Union won't picket arena hosting Obama, Winfrey

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Baltimore Sun

by Jill Zuckman

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Here's a relief for Barack Obama's campaign: Union workers have agreed not to picket the Verizon Wireless Arena Sunday night during Obama's rally with megastar Oprah Winfrey.

The New Hampshire Union Leader reported today that the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 195 have been trying to organize at the Arena ever since it opened six years ago.

The newspaper reported that AFL-CIO state President Mark MacKenzie negotiated an agreement that will prevent a picket line from going up, which would have been a huge embarrassment to the Illinois Democrat. In exchange, the Union Leader said, Obama is expected to make some sort of pro-union statement during the event.

"There will not be a picket," MacKenzie said in a statement. "We are confident that Senator Obama supports the rights of workers to organize and to work under collective bargaining agreements. Senator Obama has made clear both personally and through his votes in the United States Senate that he understands that the clearest path to the middle class is through a union."

Read more: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/union_wont_picket_arena_hostin.html

[Fierce]

1. Way to go, MacKenzie.

"We are confident that Senator Obama supports the rights of workers to organize."

Then why is he showing up at the Verizon Arena? Garbage.

[davidinalameda]

15. ding ding ding

you hit it on the head!

[ashling]

2. Which begs the question

Will they picket at any other poitical events?

[Robbien]

6. They have picketed at other political events

In fact, they were planning on picketing CBS Dem debate but once the Dem candidates heard about it the debate was called off.

The Union spares no one in its picketing unless there is a payoff for the Union such as in this case.

[ashling]

7. Exactly, which brings me to my next query

Should their failure to picket a particular candidate during a strike be considered a contribution for FEC purposes and what would it be worth?

[SoxFan]

14. Not at the Verizon

They have never picketed anything at the Verizon.

They didn't picket Hillary Clinton's speech there last June.

They didn't picket former Mayor Bob Baines' inauguration ceremony in 2002.

This picket threat is a phony stunt cooked up by Obama's opponents in the NH Democratic old guard.

[Robbien]

16. They weren't on strike back during any of the events you listed

The Union is picketing all new content shows in support of the writers strike.

Not just political debates/rallies, all new content shows.

Picketing is not a phony stunt. It is important. Just because you do not support the political candidate in this instance, you do not have to go slinging mud around at the Union.

[SoxFan]

18. Tell me, then...

Why weren't they picketing the Evanesence concert last week?

Why weren't they picketing the Manchester Monarchs game against Chicago on Saturday?

Where is the consistency?

[Robbien]

19. Concerts and games

don't use writers. Rallies/debates do.

[SoxFan]

20. Weak. Weak.

You are seriously comparing a campaign speechwriter to a Hollywood writer or script coordinator? That's just goofy.

By your logic there should have been picket lines at the local American Legion games during the '94 baseball strike.

[Robbien]

21. For every answer, you have just another bash

You are looking behind curtains and under rugs for reasons to continue your bashfest just because this Oprah thing bugs you. It appears facts don't interfere with your mission to keep crazily thrashing around bashing everything just because you are upset.

My mistake. I thought for once you may have been asking honest questions and by supplying real answers I stupidly played into your bashfest.

Continue your game without me.

[MilesColtrane]

3. Be safe Senator Obama.

I, for one, wouldn't want to be standing under speakers and lights rigged by non-union members.

[salib]

4. Why, so that Sen. Obama does not have to "cross" a picket line?

Pathetic!

This is a campaign. A Democratic campaign.

I have helped run the local campaign here in North East San Antonio. If we did ANYTHING that was not union made and union supported, we would have been ashamed! Ashamed!

This is pathetic!

[azmesa207]

5. Union won't

picket Verizon arena .I wondering if that the only arena in NH that they could have this rally .If Obama is such a big union supporter why didn't he go some where else where there were no union pickets in the first place .

[SoxFan]

12. There are no union pickets

I live a mile from the Verizon, and I have never seen a union picket.

Funny thing, though. Hillary Clinton spoke at this same arena back in June, and nobody mentioned a picket at that time.

[Catchawave]

8. Whaaaa?

Gobama, my ass :cry:

[Imagevision]

9. People already are starting to warm up to the next president...

[killbotfactory]

10. How many arenas are in the area?

And are there any other events taking place in that would have prevented Obama from choosing them?

[SoxFan]

13. It's the largest in the state

The only other arena that is comparable in size is the Whittemore Center, the home of the UNH Wildcats hockey team. The Whitt seats about 7,500, while the Verizon holds about 11,000 in a concert arrangement. With the UNH hockey season underway, I suspect that it was very difficult to schedule the Whit on short notice. The Verizon is better equipped to handle a rapid turnaround.

Also, the Verizon is in Manchester, just off of I-293. It's centrally located, and is a short drive from Concord, Nashua, and Boston. The Whittemore Center is in Durham, which is a tough place to get to. It's not on a main highway, and it is difficult to find if you aren't familiar with the area.

[SoxFan]

11. I call bullshit

Guess who spoke at the very same Verizon Wireless Arena last June?

Hillary Rodham Clinton.

http://cs.newhampshire.com/photos/hooksett_editor/picture2949.aspx

Guess who arranged that event?

John Rist, the husband of Hillary's state campaign co-chair Kathy Sullivan.

Was there a peep out of the union in June? Nope. Not a sound.

I've been to this arena many times, for hockey games, trade shows, etc, and I have never seen a picket line.

A few weeks ago, the DNC, the Young Democrats, and the Stonewall Democrats held an event across the street from the Verizon. It was held at a non-union hotel and convention center. Did anyone fuss about that? Nope.

This is a bullshit story stirred up by the Clinton campaign and state party chair Ray Buckley in an attempt to screw with the Obama campaign.

[ohio2007]

17. The union palms have been greased...again.... nt