Dear readers, below is a response I received last night to my previous blog entry on Crisanta Duran’s run for House District 5. It was written by the new organizing director at Local 7, Luis Espinosa, and is presented here in its entirety (i.e. completely unedited). I encourage you to read it and will be posting a response shortly.
In Solidarity,
Ric Urrutia
=========================================================================================
Ric,
Not too long ago you wrote that you were really busy (“no joke” you said) to entertain commenting on the unfolding events at Local 7. I think you even ventured to give the advice of moving on (right on point, by the way). Now, it turns out, because the entire world has paused and signaled you that is ready to hear your expert commentary, you are blessing us with your take on Crisanta Duran’s “de-endorsement” (let’s agree on making it a word for the purposes of this exchange).
Your mathematical imperfections aside (what does a 23k statewide constituency have to do with a 71k district? What percentage of them actually votes and how are they related is imperfect non-sense), I have to take the liberty to ask two questions that go to motivations and intent.
Let’s start by defining our relationship:
I met you back in… maybe October, at the home of a friend we have in common. You told me about the injustice done to you when you were fired because you didn’t want to work pass 7pm. I remember saying something along the lines of “this job is not for everyone.” What I recall actually thinking was “I’m sorry if I have no sympathy, but I just came back from a over-15-hour-workday week organizing meatpacking workers in Kansas and this kid is crying because he wants to play with his band in his garage after the sun sets in the horizon. Standing in the cold at 1am outside of a plant is no fun, but if you want to talk to workers that’s the time to do so and I have never been in a campaign that was won from 9 to 5.”
Next thing I was reading your article in Labor Notes populated with a mix of good analysis and a strong dose of sanctimonious lecturing about what should be done and how (not that you have ever shown capacity for doing it). Pretty much no one met your very high standards of behavior, which is understandable since the world is not black and white and all institutions are full of overtones. Since we talk to some of the same people in the Denver activist community, I also heard from a couple of other sources you were really excited telling people you were going to be featured in the Westword trashing the Duran’s. I felt truly sorry for you when the article only contained one single mention, in passing, of what you had to say, because I knew that it meant a lot for you and your credibility to be the expert source (el analisis sesudo, como decimos en Mexico).
Then, a few weeks ago, the same friend told me you were looking for me to sell me the idea of getting dues-money for you as a contractor or something. For some reason you thought I could get you plugged with a gig at the new local 7.
All this makes me question your motivations when you prescribe solutions for worker power. I’m not even going to comment on the sick obsession you and others have with a last name. Sometimes I wonder if you get eruptions all over your face and start twitching every time that last name shows up somewhere. I can only suggest you and few others to seek therapy before you start stealing Crisanta’s shoes. But I have to ask you a few serious questions to understand better where you come from:
1. Do you only trash the bureaucracies that won’t give you money? Would you still be trashing the UFCW, the International, the local, the labor movement, etc., if you got your wish of tapping into those members-dues? How much would cost your mercenary pen?
2. Notwithstanding the beautiful rhetoric for building worker power, how would you build that power from 9 to 5? You spent five minutes in our midst and that makes you an expert on the labor movement, but apart from the common place commentary about our ailments and challenges in this place and time, what have you done to build that power when you have been in the position of actually doing something? Ah, yes, it was the union “bosses” that didn’t let you change the world. Is always somebody else, isn’t it? It does remind me of a song by Silvio Rodriguez called “Cancion en Harapos.”
I am sorry kiddo, but I think is time for you to follow your on advice and “move on.” That was the best sermon you have given so far. Maybe you need to seek counseling to deal with your disappointment with the world.
###
Union Staff For Union Democracy 