The Democrats’ Big Conundrum

To say that the Democratic Party is a strong partner with the labor unions would be quite an understatement.  It is more like the labor unions “own” the Democratic Party.  That is more so today than it has ever been.  Labor unions have put over $200 million into the last national campaign and they are up against the wall in terms of membership, pension fund stability and potential growth.  Times are bad for them and they have doubled down with the Democratic Party in hopes of changing things around.  Thus, the Obama Administration is coming out with a large “menu” of wish list items representing union positions.  Many of them are very strange.  The strangest is trying to establish Project Labor Agreements (union only work sites) with federal money.  The Employee Free Choice Act (card check) is another crazy idea.  But here they are acting stupid on behalf of “boss”, labor unions.

The worst part of the “Ball and Chain” around the Democratic Party leg are the construction unions who hide behind the reputation of other unions.  Construction unions did not get the memo about the Civil Rights Movement.  They have remained quite segregated or discriminatory as they did before the Civil Rights Act.  Through their contributions and hiding behind the reputation of other unions they continue their vile ways with the strange support of elected officials, especially too many Black elected officials.  Bring up an issue against construction unions and sooner than you can say “you punk” Black officials will get nervous, hide or even try to defend the discriminatory practices of construction unions.

Construction unions are one of the main reasons Black unemployment levels exceed all other ethnicities.  They won’t hire us and other politicians support their involvement in our communities.  You can sleep with the “Devil” but that doesn’t make the Devil a better person.  If we are going to become a better nation then we must end the discrimination that goes on within the trades of construction unions.  The Democratic Party has a lot to lose if they continue this irony.  Today, we do business and transfer information at the speed of thought.  No more will smoke and mirrors and opinion molding be as effective as they were in the good old days.  My mentor, Arthur A. Fletcher, termed it a “Silent Sell Out”.  I prefer to now to call it a “Screaming Sell Out”. 

For us to have our first Black president choose to allow racial discrimination with federal funds just because certain groups financed his campaign and oppose equal opportunity in the hiring and contracting work place is just plain wrong.  We did not come this far to have our officials return to the days of discrimination because of a strange camaraderie or business relationship.  Our people have suffered too much and we can no longer allow discrimination for money’s sake.  It reminds me of when these same construction unions would not allow the NAACP to endorse Affirmative Action at its annual conventions until 1990 (22 years after Dr. Fletcher implemented it).  Yes, in some matters we have yet to become “unbossed and unbought”.  The time for change is now.

The change won’t be easy.  These construction union guys are real rough.  The moment a Black elected official does something for good business or more opportunity in a Black community they will be there to swat him or her down with scorn and opposition.  It was just brutal the way they went after former Senator Carolyn Mosely Braun just for supporting a balanced federal budget.  A balanced budget is healthy but you can’t hustle money as easy with it.  So they punished her for her patriotism and good policy.  Likewise, when former Congressman Al Wynn became active in good business policy they poured tons of money against him and even personally selected the opposition.  They have sent similar messages to many others who choose to leave their “reservation” and do things for the good of the people.  We must support our officials to choose to vote and act for the people not the discrimination varmint called construction unions.

It is going to be interesting suing Black elected officials for supporting construction unions that discriminate against people of color and women.  Judges and juries are going to be quite humored with irony.  However, discrimination is discrimination and it should never exceed liberty and equal opportunity no matter how much they pay elected officials to vote or act against their conscience and the people who have put so much trust in them.  Democratic Party:  Change your ways or lose your power.  Put down that “crack pipe” called construction union support and stand up for the people.  Let’s have real change we can believe in.  Thus, our unemployment statistics will start to improve and business development can become a reality in our communities.

Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc.  Website:  www.nationalbcc.org.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .