NOW that United Public Workers boss Gary Rodrigues has wrapped up the 1998 election to his satisfaction, the labor leader has a new project: "taking on" the Star-Bulletin. Rodrigues is ‘taking on’
Star-BulletinIn his latest union newsletter, Rodrigues accuses the Star-Bulletin of trying to "take out the leader" and then "bury" UPW members. But not to worry. Rodrigues assures his members that "they will have to kill me first."
Rodrigues is frothing over our story about a possible settlement of the sexual harassment complaint filed against him by his former secretary, with whom he had a personal relationship. He was also unhappy about a story detailing his personal business dealings with a company that supplied the materials for the union's neighbor island buildings. Both matters were brought to our attention by concerned union members and UPW employees.
The Star-Bulletin didn't enter into either story lightly. We checked our facts carefully and gave Rodrigues every opportunity to tell us if our information was wrong.
When we called to ask about the sexual harassment complaint, he advised us to "hire some good lawyers" and hung up. When we called about the neighbor island buildings, UPW employees were instructed to hang up at the mention of our name.
It's vintage Rodrigues, who employs the management style of a schoolyard bully. We're not the only target of his lawsuit threats. He's tried to silence his critics in the union with similar threats to sue.
The threats have special weight because Rodrigues is a member of the Judicial Selection Commission, which chooses state judges. He uses that position, given him by Senate President Norman Mizuguchi, as a powerful weapon. When you're threatened with a lawsuit by the guy who picks the judges who would hear the case, you color yourself intimidated.
Reasonable people might see his taking advantage of his judicial authority in his personal battles as a conflict of interest and abuse of power. But not our state Ethics Commission, which declined to rule on his appointment.
Let's get one thing straight: The Star-Bulletin has no personal dispute with Rodrigues and certainly no beef with the UPW, its members or organized labor in general. We do have some fair questions about whether Rodrigues is mixing his personal business with the union's business. We wonder why he doesn't just answer the questions instead of throwing around all the bluster.
For Rodrigues to wrap himself in the union flag and paint our questions to him as an attack on working people is akin to President Clinton deflecting questions about his behavior as an attack on the people of the United States.
IN his newsletter, Rodrigues takes credit for a bill passed by the last Legislature to open state legal advertising to more publications. He claims the Star-Bulletin is out to get him because the bill cost us "millions of dollars."
In fact, the legislation won't cost the Star-Bulletin a dime. We get paid the same whether our partners at the Hawaii Newspaper Agency sell legal ads or not. Interestingly, the HNA is a union shop and most of the other publications seeking the state's advertising are not. It's curious that Rodrigues is boasting about using his political influence to take work away from union members.
We're eager to see what Rodrigues means when he tells his members that it's "time that we take on the Honolulu Star-Bulletin."
If nothing else, it'll give us a great new marketing slogan: "Gary Rodrigues doesn't want you to read us. Don't you think you should?"
Questions raised on complaint involving UPW's Rodrigues David Shapiro is managing editor of the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at editor@starbulletin.com.
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