From the Finch campaign:
(Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Laborers’ District Council announced today that it has officially endorsed current Bridgeport, CT Mayor Bill Finch for re-election in November 2011.
“During Bill Finch’s tenure so far as mayor, he has led the program to open five new public schools. Overall, Bill understands what the challenges are as mayor of Connecticut’s largest city and has made significant progress in creating new economic development opportunities by revitalizing downtown areas with new business and residential complexes,” explained Charles LeConche, business manager, Connecticut Laborers’ proudly endorse Mayor Bill Finch for his re-election this fall 2011. After all, he’s proven already that he’s a true leader and friend to all hard-working families in Connecticut.”
The Connecticut Laborers’ District Council represents approximately 7,500 members employed in the construction industry, public sector and other building and trade fields throughout the state. The Laborers’ International Union of North America, founded in 1903 largely by immigrant workers, includes more than 800,000 members who work in construction and hazardous materials remediation, as well as in healthcare, the U.S. Postal Service and other public service sectors of the economy. For more information, call 860.296.8697 or visit www.ctlpl.com.
What freaking planet is Charles LeConche, business manager, Connecticut Laborers’ from?
The 5 schools this guy is talking about were all started under Fabrizi and not Finch. The development downtown all came under Fabrizi.
Finch has not developed squat while mayor, in fact he has done more harm than good.
A suggestion for Mr. Charles LeConche, concentrate on getting your members back to work and stay the hell out of politics you know nothing about. Easy to talk while you collect a weekly paycheck and your membership is not working.
Don’t worry. Charles LeConche has a knack for picking the losers. He gave a ton of money to Lamont and you see what happened there.
When these unions endorse a candidate, it is their executive boards who make the decision–in this case, up in Hartford. The actual voting members who live in Bridgeport are supporting MARY-JANE FOSTER. No doubt about it.
Mr. LeConche has his head up his ass (or Finch’s ass). town committee is right, Finch did nothing for this union, those school projects were all started under Fabrizi. Fabrizi took advice from Charlie Carroll’s brother and signed project labor agreements (PLA’s) so all the school projects would be union jobs. Finch is once again taking credit for something he had nothing to do with. LeConche needs to do his homework. He looks like an ass.
I wonder how the Laborers’ (LIUNA) Bridgeport employees feel about this endorsement? Why didn’t LeConche get a no-layoff agreement like AFSCME? Anna Montalvo made a deal with the devil (Finch) but at least she got something in return for her members.
The Bridgeport LIUNA members are not pleased with the Finch endorsement. They are thinking they should find another union.
The Bridgeport LIUNA members are pissed. Doesn’t matter what LeConche says. The people who vote here will be voting for Mary-Jane. Charles can kiss my voting ass.
The LIUNA members have been pissed for a long time now … furlough days, promised raises that never come through, bullying … enough already. Bridgeport is the joke of Connecticut. Bridgeport residents need to stand up and TAKE THEIR CITY BACK! We are being ROBBED BLIND!
Tell Charles LeConche to kiss our collective asses and VOTE MARY-JANE FOSTER.
Charlie, what a loser. Only thing he is interested in is seeing his name in the limelight. There is not an award he has gotten he didn’t buy with a donation. Also as stated earlier the PLA (project labor agreement) was signed by the Fabulous One when he needed LIUNA’s support and all the schools have been in the pipeline since Fab. Awarded to Union-signed construction managers such as O and G, Fusco Corp and Bismark, with their donations and political help from somebody’s brother-in-law who was asked to put a word in for Fusco who wanted the BIG SCHOOL 5 to 6 years ago. All this money for these endorsements come from the Union contractors who pay the men’s wages and also pay the men’s Political Action Contributions which I once refused to pay and was told by my employer, Charlie said pay or deal with me. I also know Charlie is a Democrat in public but a Republican behind the curtains. Big mouth Joey Ambrosini thinks he is the cat’s meow but he carries Charlie’s ball sack. So good thing they are supporting the DoDo bird who is soon to be extinct.
Unions stink.
LeConche and his business agent Ambrosini (who lives in Trumbull) are wannabe wise guys. They take their union member dues to pay for new cars (how’s that new Cadillac, Joey?) expense accounts, expensive suits, trips, etc. Sounds a lot like Finch’s PAC fund. They are both out of touch with what is going on down here or they would have known they should be thanking Fabrizi, not Finch. Finch is a union buster. Shaking down unions for givebacks and then giving his cronies raises. Privatizing city services. Laying off union members and then hiring temps and part-timers. Creating no-show, do-nothing jobs for political cronies. This is not a union-friendly mayor. This is a SCAB. Ambrosini is a fool but LeConche should have known better. Maybe he is Republican.
