Cardin, Brown, Young Democrats to Honor Labor Boycott/Picket Of Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee Spring Ball

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Senator Ben Cardin (D, MD), Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and the Montgomery County Young Democrats are among those who have announced that they’re honoring a boycott of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee’s May 11 Spring Ball. The metro Washington-area labor movement is boycotting – and picketing -- the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee’s Spring Ball because the Committee took a position in favor of the 2012 Question B referendum, which took away the police union’s right to bargain the effects of management decisions. “The Committee took this position despite being asked to remain neutral on the referendum, which has been the traditional practice in disputed matters between the party and government,” said Metro Council President Jos Williams. “Organized labor and the Democratic party have a long history of working together to protect and advance the interests of working families,” Williams said. “While we value that relationship highly, our higher principle is that of solidarity: ‘An injury to one is an injury to all’. When the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee decided to support Question B, it not only took sides, it took a position in opposition to organized labor and for that it must pay a price, which in this case is a withdrawal of our – and our friends and allies -- traditional support for the MCDCC Spring Ball, and the establishment of a picket line to publically express our disappointment with the MCDCC.” Added UFCW 1994 MCGEO president Gino Renne, “Labor will not tolerate being treated as an ATM and foot soldiers for a party which is often indifferent -- and sometimes openly hostile -- to working families in Montgomery county.”
- photo: UFCW 1994 member June Fitzmeyer urges voters to “Support our police officers, vote against Question B” at the polls in 2012; photo by Chris Garlock