AFL-CIO PR Flack Lashes Out at Book Author

You Are Now Entering the Mallory Factor Spin Zone

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc_tv-morning_joe/#48762499

Union kingpins are getting huffy about the success of Shadowbosses, the new book by journalist, editor and academic Mallory Factor and attorney Elizabeth Factor (the two are spouses). Shadowbosses investigates how special-interest statutes and executive orders at the state and federal levels have, starting more than half-a-century ago, empowered government union officials at the expense of taxpayers, schoolchildren and parents, and other people who depend on vital public services, as well as conscientious, hard-working public employees.

Shadowbosses, which as of the evening of August 23rd is #5 on the Amazon Politics/Social Sciences bestseller list, included numerous statistics and information from National Institute for Labor Relations Research (NILRR.org). It is adding to the ranks of Americans who understand the dangers of monopolistic unionism in government and the importance of rolling it back.

Recently, Mr. Factor has appeared on a number of public affairs TV programs and granted multiple newspaper interviews in order to promote Shadowbosses. On Thursday he had an informative discussion with MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough and his panel. On Morning Joe, Mr. Factor emphasized, as he always does, that unionized workers are frequently the victims of government union abuses. For example, he pointed out that in multiple school districts Teachers of the Year have been laid off because teacher union officials armed with monopoly-bargaining power preferred this outcome to a pay freeze, a modification of pension or health benefits, or layoffs of far less effective teachers who have more seniority.

In a blog item posted Thursday afternoon, a few hours after Mr. Factor appeared on Morning Joe, AFL-CIO PR flack Jeff Hauser vents his anger that a man with views differing so sharply from his own is being invited to appear on MSNBC and other journalistic venues, but has no substantive response. In the language of Mr. Hauser, explaining to the public how teacher union bosses shortchange talented teachers is “blaming teachers.” Other than a few irrelevant attempted ad hominem attacks, falsely equating criticism of union officials with criticism of employees seems to be Mr. Hauser’s only answer to the Factors and Shadowbosses.

If this is as good as response as the AFL-CIO propaganda machine can come up with, perhaps the giant union conglomerate should have left Shadowbosses alone.