Donovan Sides Against His Own Consituents

Those of us in Milwaukee are used to City Councilman Bob Donovan regularly opening his mouth, mostly for the purpose of rearranging his feet. But sometime Donovan can come out with something that is so bizarre that no one, not even his most ardent supporters, can defend it.

Thursday was one of those days.

Donovan decided to use the Palermo strike to attack Mayor Tom Barrett, his favorite target. But Donovan's statement on the strike itself shows that he doesn't have a frickin' clue what he's talking about (emphasis mine):

While I certainly support the right of any group of workers to organize, I must state that the protest action at Palermo’s Pizza plant in the Menomonee Valley is concerning to me.

I believe the call by protest leaders for a nationwide boycott of Palermo’s is the wrong way to go – it will only result in hurting the company, its workers (many who reside in my district and the very people the protest leaders are claiming they’re trying to help-!), and the city as a whole. I’m disappointed that the leaders decided to call for the boycott, but I’m also disappointed (again) in our mayor.

[...]

At a time when Palermo’s has employed many hundreds of workers – from all over the city (including many challenged neighborhoods) – the City of Milwaukee must be more supportive of Palermo’s, doing what is appropriate to help bring closure to this impasse.

Again, I bear no ill will toward the protesters and I support their right to organize. I just think this national boycott call is going way overboard, and I call on the mayor to get off his couch, live up to his claim that we are truly “open for business,” and get involved to help settle this thing.

Now, if Donovan had bothered to go a bit further than the local squawk radio channel to get his information, he'd have had the critical thinking skills necessary to know that the workers are already being hurt by Palermo's. Or he would have unless he approves of workers losing fingers because of the lack of safety equipment; workers losing their jobs because they can't work after losing their finger;, and workers standing in water while working with electronics as good working conditions.

Or maybe if Palermo's paid a sustainable wage, those challenged neighborhoods might be substantially less challenged. Then again, maybe not. Especially not when you have a councilman who cuts shady deals for himself and turns his district into a little police state.

Companies are rather used to workers wanting to be treated with respect and dignity, so it is doubtful that this would be a turnoff for one. What they don't necessarily care for are alderman who are openly hostile to minorities and children.

Donovan also might find it easier to influence people if he was not having a temper tantrum every other day as well.

But as I pointed out above, Donovan doesn't really give a damn about Palermo's or the workers. All he cares about is trying to discredit his mayor.