Nunez Sacrifices Labor Rights for Careerism

Late last week, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez betrayed the hotel workers union, UNITEHERE, in order to prevent wealthy Indian tribes from spending millions to defeat a term-limit extension ballot initiative in February. Nunez had long held up the Governor’s plans to dramatically expand Indian gaming until the tribes agreed to card-check neutrality, but made a sudden about-face last week that shocked and angered his labor allies.

Jack Gribbon, a longtime fixture with San Francisco’s UNITEHERE Local 2 who is now state political director for the union, said his group was “outraged” by Nunez’s move. “For the speaker to say he is some kind of big hero, like he fixed something---he knows he didn’t," said Gribbon. "We know he didn’t. The voters are going to figure it out.”