Spitzer No Friend to Unions, Says DuncanGreen Party of New York State November 06, 2006 Contact: Ann Link 347-226-1195 eastst@hotmail.com NEW YORK, NY -- "Spitzer has sent a very strong signal to the corporate community -- both as an official and as a candidate -- that he does not intend to meaningfully challenge its power over working people," said Alison Duncan, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor. "Major unions have contributed heavily to Eliot Spitzer's campaign for governor of New York State despite the fact that corporations have also donated generously to the Spitzer-Paterson ticket. Yet his words and actions strongly suggest that it will not be business but labor that will be disappointed by a "Governor Spitzer." Duncan is a hotel audiovisual technician and a delegate in the New York Hotel Trades Council. She will campaign Saturday in Binghamton with Malachy McCourt, Green Party candidate for Governor. They will appear in his show "You Don't Have To Be Irish To Vote For Me," at 7:30pm Saturday at American Legion Post #80, 76 Main Street in Binghamton. "Before the transit workers went on strike in December, they tried to resolve legitimate grievances with the MTA regarding benefits," said Duncan. "But Spitzer was not only determined to break the strike, but also to punish the strikers and their leaders." Those punishments are described in Spitzer's press release http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2005/dec/dec21b_05.html. "Compare Spitzer's behavior with that of my running mate, Green Party candidate for Governor Malachy McCourt," said Duncan. "Malachy, a former longshoreman, didn't just support the strike, he joined TWU Local 100 head Roger Toussaint in his march across the Brooklyn Bridge in April to begin his jail term. Spitzer, using the Taylor Law, was the one who urged the judge to imprison Toussaint. Notably, none of the corporate criminals Spitzer has gone after in his term as attorney general have served jail time." After accepting the endorsement of the Working Families Party, Spitzer opposed two of the party's top legislative priorities: a bill giving day-care workers the right to unionize and a bill requiring large companies to provide health insurance. He also promised to weaken union-supported laws requiring separate contracts on public works jobs and disability awards to injured workers. He told New York magazine, "When you're an A.G., it's sort of a binary choice: good and bad . . . As a governor, you're really making triage decisions." The Green Party does not make "triage decisions," said Duncan. "Our officeholders make moral choices based on what is good or bad for ordinary working individuals and families, or those unable to work. Such choices are easy because our party does not accept corporate contributions. And of the five Green candidates for statewide office this year, four are active or retired union members. Malachy is a member of SAG, AFTRA and Equity, Howie Hawkins is a Teamster, and Julia Willebrand was a United Federation of Teachers delegate. No non-union candidate could have quite the passion for union issues that union members themselves have." "Unions and their members may fear that endorsing third-party candidates is wasting their vote," said Duncan. "But the only wasted vote in this election is a vote for the candidate who is taking union support for granted. We are urging union members to vote Green this Nov. 7 to send a message that they will not be taken for granted." ----------------------- PEACE SLATE CANDIDATE WEBSITES Malachy McCourt for Governor
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