Will LAFD Rank and File stand behind Union Head Pat McOsker's bid for CD 15?
Firefighters Union President Pat McOsker at City Hall podium.
** Evening Update: Here is the link to patmcoskerforcouncil.com and beware, this is not a "Pro-McOsker" website.
What if you are a high profile union president running for public office and your own "brothers and sisters" are questioning recent actions? That is the predicament United Firefighters of Los Angeles President Pat McOsker faces in his pursuit of the CD 15 Council Office.
Internal observers of all things LAFD took notice as McOsker announced his first "high-profile endorsement" which was the California Nurses Association and not McOsker's United Firefighters.
Some background, United Firefighters have called a "special 30-minute meeting" for July 27 (www. uflac.com) to interview the declared candidates for CD 15. Considering that there are six candidates at this moment, how do you properly interview potential endorses and what role does current President McOsker have in this process?
Further, there are those within the union rank and file who question how a "candidate McOsker" can continue functioning as union president.This in light of the fact that the union is engage in negotiating a contract with a mayor who has endorsed Assemblyman Warren Furutani and is a well-known political combatant of the McOskers. Some firefighters are so disgruntled that they have gone as far to hijack the "@PatMcOsker twitter address and the "patmcoskerforcouncil.com" web url.
If McOsker is able to move beyond his own rank and file concerns and garner their endorsement, his ability to use the union's vast monetary resources may cause some ethical dilemmas. Speculation is that McOsker may seek to transfer a lump sum amount of Firefighter PAC money to the Los Angeles County Labor Federation in the hope that organization endorses him and the cash makes his way back to support his campaign as an "I.E." But the last I check County Labor Federation Leader Maria Elena Durazo was still a close friend of Mayor Antonio Villar and Assemblyman Warren Furutani had stout union credentials which could get him the coveted endorsement. Thus, McOsker's gamble may go up in political smoke.
Your thoughts..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14
What if you are a high profile union president running for public office and your own "brothers and sisters" are questioning recent actions? That is the predicament United Firefighters of Los Angeles President Pat McOsker faces in his pursuit of the CD 15 Council Office.
Internal observers of all things LAFD took notice as McOsker announced his first "high-profile endorsement" which was the California Nurses Association and not McOsker's United Firefighters.
Some background, United Firefighters have called a "special 30-minute meeting" for July 27 (www. uflac.com) to interview the declared candidates for CD 15. Considering that there are six candidates at this moment, how do you properly interview potential endorses and what role does current President McOsker have in this process?
Further, there are those within the union rank and file who question how a "candidate McOsker" can continue functioning as union president.This in light of the fact that the union is engage in negotiating a contract with a mayor who has endorsed Assemblyman Warren Furutani and is a well-known political combatant of the McOskers. Some firefighters are so disgruntled that they have gone as far to hijack the "@PatMcOsker twitter address and the "patmcoskerforcouncil.com" web url.
If McOsker is able to move beyond his own rank and file concerns and garner their endorsement, his ability to use the union's vast monetary resources may cause some ethical dilemmas. Speculation is that McOsker may seek to transfer a lump sum amount of Firefighter PAC money to the Los Angeles County Labor Federation in the hope that organization endorses him and the cash makes his way back to support his campaign as an "I.E." But the last I check County Labor Federation Leader Maria Elena Durazo was still a close friend of Mayor Antonio Villar and Assemblyman Warren Furutani had stout union credentials which could get him the coveted endorsement. Thus, McOsker's gamble may go up in political smoke.
Your thoughts..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14
Labels: CD 15 Special election, lafd, Pat McOsker
Posted by Red Spot in CD 14 @ 7/20/2011 09:42:00 AM
10 Comments:
The disdain for McOsker in the LAFD ranks is palpable. He is considered a bully and a thug, with no real credentials to speak of. Under his reign at the Union...the new nickname for the UFLAC local is "Bell-Flac" because he and his cronies have been stealing the membership blind...like the City of Bell.
