At a recent forum, candidates for the Democratic nomination for city council were asked about their support for unions. While their responses were not reported in the Daily Progress, three candidates, Blake Caravati, Bern Ewert, and Alexandria Searls, have reiterated their comments for this web site.

There is also a note below about the upcoming press conference by SUUVA-CWA and a note about the Charlottesville Professional Firefighters.

George,

As I said Wednesday night, I generally support Unions and think that they can be a good thing for both employees and employers.

To make them work however, it takes genuine team work between both organizations and a jointly supported mission. Many of the old models of unionization do not do this and in fact have been harmful to workers and their employers as well as the public.

As to the University of Virginia, I can not take a position because I know very little about the type of union being suggested nor the details of its establishment. I will look forward to learning more later this month, when the request will apparently be announced.

I hope the organizers will go to great efforts to educate the public at large, not just community leaders. This is an extremely important issue and I think deserving of a wide public discourse.

Thanks,

Blake Caravati (electronic mail, February 1, 2002).

George,

The State law is clear on collective bargaining. It is not legal in Virginia and I support the existing law.

Employees do have a Constitutional right to join organizations of their choosing, including unions, and of course I support their right to do so. My record, as stated above, is consistent on this issue from 1971 until today.

Bern Ewert (electronic mail, February 1, 2002).

George,

You bet I'm in favor of unions. Unions brought us the 40-hour work week, weekends off, equitable pay, vacations, sick leave and safe work environments. Perhaps best of all, unions empower people.

There's no point in my going on: John McCutcheon speaks about the necessity of unions much more eloquently that I can.

Best.

Waldo Jaquith (electronic mail, February 7, 2002).

George,

I am open to the idea of any union, except when it limits the number of people who may enter the profession it represents. With the steep rise in cost of health insurance at the University, unions might be particularly effective in negotiating benefits.

On the topic of the living wage, it was suggested to me that the city only put its out-of-town visitors at hotels that pay a living wage. Is there a hotel in the city that pays a living wage?

Alexandria Searls (electronic mail, February 2, 2002).