NYC Labor May Break With Police Union

BuzzFeed News ^ | January 1, 2015 | Jacob Fischler

[2ndDivisionVet]

New York City’s top progressives have backed away from any direct confrontation with the city’s largest police union, even as union leaders continue to criticize the mayor following the shooting of two officers.

But the silence of non-police unions may not last long into the new year.

That will depend on the actions of Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, and whether he continues his public campaign against Mayor Bill de Blasio, sources with knowledge of union thinking say. Unions were instrumental in getting de Blasio elected and are considered among his closest allies.

“Those that are closer to traditional institutional players will probably, hopefully, be more willing to shun those who are using an inappropriate tone,” one senior union official told BuzzFeed News.

While labor’s silence regarding Lynch has been, in part, out of respect to the families of the two murdered NYPD officers — de Blasio also called for a moratorium on political rhetoric and demonstrations in the weeks surrounding the funerals — sources said it was also an act of “solidarity” to avoid union-on-union warfare.

“There is a reluctancy for unions to weigh in against each other,” a source with close ties to the city’s progressives and unions told BuzzFeed News. “Though certainly that is less true when you talk about the progressive unions and the police unions.”

The city’s police unions are not members of the AFL-CIO, unlike many of New York City’s largest unions.

Though top labor officials and other citywide progressives have refrained from addressing Lynch, many have vocally supported the large protests after a grand jury did not indict the police officer involved in Eric Garner’s death.

Since officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were killed in Brooklyn, Lynch has targeted de Blasio. He went as far as to blame the mayor for their deaths and has since encouraged officers to turn their back on him at public events, including at Ramos’ funeral.

After a meeting between the mayor and city police unions, a de Blasio spokesman said in a statement the meeting “focused on building a productive dialogue and identifying ways to move forward together.”

Conversely, Lynch was less optimistic after the meeting. “There was no resolve and our thought here today is that actions speak louder than words and time will tell,” he said.

While conversations about what to do next have mostly remained internal, others have publicly called for a repudiation of Lynch. In an op-ed for the New York Daily News, former labor official Jonathan Tasini called on unions to fight back against Lynch’s “poisonous rhetoric.”

If some were to speak out, according to two people familiar with progressive thinking in the city, the ultimate goal would not be to wage and win a political battle against Lynch, but to reign in the discourse and create a “respectful, appropriate dialogue” on the issue of policing.

“We reached a dangerous point in this city a couple of weeks ago,” said Nathan Smith, a Democratic consultant in New York. “Folks believe that we were brought to the brink of a very dangerous and explosive situation, and folks want a much more productive path to find a solution in the future.”

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The police really cannot back down on this, or literally, more police will die. Any other union that opposes the police and supports de Blazio is going to sour police on them as well. Playing nice means nothing when your people are dying.

The bottom line is de Blazio is just one guy, and there are lot just as “progressive” as him, but without hating the police, and who are not going to create a civil war in the city.

[JohnBrowdie]

I wouldn’t push the cop’s union very much. They’re at least as corrupt as the rest of the unions in NYC, which pretty much makes them rats.

you don’t corner an angry rat.

but I am beginning to enjoy the show.

[rsobin]

My sympathies are with all police officers doing their jobs. Let these liberal bastions eat their own.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Plus every type of cop (Patrolman, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Detectives, Transit, etc.) has their own separate union. This could get ugly and very involved pretty quick.

[Nifster]

Ah yes the truth will out the commies have always been at the heart of the ‘labor’ movement. Commies can’t stand to have a PD that functions well.....Just look who is fueling all the ‘so-called’ protests to learn the truth

[JohnBrowdie]

let’s not get carried away. I’m not sure I would say that the NYPD functions “well”. it’s probably as corrupt as any police department that isn’t in a third world country.

they’re simply the most admirable (simply be being the least ignoble) group in this story; but that’s a very low bar.

[flamberge]

The police really cannot back down on this, or literally, more police will die..

De Blasio is in exactly the same position.

"Progressive" leaders cannot survive without obedient security forces. The police union has demonstrated that the forces under their control are no longer reliably obedient to the elected political leader.

