Labor’s support gives Miller momentum

Friday, Jan. 30, 1998 | 9:35 a.m.

Gov. Bob Miller's resounding endorsement from the Nevada AFL-CIO gives him momentum heading into tonight's televised debate with Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, his chief Democratic gubernatorial foe.

It also doesn't hurt the governor that Jones, who is hoping the debate will give her added name recognition among viewers statewide, also must compete against the concluding game of the NBA Finals on KVBC-TV Channel 3 between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

The game will be in its latter stages when the one-hour debate begins at 8 p.m. in KLVX-TV Channel 10 studios, where it will be aired live.

"I think it's a tremendous boost," Miller said Tuesday, moments after receiving the state labor organization endorsement. "A year ago, when we were going through difficult times people speculated I would not get the endorsement of organized labor. But four-fifths of the vote is very significant.

"I am very surprised by the margin we won by, and I think it will be an important factor in the Democratic primary. Most Nevadans are working men and women. For 20 years, I've been out struggling to make sure everyone prospers."

Jones' campaign manager, Dan Hart, downplayed the endorsement from the 120,000-member state AFL-CIO at its annual convention at the Tropicana hotel-casino by asserting that his candidate has solid rank and file support. Hart also said the endorsement, won by Miller over Jones 292 to 75 with four abstentions during a closed-door session, also would have no impact on the debate.

But Hart bitterly accused Miller and labor leaders of back-room politicking and even "strongarm" tactics to collect for the governor enough votes to exceed the two-thirds requirement for an endorsement. Miller easily exceeded that margin by winning 79 percent support.

Hart also noted the irony of the union endorsement for Miller, recalling that Claude "Blackie" Evans, executive secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO, and Frank Caine, president of the Southern Nevada Building Trades Council, met with Jones at the Golden Nugget hotel-casino last July and encouraged her to run for governor.

"I'm very thankful and grateful to the people who stood by us despite the coercion, arm twisting and threats that went on behind closed doors," Hart said. "I've never seen any state labor convention like it. The problem is the union leaders seem to be getting out of touch with their constituents.

"The leaders are part of the power structure, and they're afraid of the governor. He cajoled and arm twisted to get this endorsement. I was told that the vote was going to be public, but they kept changing the rules. Any time you have a smoke-filled room and a closed door, Bob Miller will win. He's a consummate politician and he has a lot of due bills out."

Miller and Walt Elliot, president of the state labor organization, both responded that the Jones camp was full of "sour grapes" over its union defeat and failure to block the endorsement of the governor despite its own intense efforts. In the week leading up to the convention, both sides revealed various individual union endorsements to the media.

"They began saying they were going to get the labor endorsement," Miller said. "Then they scaled back and said they were going to block the endorsement. They (labor) wanted someone who has been down the road, who has listened to them."

Added Elliot: "He (Hart) can say what he wants. That was just sour grapes on his part. It's a political election and you will have arm twisting on both sides."

Hart was steamed because campaign operatives, news reporters and non-voting union guests were ordered to stay outside the convention hall for more than two hours as the votes were collected and tallied. Shortly before the doors were closed, a motion was made to issue a dual endorsement of both Miller and Jones. But the idea was shot down by leaders such as Jim Arnold, secretary-treasurer of Culinary Union Local 226, whose 40,000-member endorsement went to Miller.

"I am not going to send a mixed message to my constituency," Arnold told fellow delegates. "We are either for someone or we are not."

As soon as the doors were opened and the results were announced by Evans, Miller immediately appeared on the podium to thank the union delegates. The timing of the governor's appearance suggested he was confident he would win the endorsement.

"I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of the support of the AFL-CIO," Miller told the convention. "To have the endorsement now in what will be a tough election means the world to me. I believe both of us (including Jones) have the best interests of the working men and women at heart."

Elliot said the majority of delegates sided with Miller because of his experience in public office, his attempts to mediate an end to the lengthy Frontier hotel-casino strike, and his numerous appointments of pro-union individuals to state administrative positions.

"You have to stay with somebody who has been a friend for 20 years," Elliot said. "He's a proven candidate. He has experience in the office of governor against Mayor Jones, who has only two years in public service."

Elliot also said Jones' proposal to hire a staff administrator in the governor's office to handle labor issues actually is a negative because the unions prefer to deal with the governor directly.

"It just makes more sense to deal with the chief executive officer than another level of bureaucracy," Elliot said. "He (Miller) has agreed in the past to have an open door policy with us."

Not all is rosy between organized labor and Miller, however. Elliot said the unions would like the governor, if he wins re-election, to take another look at the reforms he headed last year of the State Industrial Insurance System. Many unionists, particularly in the building trades, have alleged that the reforms benefit business at the expense of workers, and have made it harder to file claims.

State employees also seek collective bargaining, something Miller has vetoed in the past because he said he didn't think the legislation was equitable to all unions who would be involved in that process. Jones has said she would approve collective bargaining, and Miller indicated he too would revisit the issue if he believed the bill was equitable to all parties involved.

The AFL-CIO endorsement is crucial because it means money, volunteers and access to get-out-the-vote phone banks, Elliot said. Individual unions may decide to go with Jones or other gubernatorial candidates but would not have the benefit of the state labor organization's resources, Elliot said.

Endorsements made by the Nevada AFL-CIO:

* U.S. SENATE: Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev.

* CONGRESSIONAL FIRST DISTRICT: Rep. James Bilbray, D-Nev.

* CONGRESSIONAL SECOND DISTRICT: No endorsement.

* ATTORNEY GENERAL: Incumbent Democrat Frankie Sue Del Papa.

* SECRETARY OF STATE: Democrat Thomas Hickey, incumbent state senator, and Republican Dean Heller, incumbent assemblyman.

* CONTROLLER: Democrat Pete Sferrazza.

* LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: No endorsement.

* TREASURER: No endorsement.

* SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SEAT C: Dual endorsement of incumbent Robert Rose and challenger Myron Leavitt.

GOV. BOB MILLER mingles with union members after getting the AFL-CIO endorsement Tuesday.

PHOTOS BY STEVE MARCUS / STAFF

SUPPORTERS of Bob Miller applaud the union endorsement.

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