AFL-CIO's Wowkanech on the Democrats' Tense Week

by: Rosi Efthim

Fri May 13, 2011 at 01:17:00 PM EDT

AFL-CIO NJ President Charlie Wowkanech took the stage to talk about the labor dispute at the Trop, and the flurry of calls between labor and Wisniewski and talks were disintegrating.

There's some irony that this breakfast was so union-focused. Steve Sweeney is the event's first-listed sponsor but Sweeney - who carries the title of General Organizer, International Association of Ironworkers - wasn't here. I don't know why or have any theories why. Sweeney is of course at the top of a short list of Democrats many union members resent. The subject of unflattering protest signs at the huge Trenton rally of union firefighters and cops in March. The recipient of a large inflatable rat outside his office 2 years ago, a pointed gesture of disrespect. But that isn't much of a discussion here; these conferences take on a rah-rah attitude of Democratic unity, win in November, and let's argue the details later.

Either way, NJDSC's decision, chaotic as it is to move hundreds of people to a conference across town, was the right one. AFL-CIO's Charlie Wowkanech on labor's tense week, and the NJDSC's: