Vocal casino opponents accused of shilling for union
An upstart citizens group that protested meetings on Pittsburgh's planned casino is using concerns about community involvement as a disguise to pave the way for union presence at the North Shore gambling venue, critics said.
The North Side Leadership Conference, a coalition of 14 groups that formed in 1980, says the group Pittsburgh United attacks a process started in late 2005 because its agreement for casino developer Don Barden to pour $3 million into the North Side doesn't address unionization.
"That's the only thing that was articulated to us, as what they knew they wanted to do," said Joseph R. Lawrence, president of the Leadership Conference. "If it weren't for the need for the union portion of the deal, there really wouldn't be any issues here."
Members of Pittsburgh United involved in the group's "Northside United" campaign said it's unfair to say they only are pursuing a union deal. But they could not provide specifics about what they want beyond a statement that Barden will not block unions from the Majestic Star Casino.
"One of the ways to make sure that casino jobs are decent jobs is to have Mr. Barden say, 'If people want to have a union, it's their choice and I won't interfere,' " said Tom Hoffman, Pittsburgh United's executive director and a former Service Employees International Union employee. "There's no other way to guarantee the jobs will be good jobs."
"People can say it's some scheme for the unions (but) people on the North Side, who are not the wealthy people on the North Side, want good jobs," said Rachel Canning of Perry Hilltop, a Pittsburgh United staff member and former SEIU political organizer.
Bob Oltmanns, a Barden spokesman, declined to offer an opinion on unions forming when the casino opens on the North Shore in 2008 or 2009. Unions operate in at least one of Barden's five existing casinos, he said.
Representatives of the SEIU -- which Canning said helped form Pittsburgh United in January with the union Unite Here, The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Sierra Club and the Mon Valley Unemployment Committee -- could not be reached Monday.
The unionization claims are the latest rift between two groups that claim to speak for residents affected by the coming casino. Both say they're addressing jobs, housing and public safety. Each accuses the other of not wanting to collaborate.
Pittsburgh United -- which has addressed jobs, housing and other issues in the Hill District as officials map out a new hockey arena -- has criticized the Leadership Conference for not reaching out more during a public process that started before Barden received his slots license.
"There really wasn't a public process," Canning said. "There are large segments of the North Side that are not members of that community development corporation."
Conference officials have questioned the motives of Pittsburgh United members such as Khari Mosley of the North Side, who missed seven meetings in eight months when he represented Central North Side on the coalition's board.
"When he was a volunteer, he didn't care much about the community process," said Mark Fatla, the conference's executive director. "I think this is a matter of union organizing."
Mosley said he missed meetings because he was busy as state director of Pennsylvania League of Young Voters, a post he left to become Pittsburgh United's campaign director. Hectic schedules help justify another round of getting community feedback, he said.
"People are very busy," Mosley said. "Other people who work two and three jobs, they can't make those meetings, either."
Funding complicates matters.
Pittsburgh United receives money from a national pool for groups involved in social justice and human rights issues. The Heinz Endowments, which contributed $200,000 to that pool, has given about $221,000 to the Leadership Conference since 2001.
The Heinz Endowments gave Pittsburgh officials $10,000 to hold a forum on the casino that descended into a screaming match among members of both groups.
"So, you funded a group to disrupt the meeting you paid for?" Fatla asked.
"There was a lot of internal discussion, some frustration, that the session could have been organized better. But the last thing we want to be accused of is micro-managing," said Doug Root, a Heinz Endowments spokesman. "Maybe that's what needs to happen for a really positive result to occur."
The North Side Leadership Conference, a coalition of 14 groups that formed in 1980, says the group Pittsburgh United attacks a process started in late 2005 because its agreement for casino developer Don Barden to pour $3 million into the North Side doesn't address unionization.
"That's the only thing that was articulated to us, as what they knew they wanted to do," said Joseph R. Lawrence, president of the Leadership Conference. "If it weren't for the need for the union portion of the deal, there really wouldn't be any issues here."
Members of Pittsburgh United involved in the group's "Northside United" campaign said it's unfair to say they only are pursuing a union deal. But they could not provide specifics about what they want beyond a statement that Barden will not block unions from the Majestic Star Casino.
"One of the ways to make sure that casino jobs are decent jobs is to have Mr. Barden say, 'If people want to have a union, it's their choice and I won't interfere,' " said Tom Hoffman, Pittsburgh United's executive director and a former Service Employees International Union employee. "There's no other way to guarantee the jobs will be good jobs."
"People can say it's some scheme for the unions (but) people on the North Side, who are not the wealthy people on the North Side, want good jobs," said Rachel Canning of Perry Hilltop, a Pittsburgh United staff member and former SEIU political organizer.
Bob Oltmanns, a Barden spokesman, declined to offer an opinion on unions forming when the casino opens on the North Shore in 2008 or 2009. Unions operate in at least one of Barden's five existing casinos, he said.
Representatives of the SEIU -- which Canning said helped form Pittsburgh United in January with the union Unite Here, The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Sierra Club and the Mon Valley Unemployment Committee -- could not be reached Monday.
The unionization claims are the latest rift between two groups that claim to speak for residents affected by the coming casino. Both say they're addressing jobs, housing and public safety. Each accuses the other of not wanting to collaborate.
Pittsburgh United -- which has addressed jobs, housing and other issues in the Hill District as officials map out a new hockey arena -- has criticized the Leadership Conference for not reaching out more during a public process that started before Barden received his slots license.
"There really wasn't a public process," Canning said. "There are large segments of the North Side that are not members of that community development corporation."
Conference officials have questioned the motives of Pittsburgh United members such as Khari Mosley of the North Side, who missed seven meetings in eight months when he represented Central North Side on the coalition's board.
"When he was a volunteer, he didn't care much about the community process," said Mark Fatla, the conference's executive director. "I think this is a matter of union organizing."
Mosley said he missed meetings because he was busy as state director of Pennsylvania League of Young Voters, a post he left to become Pittsburgh United's campaign director. Hectic schedules help justify another round of getting community feedback, he said.
"People are very busy," Mosley said. "Other people who work two and three jobs, they can't make those meetings, either."
Funding complicates matters.
Pittsburgh United receives money from a national pool for groups involved in social justice and human rights issues. The Heinz Endowments, which contributed $200,000 to that pool, has given about $221,000 to the Leadership Conference since 2001.
The Heinz Endowments gave Pittsburgh officials $10,000 to hold a forum on the casino that descended into a screaming match among members of both groups.
"So, you funded a group to disrupt the meeting you paid for?" Fatla asked.
"There was a lot of internal discussion, some frustration, that the session could have been organized better. But the last thing we want to be accused of is micro-managing," said Doug Root, a Heinz Endowments spokesman. "Maybe that's what needs to happen for a really positive result to occur."