Union Boss: Bloomberg "Sure Sounded Like He Was Thinking About" Running
Those are the words of Joseph Hansen, the international president of the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, who spoke with the Forward at a dinner put on by the Jewish Labor Committee in NYC last night.
According to Hansen, Bloomberg met with top union leaders, including the Teamsters’ general president, James P. Hoffa, in Miami, Florida in December 2006.
“He sure sounded like he was thinking about it,” Hansen told the Forward. But “he didn’t say he was going to run.” “He’s a credible candidate, but I think it is very unlikely that he gets a union endorsement at this point–he’s an interesting guy.”
(For more on Bloomberg’s long push to a possible run, see this.)
And what is Hansen’s view on Hillary Clinton, who has taken some flak lately over the supposed union-busting activities of her top adviser, Mark Penn?
Positive: “Hillary’s been out there working on all our issues.”
Hansen said that an endorsement from his union would not come at least until September, when the executive board has a meeting, but that he would not be surprised if there is a split endorsement, given deep divisions among both union members and leaders.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO