Mass. AFL-CIO Is Primary Opponent of Marriage Amendment

Does Not Want Union Members to Know They're Doing It

MassNews Staff
July 9, 2002

The Mass. AFL-CIO is leading the fight against the Protection of Marriage Amendment, according to many Reps and Senators on Beacon Hill, says Mass. Citizens for Marriage.

They report that union lobbyists are putting extreme pressure on the legislators to break the law and violate the Mass. Constitution - as Senate Pres. Tom Birmingham has contemplated -- by not allowing the voters to decide the measure at the ballot in the election of 2004. The union is doing this even though the petition drive for signatures in favor of the Amendment went way over the top last fall.

"They are really working us over in an attempt to defeat the measure," said one Rep, who wishes to remain anonymous. Many political observers wonder why the union is even interested in the Marriage Amendment, much less making it such an important issue.

The labor group obviously does not want its members to know it is opposing the measure because the leaders know that the members support it, says MCM. Although the union website is full of information about many activities of the union, it does not mention anywhere that it is opposing the Amendment.

The union "overwhelmingly" endorsed Sen. Birmingham for Governor on June 20. They have undoubtedly pressured him the same as the other legislators.

It was known that union activists were working closely with the blockers last fall who violated the rights of voters. The blockers were trained at the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union Hall, 58 Berkley St., in the South End of Boston.

The AFL-CIO claims 400,000 members in the Bay State, including 20,000 teachers. The teachers union which is affiliated with the National Education Association has 95,000 members in the state. The lobbyist for the Massachusetts Teachers Association is Arline Isaacson, who is also Chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.