Religion and Union Organizing

Saturday, October 7, 2006, 10:35am

Now, here is a very, very delicate issue, on which I would welcome comments. I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable, but it was an important moment, and I think it deserves exposure and debate.

Recently, a person affiliated with unions in Massachusetts (not the SEIU) said to me, “As one Jew to another, I would hate to think that you would be publicly taking the kind of position you have been taking on this SEIU matter.” I was really stunned by this — to think that this issue would be couched as a matter of religion, rather than being addressed on the merits. My response to him was, “As one Jew to another, I would like to think that you would be ashamed of me if I did not stand up to an undemocratic approach that undercut the rights of a group of people.”

See the posting below on union activities for background on this issue, and then answer the question: What do you think? Was he out of line? Am I?