If the loyal firefighters in his own department can't stand him, why would anyone ever vote for him?
Ever hear of the city of Ontario? There was a time, not that long ago, when every person on the city council was a public employee - two of them actually worked for the city.
Not surprisingly, there were multiple indictmnets, investigations, and resignations.
Shouldn't Parks, Zine, and Englander all have to recuse themselves on naything having toi do with the PD and/or pensions and benefits?
Same for McCosker and the FD is he gets elected?
i am the firefighter that started patmcoskerforcouncil.com
i am truly fearful for the constituents in the city of la - should mcosker get elected.
unfortunately, i am bias against mcosker, but as above poster suggested, the disdain accross firefighters, not just the rank, is more than palpable.
if mcosker cannot be liked by those who he is allegedly there to "stand by", how can he legitimately be voted in for a much larger and important position such as council.
the only way i see mcosker getting in is by way of force, as his history has shown. even in the short amount of time my website has been online (2 days). brother mike has sent in threats, requesting a commenter to meet up with him.
history repeats itself.
i hereby informally request pat mcosker to step down in his bid for council.
Wow! Three comments all day? How far this blog has fallen. Even the bloggers don't post anonymously on their posts anymore. Lesson: never hire an illiterate who lives with his mom to write for your blog, no matter how cute you think it is.
Sincerely,
A long time reader and former fan.
I met McOsker personally once, and the only thing that I heard him say was mean and condescending things. Maybe I was just unlucky, but a person who throws unprovoked insults at others is not someone I would vote for.
These smears and lies mark the obvious return of “Chief Parker,” who used this blog anonymously to spread gossip and make false charges against Mayor Hahn, his family and his staff in 2005.
Now, as another Hahn guy, McOsker (the brother of Hahn’s former Chief of Staff), runs for office, expect more of this from “Chief Parker.” “Chief Parker” cannot ever get over the 2005 (or 2001) election.
“Chief Parker” said so many vicious and made-up things about Hahn’s staffers that after the election his posts had to be scrubbed so innocent city workers could go on to get other jobs and not have their entire lives be ruined by his sleazy, false and personal attacks.
There will be more of these made-up “issues” and smears to come from “Chief Parker.” I feel bad for McOsker, who will see his family and friends be dragged through the mud, only because he has the gall to run for city council.
Ask UFLAC President Pat McOsker about his profanity laced rant against a fellow Union member who dared question whether or not Pat would be able to run the Firefighters Union as President and run for City Council. Pat repeatedly used the F word and told the member to go f...k himself. All the member did was ask a question as a concerned Union member. Pat is a bully and his ego will not permit him to truly see himself for what he is. An overinflated, self important bureaucrat. The citizens of LA deserve better in their Councilman. Ask any LAFD Firefighter what they think of Pat McOsker and you will get an honest answer.
Firefighters Union President Pat McOsker scheduled the "Special CD15 Candidate Endorsement Meeting" himself. Pat violated the Unions Constitution and Bylaws which state that at least 10 days notice be given to the Union membership for a special meeting. One needs to ask why did he schedule a special meeting so quickly? why did he not follow the Union rules and bylaws?, did he notify all of the other CD15 candidates, and why did he do it smack in the middle when most of the Union members are out of town on vacation?
Ladies and gentlemen, I was not a supporter of JHahn for council or congress. Especially, because she jumped ship, and didn't stick around, while the City sinks into a deficit because of City Hall's over-spending. Secondly, I would like to ask Pat's relationship with his brother, who worked for JHahn? And will Pat vote on behalf of the public or favor public employee unions?
I'm barron4cc.com
David Barron,
Pat McOsker is the President for the Firefighters Union. He has already stated that he will vote for the union and not the public. The last thing we need is a Union thug in the City Council. Look at the comments his fellow Union Firefighter brothers are making. Do we really want a person with such a lack of character, integrity and ethics in City Council? I think not.
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