The Labor movement in Orange County has stumbled under the leadership of the OCEA’s Nick Berardino
Labor Day started with the shedding of workers’ blood. “It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike,” according to Wikipedia.
Today Labor Day marks the official end of summer, and the past abuses of union workers are a distant memory for most Americans. In fact the abuses heaped on labor for so many years have been almost completely forgotten. Here in Orange County, the County Democratic Party even named their top annual award after President Harry S. Truman – a union buster who caused a lot of grief for organized labor.
Organized labor has over the years lost a ton of jobs. Today the public sector unions dominate what is left of the union movement. That is certainly true here in Orange County. I attended the Labor Day event at the Santa Ana Zoo, this Saturday. Nick Berardino, the head of the Orange County Employees Association (OCEA) was strutting around like a peacock, but over the past few years he really hasn’t had much to celebrate.
This past June, in the primary, Berardino got royally punked when his handpicked candidate, Anaheim carpetbagger Lorri Galloway, stumbled out of the gate, as Republican Shawn Nelson easily won. Now Berardino is all in with another Anaheim carpetbagger, Harry Sidhu, who is, like Nelson, a Republican. Sidhu joined his GOP opponent for a State Senate seat, Mimi Walters, a few years ago in bashing the heck out of the same hard-wroking Mexicans who work for him in his El Pollo Loco restaurants. I have not been a fan of his ever since.
Did the attendees at the OC Labor Day event know about Leos’ positions on gun rights and the death penalty?
Berardino has ignored two great Democratic candidates for the Anaheim City Council – City Commissioner John Santoianni and businessman Bill Dalati. Instead he has been shilling non-stop for another Republican, John Leos – a guy who says he is a Republican because he favors gun rights and the death penalty.
Berardino FAILED to recruit any candidates this year to oppose Supervisors John Moorlach and Pat Bates, and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.
A few years ago Beradino got behind a truly horrible Republican, Stanton Councilman Dave Shawver, against Moorlach. I spoke to Shawver and found him to be a Minuteman-style Mexican basher. Moorlach wiped the floor with him.
Janet Nguyen won because Berardino got behind a carpetbagging adulterer instead of backing a Latina for the First District
And do you remember when Berardino recruited carpetbagger Tom Umberg to run against Janet Nguyen for the First District seat vacated by Lou Correa? Umberg’s campaign flamed out when he got caught cheating on his long-suffering wife. Berardino punked Santa Ana Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez, but in hindsight I think Alvarez would have beat Nguyen. Umberg turned out to be an epic fail.
Can anyone remember when the OCEA actually won a political race? How many millions have they wasted under Berardino? When are they going to call him on the mat for his horrible record?
Chris Prevatt
Berardino has resorted to trying to control the O.C. blogosphere in order to push his agenda. His underling, Chris Prevatt, said recently, over at his foundering Liberal OC blog, that they are not liberal, they are a labor blog, and that is why they are promoting Republican Leos for the Anaheim City Council. Prevatt is also one of several Liberal OC bloggers who are suing me in an attempt to silence the Orange Juice blog. I wonder if Berardino put him up to that too? Do they even know that I am a member of the AFT/AFL-CIO?
And Berardino founded the new Voice of OC news blog, which breaks news once in awhile but more often than not is just a more polished version of the increasingly libelous and hysterical Liberal OC.
I stopped by the June primary party in downtown Santa Ana that Berardino organized with the DPOC. They had so many cameras and news vans there, but it was all for naught. In the end they lost every race they were involved in.
So happy Labor Day. Americans have forgotten the past sacrifices of our working men and women. And here in Orange County the labor movement has been co-opted by lame hacks who promote awful Republicans instead of backing true progressives. Not much to celebrate after all…
Well it is unions’ problem that there are no jobs!…. and they are still not getting it.
I wish that any of these union fatsos could figure out a simple business balance sheet.
Lets starve them to death!!
Art —
Great post. Lots of truth being spoken here.
Gabriel,
Thank you my friend. The truth hurts but I hope the message gets through to our O.C. labor leaders…
The 1979 movie, Norma Rae, is an excellent documentary for the creation of unions. Left to their own devices corporate companies show little regard for their workers safety, conditions, and compensation. When workers receive benefits and living wages the entire country benefits as there is more money to buy goods and services.
I am constantly amazed about how little you actually know about politics and specifically the inner workings of Orange County politics. Shawver from La Habra? Keep up the good work. Oh and as an AFT AFL/CIO member you should be happy to know about YOUR union’s and Labor Federation’s endorsement of a true labor candidate, John Leos. You talk about “self-haters.” What about yourself? You are a self-hating union member. I’ve read your blog throughout the years and I have found one common thread. You can’t seem to keep from alienating anyone or any group that you have ever been aligned with. How about some consistency. Pick a political party, any party and stick to it. Pick a political ideology, any ideology, and stick to it.
realist,
That was a typo. Of course Shawver is from Stanton, home of Janet Nguyen’s husband’s Lee’s Sandwiches franchise, which has been cited for health violations more times than I can remember.
Pick a party? Why should I? The fastest growing demographic amongst California voters is Decline to State. That is where I am today. Folks know where I stand on the issues – and they know that I am far more progressive than the OCEA hacks.
I think this Leos obsession is ridiculous. The GOP hates unions. They won’t back him. And Dems won’t either. He is going to be the latest waste of the OCEA’s money, just like Galloway, Shawver, Sidhu and Umberg. So much money wasted on so many awful candidates.
As for alienating folks, it is very true that over the years I have had to shed numerous people from my life, when it became apparent that they were Mexican haters. Apparently Berardino and the OCEA have no such problem given their support for Mexican bashers like Shawver and Sidhu.
So Janet Nguyen’s hubby is behind Lee’s Sandwiches??? NOOOOO!
gabriel,
No, only the crappy location in Stanton. I recommend the Lee’s in Santa Ana. Much better record and great food!
*whew* thank god! I drive by the Stanton one every once and awhile. Will make a note not to stop there! At least the other spots are cool and my banana smoothies and korean bbq pork sandwiches are safe!
There is a bold political statement. You can be the OC Chair of the Decline to State party. Let me know how your candidates do! hahahahaha! Go ahead and speak about wasting money on November 3rd.
Realist,
My candidates? I am supporting mostly Democratic candidates in November. Indeed I cannot think of any Republicans I am going to be voting for.
I expect my candidates to do quite well actually.
I meant your “Decline to State” candidates. You know the party you picked?