these endorsements? You can decide what that means to you, the voter.
Here is an earlier post by me on union endorsements.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Yes, it does sound like a payoff and it may involve a future obligation. These endorsements are no longer important.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I’m a good campaign manager who has to buy Steve Geller these union endorsements so everybody forgets about his involvement in the Mutual Benefits ponzi scam.
While Sue Gunzburger was working for the voters, keeping our community livable and keeping the budget in line in tough economic times, Steve Geller was working as a lobbyist for developers who wanted to build everywhere they can on the barrier island.
I know Steve can’t run on his record. We need the union endorsements to fool the public.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!! Geller rolls out endorsements one at a time from same the individual AFL-CIO unions who ALREADY endorsed Geller in their AFL endorsement vote a few months ago. Since the AFL is like 20 unions, doesn’t that mean he should just tell us he already has all 20 of them ….. or perhaps he cannot reach them right now because he put them in his pants pockets and he just cannot reach beyond his bloated XXXXXXXL waist ….. plus the extra girth caused by jacket pockets stuffed fat with the big bucks he’s earned as a sleazy lobbyist.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Buddy, his name is “Waters” , not “Walters”.
Gunzburger was vehemently against the Living Wage ordinance. She is no friend of labor now or in the past.
FROM BUDDY: Thanks for pointing out my typo. I corrected it.
February 12th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
CuriousO is simply lying. Kristin Jacobs and Sue Gunzburger were the original co-sponsors the County’s living wage orginance, long before many of their colleagues got on board with it and adopted it. It was Rodstrom who led the charge against it, and still wants to repeal it now.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Buddy,i hate to show Truthiness up but i do ask you to go to your archives (i know you have them) to corroborate the following, the living wage ordinance passed in 2002 at the County Commission by a 5-4 vote:
voting for the living wage:
Parrish
Wasserman Rubin
Jacobs
Graber
Eggelletion
voting against the living wage:
Gunzburger
Rodstrom
Lieberman
Scott
Truthiness, i am 100 percent sure I am right; sorry, Charlie Truthiness; she is no friend of labor.
FROM BUDDY:
It is not clear cut. You are both right.
The “living wage†for county employees was passed after hours of testimony and debate on October 8, 2002. It passed 8 to 1, with only John Rodstrom voting against it.
The “living wage” for those doing business with the county passed 5 to 4 with Gunzburger, Lieberman, Rodstrom and Scott voting No.
But – and this is a big “but†– there was a bewildering array of amendments offered, as some commissioners attempted to gut the ordinance or minimize its effect. It would take too much space to explain each amendment.
On an amendment to defer the “living wage†on certain firms with existing contracts with the county, Gunzburger voted against the sponsor of the ordinance, Kristin Jacobs. And she voted with Rodstrom, who was attempting to minimize the living wage ordinance. The amendment was defeated 5-4.
She also voted to exclude employees who received tips from the ordinance, which Jacobs opposed. The amendment passed 5-4.