I talked to some of the union folks and they wouldn't tell the truth about where they came from or what city they lived in. I asked some of them what they knew about biomass and it wasn't much-- might have come right our of a Dick and Jane primer. But it was obvious they'd been fed their soundbites.
Their behavior in the Duggan Middle School auditorium was appalling. They actually booed every anti-biomass speaker, including an elderly woman, a pediatrician who spoke about the kids with asthma he treated, a respiratory therapist, an elderly man...they went on and on. There were a number of children with asthma who had volunteered to come to the press conference we held, and they were scared...one little boy's eyes brimmed with tears.
I will tell you that my first reaction was that you couldn't pay me enough for me to ever show up at another pro-union rally.. Organized labor sure didn't make any friends tonight with their ignorant and bullying behavior. John Bennett from Mass Senior Action reminded me that the building trades didn't even show up for pro-union rallies. But it wasn't just who was there from the unions, but also who wasn't there. If other unions disapprove of their trade union brothers, they sure keep quiet about it.
Then suddenly almost all of them were gone-- whisked away on the buses they came in on?
Who paid for the tee-shirts? Who paid for the signs?. Is it true that the union apprentices were told that if they didn't show up for the hearing, not to bother coming back?
I was proud of our people, who were knowledgeable and well-prepared, and didn't let themselves be intimidated.
And to the union members, I can only say...shame on you. Shame on you.