By Scary Barry Rodriguez April 23, 2012
On April 18th , legions of workers and their family members united under the banner of local SEIU 1021 , rallied at the city center plaza and then engaged in an act of Civil Disobedience. This was done to draw attention to the plight of City workers who are constantly being asked to shoulder the burden for San Francisco budget deficit every year. In a rich and famous town , the Mayor and the left over puppet masters from Gavin " the Republican /Democrat in name only " Newsom , Steve Kava , Martin Gran and Micky Callahan once again conspire to deprive the workers of a fair living wage and affordable health care .
In the last two years the budget deficit was projected anywhere from a whopping 800 million to where it is now at 150 million. How can anyone lend creditability to the City government that cites such unreliable information. Our British cousins would say the Mayor is using very " dodgy " accounting. Thats Brit speak for questionable ! Folks the year is 2012 not 2008 and we are all tired of giving back to the City now that the economy has improved.
Unfortunately the mostly conservatively controlled Corporate media has not seen fit to cover the un- stealth like moves of the business community to try and convert San Francisco into a anti-Labor Wisconsin type city. This is why 23 members of local SEIU 1021 sat down on Market street and blocked vehicular traffic , resulting in arrests. For worker's voices to be heard in the supposedly progressive city of San Francisco one has to be arrested ! Kudos to the media outlets such as KTVU that always cover all the news.
Scary Barry Rodriguez , beard and all was one of the persons who stood up for the workers and was arrested ! Much credit is due to the San Francisco Police department for their professional handling of the affair. They are not our enemies , they are workers too ! I can't say as much for the current City administration. Besides losing the San Francisco 49ers to the City of Santa Clara , former Mayor Gavin Newsom has to be credited with much of the toxic Labor situation we have now in San Francisco. Mayor Ed Lee has an opportunity to distance himself from Newsom's negative legacy but will he step up to the plate ?
The working people of San Francisco have a chance to turns things around if they unite now ! The big corporations , who are not paying their fair share of taxes in the City are already united ! Folks it is quite true there is power in numbers and we the people have the numbers ! So don't quit ! Scary Barry hasn't reached his advanced age by being a quiter ! That is the message !
Disclaimer : This article represents only the opinion of Scary Barry Rodriguez not the leadership of local SEIU 1021 ! I don't have to hide behind anyone. Those who are familiar with the Scary one know that I am not shy and retiring about what I feel ! Stand up ! Fight Back !