I am writing this post from the perspective of a former liuna member. My opinion is not sanctioned by nor does it reflect that of the LIUNA executive board (although it might for some members). I am writing as a former LIUNA member who has witnessed firsthand the damage the Finch administration has had on my former beloved union local.
* Mayor Finch began his administration by privatizing the school-based health centers, a program that served as a national model. This caused the lay-off of many employees including LIUNA members, LIUNA president and LIUNA steward. The total mismanagement of the “transition” caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funds that were sent back to the funder. A huge loss to the city.
* The takeover of the grants office by Tom Sherwood has caused the loss of significant grant dollars and more LIUNA member layoffs. Mr. Sherwood is from Fairfield and he does not believe in social service programs (for the grace of God, he never had to rely on one). Andy Nunn who is from Monroe also sees no need as he does not care about the people of our city, only his inflated paycheck.
* Even though LIUNA had a signed contract in place, Mayor Finch broke that contract by demanding union concessions with the threat of layoffs if the union did not comply. Fearing the loss of more members’ jobs, LIUNA complied.
* Then Mayor Finch broke another agreement by AGAIN demanding even more concessions a SECOND TIME. This time he sent out layoff notices to LIUNA officers and stewards in an attempt to break the backs of the union leadership. Only because the LIUNA members are true brothers and sisters, they again agreed to more concessions, thereby once again saving the jobs of their fellow union members.
* LIUNA was one of the first unions to make major concessions in health benefits. Some members are now paying well over $100/week for family coverage. They did this and got nothing in return. When LIUNA leadership asked for job security in exchange for the concessions, they were told “no union was getting a no-layoff agreement.” Then lo and behold, AFSCME got a two-year no-layoff agreement and their concessions were not nearly as significant as LIUNA’s.
* LIUNA members hear at every membership meeting their officers are unable to settle grievances. That many members, including union officers, are being brought up on bogus charges and being unfairly disciplined. Others are being denied fair compensation for additional work they have taken on. Under the Finch administration, if you are not politically connected, you get nothing.
* Mayor Finch brags about reducing the City’s workforce yet he continues to hire his political friends. You know who they are. Look around you … they are in your department … doing less than you yet earning more than you. Is that fair?
* Under Finch administration appointees like Alanna Kabel, Mike Feeney, Dawn Norton, Andy Nunn, Adam Wood, Lawrence Osborne, LIUNA members fear for their jobs. They are discouraged from speaking out, from making suggestions, from pointing out problems in their departments. The few who have dared speak out have been disciplined as an example for others to shut up, tow the line.
Brothers and Sisters, Mayor Finch is a union buster. The only way to end this tyranny is to vote the Finch administration out of office. Charles LeConche’s endorsement does not reflect our views. He is only concerned with the school construction jobs and has no clue what the City employees are enduring. YOU HAVE A VOICE. YOU HAVE A VOTE. The only way to improve your working conditions is to rid the city of the Finch Administration. Just think what it would be like without Adam, Andy, Dawn … just think what it would be like to come to work and be able to do your job without constant threats hanging over your heads. We can do this. Please tell your friends and families we need a fresh start. VOTE MARY-JANE FOSTER ON SEPTEMBER 27TH.
I will be sending this post to Charles LeConche and those in the International Union Office as our voices must be heard.
Sincerely,
Former LIUNA Member
I still can’t figure out LeConche’s endorsement. When Mary-Jane Foster built the Bluefish stadium, it was done with all union contractors. For years the unions including Laborers’ Local 665 (Ambrosini’s local) proudly displayed their banners at the stadium. They may still be there. Mary-Jane pledged to sponsor a “BUY LOCAL” campaign which means no out-of-state contractors, something the Laborers’ union should appreciate. Mary-Jane is against putting an anti-union store like Walmart at Steelpointe.
Finch on the other hand is trying to bust all the city unions including Ambrosini’s sister local. He took credit for the school PLAs when that credit should have gone to John Fabrizi. Lastly he is trying to bring a Walmart to Steepointe, an idea that is anti-labor, will put all of the neighborhood stores out of business and will destroy the chances of putting anything high end at that site.
LeConche should do his research before using his union members’ money to endorse an anti-union candidate.
Unions should not be allowed to endorse candidates unless there is a vote of the rank and file. A select group of people sitting in Hartford, DC or wherever should not be getting involved in local elections because they are not familiar with the issues. This is a perfect example of a union’s executive board endorsing an anti-labor candidate and using the members’ money to do so.
Bullshit to giving credit to Fabrizi. The State covered 80% of the cost. Why not give Jodi Rell 80% of the credit?
Charles LeConche is a pimp, only in the game for self-interest, the sort of man who gives organized labor a bad name.