The nurses’ union asks what Meg Whitman is afraid of in not agreeing to meet union members in a conference set up and controlled by the union. The question can be turned around and the union leaders can be asked why they are afraid of their own members.
The nurses union opposed Prop 75 in 2005, the paycheck protection measure, which would allow individual union members to decide it they want to give a portion of their union dues for political purposes. Union leaders opposed that measure because they were concerned about the answer they would get from individual members.
Just as Whitman’s polls show that many members of the nurses’ union support her positions, polls at the time indicated that many public union members wanted to make a choice on whether to dedicate dues for political purposes.
California Nurses Association president Deborah Burger admitted this herself in a San Jose Mercury News opinion piece reprinted at this site. Speaking of all public union members, she wrote, "polls show that nearly two-thirds of union members oppose Proposition 75."
Do the math and you’ll see more than a one-third wanted to choose – a pretty substantial total — but the nurses’ union wanted to deny that choice. Other polls showed even higher percentages of public employee support for the idea.
The invitation to Whitman is not the first time the nurses’ association wanted to control the playing field.
Proposition 89 in 2006, a so-called "clean money" initiative, sponsored by the nurses’ union was written in such a way that even other public employee unions, including the California Teachers Association, opposed it. An editorial by Scripps News castigated the measure, noting the nurses’ union as a "special interest" was trying "neutralize its potential opponents."
The one-sided measure was defeated by nearly 75% of the vote. You can read the entire Scripps News article here.
Frankly, if I were Whitman, I would work to accept an opportunity to speak to the union members in an open forum, one not exclusively controlled by the union — a speech and Q&A covered by the media. Any inappropriate theatrics during a serious discussion like a dressed up actress or outbursts from the audience would be reported to the public at-large.
Whitman should answer questions but ask a few as well. How high do the union leaders want to raise taxes? By supporting business taxes and more regulations, how does union leadership purport to keep businesses from leaving the state and save jobs?
The speech would allow Whitman to put out her thinking on issues which many union members clearly agree and would give her an opportunity to ask why the union leaders are afraid of members expressing their individual will.