Pledge to work with AFL-CIO means being open to all voices
HEALEY: About spending proposals: Deval Patrick says he’s open to the idea of possibly raising taxes--just this week, Deval, you took a pledge with the AFL-CIO saying you’re going to work with them. How are you ever going to be able to negotiate and keep
down costs for our state when you are taking pledges with labor unions, when you have the endorsement of every union?
PATRICK: I have lots of labor and other endorsements and I haven’t traded a quid pro quo for one of them.
HEALEY:
What did the pledge say?
PATRICK: I have pledged to be open and respectful to all voices. I’m going to do with labor as governor exactly what I’ve done with labor in private business. Which is to negotiate, to do that in an
above-board way, to do that within fiscal constraints and to produce an outcome that serves us all. What we need is an active and broadening economic base and to do that in practical ways.
