The Service Employees International Union has long boasted that it is on the cutting edge of the labor movement. But it found itself badly embarrassed this week when it was linked by name to Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich’s maneuvering to secure some financial gain from picking the next Senator from Illinois.Blago was looking for a $250,000 to $300,000 a year job with the union's federation, and in return he would appoint Barack's pal Valerie Jarrett.
Greg Denier, Change to Win’s spokesman, said the federation “had no involvement, no discussion, no contact” with Mr. Blagojevich or his staff. “The idea of a position at Change to Win was totally an invention of the governor, and his stance has no basis in reality,” Mr. Denier said.Really?
Really?Mr. Stern was embarrassed early this year when Tyrone Freeman, an official he appointed to run a large, home-care workers’ local in Los Angeles, was suspended and later banned for misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds. Mr. Freeman was found to have improperly directed union funds to his wedding, his wife’s company, even to membership in a private cigar club.
Mr. Stern has named a panel of experts to develop a tougher ethical code for the union.
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