IslaFire Weighs In
“The lack of an endorsement for POTUS is truly embarrassing and may forebode a difficult time when HRC is elected.
The excuses I heard behind the scenes at Convention were silly and lacked substantive leadership. Our International, our State Associations, our Locals, all endorse candidates that are sometimes distasteful to the membership. It happens all the time.
One of the silliest excuses I heard in Vegas was that organization efforts in the mid-Atlantic states would be hampered if the IAFF endorsed HRC and the FFs there would not sign their union cards. Understand that this organization effort is in states that cannot bargain collectively because it is prohibited under state law.
What should have happened was this. Our International endorses HRC. Our International then encourages and assists Locals in non-collective bargaining states to elect down ballot candidates that favor CB. It takes big league leadership and persuasion but it can work.
Instead of pontificating from the dais that both candidates “cannot seem to tell the truth,” HAS could have used his pulpit to convince our members why the IAFF is endorsing HRC. He didn’t. He fed fodder into the machine.
The words of HAS were not those of a labor leader.”
