Remember the local union that didn't want to endorse Klobuchar? Well,

[pnwmom]

the corresponding STATE union endorsed her. Apparently the union wasn't worried about her likability.

The Politico hit piece about her being a bad boss was based on staff retention rates over six years. The member of Congress with the highest attrition rate was Rep. Barbara Jackson Lee, at .62%. Klobuchar's attrition was .36%.

In the body of the piece, the article acknowledged that there can be a number of reasons for high turn over, including high numbers of interns, and staffers going on to better jobs.

http://www.startribune.com/eight-things-to-know-about-amy-klobuchar/505579901/

Her tenure has been largely scandal-free: However, Politico reported that her office had the highest turnover rate among senators between 2001 and 2016, according to data from Legistorm, which tracks congressional staff salaries. During her first Senate campaign in 2006, the union local representing her staff in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office sent a letter to union leaders asking that she be denied the endorsement of its parent group, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), citing low morale in her office and “a hostile work environment,” the Star Tribune reported. The next day, the statewide AFSCME organization endorsed Klobuchar for Senate.

[dflprincess]

1. It wasn't an issue of likeability

The issue was how she treated her staff. That the state union ignored the local doesn't mean the local didn't have valid concerns.

[pnwmom]

3. That a few former staffers were complaining doesn't mean that most of them would have.

Though we know from a mountain of research that strong female leaders are more likely to be resented by their employees than males, so it isn't surprising that another woman is at the top of the list -- Barbara Jackson Lee.

Here is the Politico article with the title that unfairly slams her as a bad boss, based on a study that didn't make that claim.


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/21/worst-bosses-congress-476729

“It’s much more important, for example, if a chief of staff turns over than if a lowly staff assistant turns over,” said Jock Friedly, LegiStorm’s CEO and founder. “It’s perfectly normal for a staff assistant to turn over. And obviously it’s particularly usual for paid interns to turn over so that obviously has little impact on an office.”

SNIP

LegiStorm declines to guess whether the high turnover stems from a toxic work environment or employees simply advancing in their careers.

SNIP

“Congresswoman Granger hires the best, and when staff does decide to leave, they go to work for influential people or businesses,” said Kevin Boland, Granger’s communications director. “She appreciates the dedication and hard work of her current and former staff members.”

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), fifth on the list, also suggested his staff excelled and so moved on to other opportunities, as did a source in the office of Connecticut Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Esty, which is No. 9 in the House top 10. Former Esty communications directors Laura Maloney and Craig Frucht, for instance, are now press secretary for Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy and deputy communications director for Colorado Democratic Rep. Jared Polis’ gubernatorial campaign, respectively.

[dflprincess]

5. They weren't former staffers at the time

They asked AFSCME not to endorse. They were union members employed in the County Attorney's office. I heard about this in 2006 from an AFSCME member and active DFLer who worked for the county in another department.

[pnwmom]

7. So what? There is no indication that they represent more than a handful of disgruntled employees. nt

[druidity33]

21. Really?

If the local asked not to endorse, chances are they voted on it. That's a majority of the people who worked in HER DISTRICT and quite likely her office. I'm a Union member and if my brothers and sisters told me she was a bad employer... i would believe them. Seems like she's a good legislator though.

[Demsrule86]

22. I do not credit anonymous leaks. This is another hit job on one of ours...will we allow the

GOP to destroy our best candidates or elected officials with their moralistic bullshit? Meanwhile they are racist, sexist, want to kill social security, steal elections, and are often pedophiles it seems, but some how they get to enforce a moralistic code against Democrats...we are fools if we allow this. Democrats must be 'pure' according to the most corrupt party in our history and some on our side help enfoce this by calling for resignation based on accusation, old photos or other sometimes foolish reasons. It needs to stop. Winning many elections and stopping the GOP assault against this country and average Americans will be the greatest act of morality any party has ever accomplished.

[Iggo]

2. So they only told the part of the story that tended to make her look bad?

That sounds like the very definition of a hit piece.

[BadgerMom]

13. Politico is no friend to Democrats.

I learned to avoid them or to expect partisanship for Republicans almost from the site’s inception.

