Carpetbagger Exploits KC Labor Goodwill

     Like most of you I learned about our universe in elementary school science class, but even with modern day technological advances in communications and transportation meant to close the gaps of space and time - 240 miles now seems a universe away. If this weeks St Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune left you stunned, you’re not the only one. We all admire Ed Finkelstein and his lifelong devotion to telling our story through his proud paper, but the editorial blurb preceding the reprint from the Kansas City Labor Beacon seemed to be suffering from amnesia. It was barely two months ago when 8 union presidents and many other union representatives from every craft convened at the Worlds Fair Pavilion in Forest Park to “draw a line in the sand” regarding the actions of Terry Nelson and UBC General President McCarron, yet Missouri’s neighboring labor leaders talk as if Paul Revere never arrived. To quote IUPAT President Jimmie Williams in a recent phone interview, “Coming soon to a theater near you!” Heads-up Kansas City, this is no time for rose-colored glasses!

     In the United States history during the Reconstruction Era, outsiders who moved into a territory for opportunistic and exploitative purposes were called “carpetbaggers”. Opportunism is exactly what Terry Nelson was afforded by Kevin B. O’Neill in the KC Labor Beacon. Perhaps the most absurd statement made by Mr. O’Neill was, “For me, anyone who is transparent is usually honest. And one thing I will say about Nelson is this man is transparent.”  Click on the JURISDICTION tab of this website and read the article and perhaps Mr. O’Neill will rethink his self-perpetuated theories about honesty. Nelson was quoted in the Illinois Business Journal saying the exact same thing he told Mr. O’Neill. If fear is what is driving Labor’s reaction to the KC merger then Labor’s troubles are much larger than they appear. No one knows if the former KC District Council continues to contribute the hundreds of thousands of dollars of per-capita subscription fees to the KC Labor Beacon, something stopped by Terry Nelson in St Louis. Could the lure of reinstating these per-capita fees in St Louis and the possible loss of these contributions in KC have caused these two journalists to obfuscate our reality?  Mr. Oneill's closing statements "drew a line in the sand," separating Kansas City and St Louis and once again offered up the "ego" argument, a ridiculous fairy tale built on scuttlebutt and propagated by uninformed union members not yet touched by the UBC scourge. Terry Nelson didn't call for rain yesterday, but it sure rained in St Louis. We know the facts and we are devastated by the misrepresentation promoted in both these papers. To react to this article in the spirit of Terry Nelson would mean withdrawing our per-capita subscription contributions, yet solidarity is in our blood, not just on our lips.

     The fact is that Terry Nelson has started another electrical union in St Louis that undercuts St Louis area wage standards of the IBEW. Terry Nelsons group of non-AFL-CIO and non-BCT contractors signed a sweetheart contract (drafted by Nelson) which does not specify limits on territory and his newly created AEC continues to seek members. In a phone interview documented for the St Louis Powercast a St. Louis IBEW member spoke at length with UBC General President McCarron. During this conversation General President McCarron said he believed Terry Nelson went too far. He admitted that when Terry Nelson approached him with his request for a new union charter he promised General President McCarron that  (paraphrasing), "he would only organize one contractor to scare IBEW Local 1!" Still think Nelson is transparent? He will lie to his own General President! Now, understand that these statements were made by a General President who has isolated himself from every other union craft (bar one) and has a reputation for lies and deception nationwide. Local 57 Facts also has copies of letters from St Louis AGC member contractors to UBC General President McCarron praising Nelson's new electrical union. These letters were sent after Nelson pleaded with his signatory contractors to respond on his behalf to St Louis Building Trades leader Jerry Feldhaus' letter to National Building and Construction Trades President Mark Ayers . For Nelson to respond so strongly to this letter left us wondering if he was drawing heat (from McCarron) for crossing his promised boundaries. Given the anti-IBEW nature of these letters from the AGC we feel Mr. O'Neills choice of character references was short-sighted, perhaps due to his profoundly obvious lack of understanding of the struggles in St Louis or the actions of the UBC nationwide. Mr. Oneill also claims to be a long-suffering witness to labors self-destruction whilst buying a case of Terry Nelson's own brand of snake-oil. Remove the UBC from labor and what do you have? IBEW President Ed Hill said it best, “We will not stop until we drive these imposter's from our midst!” This is about solidarity – not geography! Sometimes doing what's right is difficult, but the choice is always there. If you are buying the Nelson rhetoric then we say, "Caveat emptor!"