Union Members Show Up for Bloomberg's Bill-Signing

Most of the people who showed up to the mayor's bill-signing ceremony were there to testify against it, but not all.

A whole group of union members came to City Hall to support Michael Bloomberg's term-limits legislation, and they were seen scrambled to add their names to a sign-in sheet after mayoral aides announced that only people testifying against the  bill would be allowed in.

One of them identified himself to me as Jeff, and declined to give his last name. Jeff, a middle-aged white man with gray hair, wearing blue jeans, said he received a call from “my political action committee,” which is part of the Central Labor Council.

(A spokeswoman for the C.L.C. said local unions acted on their own to bring supporters.)

Jeff said he didn’t come down to testify, but to offer moral support, plus his “golf clap,” to the mayor.

Jeff told me he supports the bill, but he also had a misconception that the purpose of the legislation is to put term limits on the ballot--which it's not. Bloomberg is extending term limits from a maximum of two terms to a maximum of three.

When I corrected him, Jeff said he still supports the mayor.

“He does a lot for construction industry. He’s a lot more for the people than the rest of the people, except for stupid little things like congestion pricing and [the ban on] smoking,” Jeff said.

I ran into City Comptroller Bill Thompson on the way back to my desk. He was standing in the rotunda of City Hall, thanking critics for testifying.

Though he doesn't think it will make a difference. 

Thompson said the chances of all the testimony changing Bloomberg‘s mind was “less than 20 percent.” He said, “This legislation exists because the mayor wants it. I don’t hold out much hope.” But, he added, “to see so many people come out is encouraging.” 

“I don’t think public outrage hurts the effort at all.”