Shut Up Ralph

Ralph Nader is furious that the AFL-CIO isn’t doing Labor Day his way.

Ralph Nader releases an angry letter to Liz Shuler saying she reneged on doing cool Labor Day activities because the AFL-CIO is too beholden to the Democratic Party and its "corporate-conflicted political/ media consultants." A deep cut for labor feud connoisseurs. pic.twitter.com/v4wmDTR0jZ

— Hamilton Nolan (@hamiltonnolan) August 27, 2024

Shall we review what happened when Ralph Nader’s workers wanted a union?

Three editors fired by consumer advocate Ralph Nader’s organization have filed charges of unfair labor practice against him, claiming he fired them primarily for trying to form a union.

In a bitter dispute at the Nader publication Multinational Monitor, Nader’s group has changed the locks on the office door and attempted unsuccessfully to have the chief editor arrested, alleging he took away files on a crucial story.

Nader, in an interview, said the charges filed against him last month with the National Labor Relations Board are a “ploy,” and that the reason for the firings was that the editors disobeyed his strict orders by publishing a highly controversial story about alleged bribery by Bechtel Corp. before Nader had a chance to read the final version.

The Bechtel story, which drew nationwide publicity in April, revealed that federal authorities were investigating whether the giant California-based multinational firm paid bribes to win approval of nuclear power plants in Korea during the time when Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger and Secretary of State George P. Shultz were top officials of Bechtel.

The firings have sparked numerous petitions and letters of protest to Nader from the Monitor’s small but loyal liberal readership and have prompted threats of legal action on both sides.

The dispute, according to the two sides, is either a question of editorial control over a publication or a matter of troubled labor relations. In either case, it has placed Nader in the uncomfortable role of being an employer criticized for using heavy-handed tactics, a characterization he adamantly disputes.

The alleged labor problems within the Nader organization are not uncommon for “public interest” or nonprofit groups, where long hours and low salaries often prompt complaints, staff conflicts and occasional efforts toward unionization. Public Citizen, founded by Nader, was the subject of a recent union effort, and employes there formed an association to discuss workplace issues.

In conclusion, as with everything else, Ralph, please SHUT UP!