Election has labor thinking big in ’07

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007

ANNAPOLIS — Organized labor, which already deploys a high-powered lobbying outfit in the state capital, will gain more legislative muscle with the installation of at least a half-dozen new lawmakers who have direct ties to the labor movement.

That, along with their promotion of Gov.-elect Martin O’Malley (D), has union activists thinking big and anticipating a fruitful 2007.

‘‘The way that labor showed up in this election says that we should have even more support in this administration,” said Quincey Gamble, political director for 1199 SEIU, which represents about 10,000 health care workers in Maryland and Washington. ‘‘... We don’t work hard just to get these folks elected. We want results.”

Expect several labor-focused issues to surface during the 90-day session that begins Jan. 10.

One is a fair share health care bill that can pass constitutional muster. A federal judge in July struck down the so-called Wal-Mart bill, aka the Fair Share bill, passed at the beginning of 2006 over Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.’s veto. The law would have required large employers in Maryland (Wal-Mart was the only company the law would have applied to) to spend at least 8 percent of its payroll on employee health care or contribute the difference to a state health fund.

Several wage initiatives also could come to the fore, including another minimum wage hike. The Democrat-controlled General Assembly last year overturned Ehrlich’s veto of a 2005 bill that boosted the minimum wage to $6.15 per hour.

‘‘We want more people to be contributors to the tax base and not burdens on the tax base so that people can buy homes and support the businesses,” said Del.-elect Cheryl Glenn (D-Dist. 45) of Baltimore, who works full time as political director for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters. ‘‘... You can’t do that if you’re working on minimum wage salaries.”

Six freshman delegates, including two each from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, were either raised in union households or work for labor organizations. They will join a handful of veteran legislators with close ties to the labor movement: Del. Veronica L. Turner (D-Dist. 26) of Camp Springs is a longtime SEIU lobbyist. Del. Brian K. McHale (D-Dist. 46) of Baltimore is a member of the International Longshoreman’s Association. Dels. Robert A. Costa (R-Dist. 33B) of Shady Side and James E. Malone Jr. (D-Dist. 12A) of Arbutus both belong to their respective local firefighters union. Numerous lawmakers have teaching backgrounds and are members of their local teachers association.

Among the newcomers, Dels.-elect Tom Hucker and Heather Mizeur both have labor roots. Hucker (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring is executive director of Progressive Maryland, a social advocacy group — he will take an extended leave of absence during the legislative session to avoid any conflicts of interest — and Mizeur (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park grew up on the picket line in Illinois. In Prince George’s County, Del.-elect Gerron Levi (D-Dist. 23A) of Bowie is a lobbyist for the national AFL-CIO and Del.-elect Kris Valderrama (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington is a publicist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Del.-elect Todd L. Schuler (D-Dist. 8) of Overlea comes with credentials from his father, who lobbies for the plumbers and steamfitters union in Baltimore County.

Combined, the labor legislators could have enough sway to shape policy discussions.

‘‘Putting more people in the [General] Assembly that have a labor background only helps to strengthen the causes that we’re going to fight for,” Gamble said.

Mizeur’s upbringing in a labor family shaped her political views, but that doesn’t mean she will be a rubber stamp for unions.

‘‘I balance all the perspectives that I bring to the table,” Mizeur said, pointing to endorsements she received from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Washington Board of Trade. ‘‘I think there are places where labor and business can come to an agreement on things, and I’m looking forward to forging some of those relationships.”

But Mizeur, whose father was a welder for 32 years, said she can personally relate to growing up on strike pay and the struggles of middle-class families.

It’s that kind of personal connection that has labor activists optimistic heading into 2007.

‘‘The AFL-CIO and AFSCME have made it a priority to seek out and encourage labor candidates to run for office,” said Sue Esty, interim executive director for AFSCME Council 92, which represents about 35,000 state employees. ‘‘We certainly do have higher expectations for labor lawmakers than we do others.”

Union rivals hope the labor movement’s extra representation does not hurt the state’s business climate. The loss of business-friendly Democrats is of even greater concern to Robert O.C. ‘‘Rocky” Worcester, president of Maryland Business for Responsive Government.

In 1994, 84 Democrats rated 70 percent or higher in MBRG’s annual legislative scorecard, he said. This year, there were only three.