Neither side can survive if the other side remains in power.

This cannot end well - for participants or spectators.

[Billthedrill]

Oh, my. Now this is getting interesting. Gotta go pop some corn.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

What do you mean they are corrupt? Please give us all an example. This is 2015 not 1970, the last “corrupt” thing they did was the ticket scandal which is not even a “scandal” or “corruption” it USE to be common courtesy if you had a relative or friend who was a cop they would cut you a break, but instead the city went crazy firing all the cops involved and throwing some in JAIL.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nypd-lieutenant-found-guilty-ticket-fixing-scandal-article-1.1975016

The NYPD of today is so freakin’ watched and abused today it’s insane, the slightest mistake and they get absolutely hammered not only by the city but by every lib out there such as Sharpton and now Duh-Blasio which is funny because all of these libs push big government...Oh but we don’t want the police enforcing laws, yes we want big government but not police. Remember the police “union” is not really a union, they have absolutely no leverage, they can’t go on strike despite how hard DeBlasio pushes them to so all the liberals there abuse the crap out of them. A friend of mine quit after two years because he couldn’t take it. He said he would be assigned to parades in Harlem and he would get spit in the face and he wasn’t allowed to respond not to mention he had a huge quota for tickets something like a 300 a month ticket quota and they wanted to raise it to 350 AND if he lost a ticket in traffic court they would take away a vacation day, he said it was the worst job he ever had in his life AND they take home less than taxi drivers. You want corruption, take a look at the taxi industry, that is complete joke the crap they get away with.

[hoosierham]

Latest health scare is that more than one bag of popcorn per day is bad for your health.

DeBlasio is the progressive dream ;he not give up easily.Hitler fought to the last German(or tried to).

[Mears]

” AND they take home less than taxi drivers”
—

Your friend quit after only 2 years.

The pay gets much better.
.

[Nifster]

Meh

[Rockpile]

A reduction in writing misdemeanor citations will equal a reduction in what really matters——$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That will get the attention of the city’s power structure.

DeBozo and his commie rat pals in government and in the News Cartel ain’t going to like that.

---

BTW, a little side tidbit-——DeBozo’s leftist parents met when they were editorial staffers at Time Magazine.

[SunkenCiv]

In before the pro-mafia or"Garner was killed over the cigarette tax" posts start.

The slain police officers: Rafael Ramos, 40, left, and Wenjian Liu, 32. Credit New York Police Department

• 13-year-old son of NYPD officer says goodbye to 'best dad in the world'
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• NYC Mayor de Blasio Reveals Teaching Biracial Son Not to 'Reach for Cell Phone' Near Police Officers
• 33% Rise in NYC Murders Under Bill "Soft on Crime" de Blasio
• NYC raises mayoral mansion fence, citing security
• De Blasio builds 'privacy fence' around Gracie Mansion
• De Blasio never got permits for new Gracie Mansion fence
• Bill de Blasio's Police Commish to Teach NYPD About 5 Pillars of Islam
• Bill de Blasio to Close New York Schools for Ramadan's End, Chinese New Year
• The Islamization of New York: Bill De Blasio Adds Two Muslim Holidays to School Calendar

Bo Dietl -- Bill de Blasio Should RESIGN Tomorrow!

[SunkenCiv]

Thug bosses running other unions got A.K.A. DeBlasio elected in the first place.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The trouble is that as far as de Blasio is concerned, “the die is cast”(*), and there is no way he can redeem himself to the police. And he is unwilling to try. His attitude is more “Let them hate me, so long as they fear me.”(**)

So who wins in a fight of 34,000 to 1? Even if he were to bribe or threaten the union leadership into obedience, the rank and file “are their own men”.

(*) Attributed to Julius Caesar
(**) Attributed to Caligula

While it is unlikely that de Blasio might meet his end like Julius Caesar, stabbed by some aldermen on the steps of the New York City Hall; he may instead find his end like Caligula, while passing through a tunnel on the way to some sporting event, betrayed by his own Praetorian Guard.