[dalton99a]

4. 'Tis the Season for Dirty Tricks and Ratfucking

Beware

[Demsrule86]

24. Lets not fall for it...last time they divided us and elected Trump. We will pay for this for a

generation...much of our agenda once we win may be tossed out by a conservative court. Time to fight back...go on the attack.

[2naSalit]

27. The troll army marches onward.

In all forms, shapes and sizes. Never forget as we go forward to recover our country form would be tyrants.

[ripcord]

6. The union local was worried about endorsing someone who had created a hostile work environment

I'm sorry if this upsets people but this is a big deal, at least to this teamster.

https://www.scribd.com/document/399214761/AFSCME-Letter-on-Amy-Klobuchar-2006#from_embed?campaign=SkimbitLtd&ad_group=38395X1559799X960093ee4097edcaa3b99f246f252c20&keyword=660149026&source=hp_affiliate&medium=affiliate

[Awsi Dooger]

12. How much is it worth toward presidential viability?

That's the question. I would say not a heck of a lot. I'm interested in calm and collected and sharp in public, which Klobuchar has aced so far.

Regardless, this is not something that will linger. Klobuchar benefits from it surfacing now. She'll have multiple opportunities to address it in the few week or so after her entry into the race.

Hillary's emails lingered because it was considered an error in judgment on a past factual matter. It was finished. There was no fix. This has no relationship to that type of thing. Nobody forms an impression on someone based on what they are told happens behind the scenes or at the office. Public figures are judged based on how they come across in public. Trump, for example, actually sounds like less of a jerk than I would have expected in some private tapes, like the Cohen tapes.

We'll see what she says. Seems easy to me. Something along the lines of...we have a very talented staff, with high standards and high expectations in a role I am privileged to serve for the people of Minnesota and the people of this country, and yes when those high standards are not met I can become quite frustrated and sometimes angry, especially in the morning.

Smiling all the way.

I could handle a topic like this fine but I suspect Amy Klobuchar will come up with something superior. She's also got her daughter out there willing to make videos and appearances in capable fashion. Probably some related quips about Amy getting mad at home. I always like to project situational landscape in advance.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. If the same accusations had been made about a female GOP politician

would we be calling for her head and talking about what an awful person she must be, or would we be dismissing the claims as merely evidence of sexism and political ratf*cking? Do we give that benefit of the doubt only to "our" people? It's possible for a woman (of any political persuasion) to be a for-real bad boss, someone who's abusive and nasty to staff and not just critical and demanding in a way that would be tolerated in a male boss.

Whether Klobuchar is actually a bad boss or just the victim of unfair, sexist criticism by a few disgruntled employees remains to be seen, but the claims can't be ignored. If she's actually so hard to work for that she can't hire or retain good staff it will be difficult for her to campaign effectively, let alone be an effective president. I hope she can get out in front of this quickly and doesn't let it become a damaging issue, because otherwise the GOP will use it and try to make it look even worse.

[pnwmom]

9. Her attrition rate was .36 over 6 years compared to Barbara Jackson Lee's of .62.

It doesn't sound that bad to me, having worked at a job where the attrition rate was 75% in 2 years.

My Senator's attrition is just below Klobuchar's, and she and her team are doing a good job for the state.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Be that as it may, claims have been made and they're not likely to go away.

Klobuchar is popular in MN and I guess she's an OK senator, although because she has tended to avoid taking positions on controversial issues if she can avoid it she would not be my first choice for a presidential candidate. Working on a presidential campaign is much more stressful and intense than working for a prosecutor's office or for a senator, so it's fair to ask whether she's likely to have staff retention problems while campaigning.

[pnwmom]

11. There will ALWAYS be some people complaining that a strong woman leader isn't nice enough.

Behavior that would be considered normal leadership behavior in a man is considered not nice enough for a woman, who are supposed to be extra nice. And to smile -- whenever a man wants them to.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/10/23/not-very-likeable-here-is-how-bias-is-affecting-women-leaders/#1de7f3a0295f

Studies have shown that unconscious bias is rife in the workplace. Gender stereotypes, in particular, are everywhere. It is in the language that we use, and it is the way we perceive women in the workplace.

