P.O. Box 29527 Oakland, California 94604-9257
May 29, 2015
Mr. Dave Connolly, President
Alameda County Labor Council
100 Hegenberger Road, Suite 150
Oakland, CA 94621
Dear Mr. Connolly:
The Alameda County Management Employees’ Association (ACMEA) represents over 800 mid-level
and executive level County of Alameda Managers. Our members perform unique roles in providing
services to our diverse Alameda County population. Amongst our represented bargaining units are
peace officers, medical staff, court employees, therapists, probation officers, social services employees
and a myriad of other job classifications. Almost all of our members were prior members of rank and
file labor organizations before promoting into management positions. As prior line-level employees
and prior labor leaders, we are staunch supporters of labor and respect the work of the labor council.
ACMEA members are also law abiding citizens. Many use public transportation to commute to and
from work and to access leisure activities during their off time. When approached by the Labor
Council, our board voted unanimously to support the “2015 Unionist of The Year Awards Dinner.”
We were especially proud that Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley was to be named
by your organization as “Woman Warrior of The Year.” To demonstrate our support of Ms.
O’Malley’s outstanding efforts was the primary reason our Board of Directors voted to support the
event and make the $1,400.00 contribution.
Ms. O’Malley is a strong supporter of labor in Alameda County. In addition to her strong support of
labor, Ms. O’Malley is a nationally recognized expert in the advancement of Victims’ Rights. She is
an expert in areas including domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, child abuse and stalking.
She was inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame several years ago. She has been
honored by the California State Senate with the Woman of the Year award for her leadership in ending
Violence Against Women. She is actively engaged in the war against human trafficking, especially as
it relates to children. Under her leadership, Alameda County opened the Alameda County Family
Justice Center, a one-stop shop for victims of family violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and child
abuse. It is a model throughout the country. For all of these reasons, we were thrilled to support your
event in recognition of Ms. O’Malley.
As a representative of ACMEA, I attended your event in Oakland on May 8, 2015. Once there, I was
shocked to learn the Labor Council voted to rescind its award from Ms. O’Malley. I was told this was
done because she refused to drop criminal charges against protestors who blocked mass transportation
on black Friday last year. ACMEA supports every individual’s rights to freedom of speech and
assembly. However, mass transportation is a vital service upon which many local residents depend.
Illegally disrupting and blocking mass transportation is anti-union for many reasons, but primarily
because it prevents law abiding citizens from expressing the rights conferred upon them by the U.S.
Constitution.
WWW.ACMEA.ORG
Affiliated with Public Employees Division, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3
Mr. Dave Connolly
Alameda County Labor Council
May 29, 2015
Page 2
The decision by the Labor Council to rescind Ms. O’Malley’s award was deeply disturbing to ACMEA
and its Board of Directors. Our Directors’ disappointment was further compounded by the labor
council’s failure to notify any of the event’s sponsors of its action. We disagree profoundly with the
decision to rescind your support of Ms. O’Malley, but we respect your organization’s right to do as it
pleases. What is most objectionable is your organization’s failure to notify event sponsors of your
decision. Candidly, had we known of your intent to rescind Ms. O’Malley’s award, ACMEA would
have withdrawn its sponsorship of your event.
Respectfully,
Tom Madigan, President
Alameda County Management Employees Association
TM:mn
WWW.ACMEA.ORG
Affiliated with Public Employees Division, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3