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Q&A
Discussion on the potential impact of open primaries on labor unions' political influence
1:09:34
·
3 min
Commissioner Diane Savino engages with Brendan Griffith of the NYC Central Labor Council, questioning the concern that open primaries would marginalize unions.
Savino suggests that labor's influence on its members would persist regardless of the primary system, noting that voter participation has declined even among union members and that some unions support open primaries due to increasing unaffiliated voters within their ranks. Griffith responds that while unanimity in labor is rare, many support their position, fearing open primaries could dilute policy discussions into personality contests and that the focus should be on getting voters used to RCV and recognizing unions' outsized voter turnout relative to the general population. He reiterates concerns about outside interests and diluting workers' voices, while Savino counters that unions underestimate their influence, which is independent of political parties.
Diane Savino
1:09:34
Not questions, more comments.
1:09:36
I hate to debate my brothers in the labor movement, but there there's not a unanimity of opinion amongst labor organizations on this issue either.
1:09:45
Some unions are supportive of the idea of of open primaries, nonpartisan elections Mhmm.
1:09:51
Because they see the same trend in their membership as disenrolling from the major parties, becoming unaffiliated voters, thereby locking themselves out of that very participatory process that unions have traditionally engaged in.
1:10:03
In twenty twenty twenty 02/2003, I was then the vice president of a city union, a DC thirty seven.
1:10:11
We were all we all engaged in an effort to defeat that ballot proposal that would have created nonpartisan elections.
1:10:17
But that was a very different time.
Sharon Greenberger
1:10:18
Mhmm.
Diane Savino
1:10:19
Not just for the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the City Of New York, but for the labor movement as well.
1:10:24
And what we've seen in the past twenty years is voter participation both among the general public and union members has plummeted, and largely because voters are they're telling us something.
1:10:35
They don't like the product that they're being offered.
1:10:38
And so I'm just curious as to if the union the the the union's ability to influence its its members, to engage them in local politics, to get them to participate in GOTV efforts or or campaigning for their preferred candidates, none of that would change.
1:10:54
It would just be a different they they would be voting instead of a closed primary in an open primary.
1:11:00
But that influence would still be there because that's the power of the labor movement.
1:11:04
It's not the party.
1:11:06
So I'm just curious as to, like, why this deep concern that this would somehow marginalize unions.
Brendan Griffith
1:11:13
Sure.
1:11:13
No.
1:11:14
I I think that's that's a fair point, and I would just say that to find unanimity in the labor movement is, for anybody that's worked with it, I would say, well, not impossible.
1:11:23
You know what?
1:11:23
A difficult undertaking.
1:11:24
So while that's not exactly what we seek, I would say that a number of the members of the executive board of New York City Central Labor Council supported this position in the conversations we've had.
1:11:33
We've seen broad support among the labor movement.
1:11:35
I think where we have concerns is that whereas a partisan primary, where there's a discussion of policy, you know, through the Democratic Party, through the Republican Party, that would be diluted, and it would almost become a a contest of personality, which we have seen in some elections in the general election.
1:11:53
I will say that, you know, while voting trends have gone down, we are just going through a process in getting New York City voters used to ranked choice voting.
1:12:02
You know, throwing another element into this could be challenging.
1:12:05
I would also say that while it has decreased union membership, union members have voted in an outsized way relative to the general population.
1:12:14
And, additionally, when you look at the numbers from the twenty twenty four elections, even in a general, you see that, I would say, one, the percentage of Republicans who voted was higher than the percentage of Democrats who voted, as well as the fact that independent voters, less than half of them voted when they had an opportunity to participate.
1:12:30
So, you know, I think there are a number of challenges that this could say that that this identifies as and as I said, there are very well intentioned people that might be supportive of it.
1:12:38
But I do think it would dilute the the voice of workers and allow for outside interest to come in and have an outside influence.
Diane Savino
1:12:45
I again, I don't like to disagree with you, and I'll leave it at this.
1:12:48
I think you guys are underestimating your ability to influence your own work your own membership.
1:12:52
They care more about what the union thinks than most political parties.
1:12:56
So whether we move to open primaries, nonpartisan elections, final four, top two, whatever we decide to come up with, I think the labor movement will will be fine because the labor movement is the only organization that actually speaks for working people.
1:13:09
No political party ever did.
Brendan Griffith
1:13:12
I'll say I completely agree with the last sentiment in your comments.
1:13:15
Thank you.