Female leaders, in particular, can be affected by a double-bind bias or the problem of a mismatch between what is expected of a leader, and what is expected from a woman. . . . Women, for instance, are traditionally expected to be caring, warm, deferential, emotional, sensitive, and so on, and men are expected to be assertive, rational, competent and objective. So, when it comes to promotion, these traits are sometimes automatically prescribed to people as per their gender without detailed information about their personalities, thereby a man, in general, is assumed to be a better fit as a leader.

The other side of this is prescriptive bias is when a woman does not fit the role that is traditionally assigned to her and attempts to claim a traditionally male position is seen as breaking the norm. So, when a woman is decisive, she might be perceived as "brusque" and "abrupt". Therefore, for the same kind of leadership behavior, women might be penalized while a man is commended.

This is the problem of "likability", where women who are not assertive and fit the gender stereotype of a woman as being gentle and caring are liked more but not considered as leadership material. On the other hand, women who display traditional "masculine" qualities such as assertiveness, forcefulness, and ambition are labeled as "bitchy", unfeminine and aggressive, and hence generally disliked. In both cases, women are then less likely to be promoted than a man. Men do not face the same problem, because what is considered "bossy" in a woman are considered leadership qualities in a man.

SNIP

[Iggo]

25. This isn't out there for the GOP to use.

This is out there for other Dems to use.

And they're using it.

[Hortensis]

14. 2020 battle is on. This doesn't sound like Klobuchar's

best side, certainly. It's obviously both reality-based and a pumped up hit focusing on behaviors that are usually characterized as tough, demanding, and setting high standards in men but seen as egregious in women. Guilty of snapping at staff while female.

The timing of that letter to the union strongly suggests it did arise from resentment in some County Attorney office civil service staff at being denied a salary increase, which Klobuchar reportedly fought FOR. But she obviously provided ammunition to be used against her.

A story is going around that Harry Reid rebuked her in 2015 for staff treatment, but, "A spokesperson for Reid told HuffPost that Reid does not remember whether they had such a discussion."

Fwiw, I don't like or respect this tempery side of her, of course, but if I admired her genuine history and achievements in office despite it and wanted more -- and if she did not have the kind of kick-down attitude I find unacceptable in anyone -- it would not affect my vote.

HuffPost: She and her staff maintained that the letter was backlash over the salary negotiations, according to a 2006 Star Tribune article. A county board official said at the time that Klobuchar had fought vigorously for the increase, and Paul Scoggin, a managing attorney in her office, praised her as a “terrific leader.” He called the letter “mean-spirited and angry.” ...

A former aide to ex-Sen. Al Franken recalled an encounter at a Veterans Day event to which Klobuchar was running late. A young Klobuchar staffer was sent to explain the senator’s lateness to the Franken staffer. “I’m supposed to tell you,” she said, with a look of terror on her face, “Senator Klobuchar is late today because I am bad at my job.”

[pnwmom]

15. Harry Reid has not confirmed that story. n/t

[jcgoldie]

16. Neither has ANYONE that I have seen put their name to any of this

Why is that?

[Hortensis]

17. Thanks, Pnw. I edited out the headline I'd posted

and added this that I found, "A spokesperson for Reid told HuffPost that Reid does not remember whether they had such a discussion."

Thanks again. HuffPost made Reid etc. the HEADLINE, and I just assumed it was verified. I tend not to read HuffPost when other stuff is available, and this is a reminder why.

[pnwmom]

18. It feels like someone is trying to take Klobuchar down, doesn't it? And I don't know

who is the best candidate, but I'm really suspicious of criticism that, once again, boils down to likability.

[Hortensis]

19. Oh, definitely. Means conservatives regard her as a serious candidate.

Expect attacks claiming she can't be trusted also, of course, since women in general are seen as more trustworthy and they can't have that.

They're very skilled at it, probably have various templates ready for tweaking and plugging in candidate names. Tip-tap, and send -- out to every medium in the nation, and beyond.

[Demsrule86]

23. Yes it does...and Elizabeth Warren is being attacked too...Also I would bet that there will

be attacks against Kamala Harris...already starting.

[betsuni]

20. K&R

[riverwalker]

26. I guess I don't what the issue is

If she were a man, being a demanding boss would be a positive. I’m not looking for a mother or a best friend. The question should be “can she get the job done”?