The Company You Keep (Hillary & Mark Penn)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/the-company-you-keep,359871.shtml

Thousands of Workers Demand No Union Busters


WASHINGTON, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- With Pennsylvania workers set to cast their votes in the presidential primary election tomorrow, thousands of workers signed a letter sent to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign today renewing its call for her to sever all ties with her campaign strategist Mark Penn. Penn's firm has a long and dishonorable record of working as union busters with corporations such as Cintas, a company notorious for suppressing workers rights. Workers are demanding that anti-worker and union busting consultants have no place at the table in any campaign seeking the support of America's workers.

"Americans are tired of the politics of the past. Gold-plated consultants working both sides of the street poison our democratic process," said Change to Win executive director Greg Tarpinian. "While the key strategist of Sen. Clinton's campaign is advising her on winning the votes of working families, his firm is advising union busting corporations on how to deny workers their right to have a union. You are known by the company you keep -- and union busters have no place in the Democratic Party. Sen. Clinton must sever all ties with Mark Penn."

Last June, General President of the Teamsters James P. Hoffa and General President of UNITE HERE Bruce Raynor sent a letter to Sen. Clinton expressing concern about Penn and his firm's direct support for Cintas' campaign to undermine the right of workers to organize.

Cintas worker Evangelina Orozco says she was fired for standing up for her rights on the job. More than two years after unjustly firing her, Cintas paid Evangelina nearly $30,000 in back pay. Cintas workers charge that the company still threatens, harasses and intimidates them for trying to form a union. "Cintas has continuously tried to take away our voice and keep us from improving our working conditions," said Evangelina Orozco.

Change to Win leaders called on Sen. Clinton to remove Mark Penn from her campaign team after it was revealed that he was advising Colombian officials about promoting a job-killing trade deal with that country, an agreement she says she opposes. The open letter campaign was launched after media reports indicated that despite losing his title as "chief campaign strategist," Penn is still participating in campaign strategy calls, conducting polling and dispensing advice.

About Change to Win

Seven unions and six million workers united in Change to Win to build a new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global economy and restore the American Dream in the 21st century: a paycheck that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job. The seven partner unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, UNITE HERE, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, United Farm Workers of America, and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.

Change to Win