Projo Politics Blog

By Steve Peoples

You won't see any ads for this campaign on television or in the newspaper, but the battle to control Rhode Island's AFL-CIO is heating up.

Union officials will gather Wednesday night in the Rhode Island Convention Center to elect a new leadership team for the umbrella organization of more than 250 local labor unions that represents 80,000 people. Longtime president Frank J. Montanaro decided not to seek reelection after nearly two decades in the top elected position.

The night before the election, a team of challengers that includes State House regular and Council 94 lobbyist and political coordinator Jim Cenerini, will host a 6 p.m. fundraiser, dubbed "Labor Fire," at the Providence Firefighters Hall on Printery Street. The proceeds from the event -- which requires tickets ranging from $10 to $1,000 -- will benefit Cenerini, a candidate for the AFL-CIO's secretary-treasurer position, and William C. McGowan, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2323, who is seeking the presidency.

The informal team faces an uphill battle. McGowan must defeat current secretary-treasurer George Nee. And Cenerini must defeat the establishment's favorite, Maureen G. Martin, political activity director of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers.

Curious what Cenerini and McGowan might spend their money on? So are we.
Cenerini declined to discuss strategy, except to say campaign literature had been distributed. And We may never know, given that candidates are not required to report expenditures associated with internal elections.

 Tags  Rhode Island AFL-CIO

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