PITTSBURGH, PA. - For decades, Western PA political operative Mike Mikus, who runs the Chartiers Group, has worked for unions including the Steelworkers, the Firefighters, and the local Allegheny-Fayette AFL-CIO.
As a result of heavy labor backing, he successfully led election efforts for conservative Democrats in Western PA including former Congressman Jason Altmire, former Congressman Mark Critz, and former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
Therefore, I was shocked when I discovered that Mikus, who’s heading “Common Sense Change,” the independent expenditure group working to oust progressive Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, was working with the anti-union firm Global Strategy Group (GSG).
Currently, Gainey is locked in a tight re-election primary race against Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor, the son of a former Mayor.
The O’Connor campaign has focused heavily on crime in Pittsburgh and has been accused of running a race-baiting campaign against Gainey, the city’s first Black Mayor. O’Connor, who has received heavy backing from developers in the city, has also focused on attacking Gainey’s attempts to implement inclusionary zoning and other affordable housing policies.
In television ads, O’Connor has emphasized that he is a “progressive” and highlighted his support for paid sick leave from his time as Pittsburgh City Councilman. However, campaign finance records show that O’Connor has actually received $160,000 from donors who also supported Donald Trump.
“Trump’s MAGA megadonors, his consultants and corporate interests, are trying to buy the mayor’s office by attacking me,” Gainey told The Nation Magazine.
Now, Payday Report has learned that “Common Sense Change,” the dark money group aligned closely with the O’Connor camp, is working with the anti-union firm Global Strategy Group.
In mid-March, a poll commissioned by “Common Sense Change,” conducted by the Global Strategy Group, showed O’Connor was leading Gainey by a margin of 55%-32%.
“Gainey’s behind in a big way,” Mikus told Jewish Insider. “I wouldn’t quite say his campaign is dead on arrival, but he is in deep, deep trouble. I’ve never seen an incumbent mayor in this bad a shape politically heading into an election.”
The poll helped to create the impression that Gainey was trailing badly. After its publication, there was a slew of negative press coverage of Gainey, which many political observers say hurt his campaign.
However, in presenting himself as a “progressive” political operative when speaking to the press, Mikus has failed to reveal that he worked with the Global Strategy Group, a political consulting firm, which has worked heavily for Democrats, but also has done anti-union work.
In 2022, union leaders protested when it was discovered Global Strategy Group did anti-union work for Amazon as they attempted to bust union drives in New York City and in Alabama. Global Strategy Group’s anti-union tactics were so egregious that they faced NLRB’s charges.
Global Strategy Group was also accused of breaking federal law by failing to fulfill their requirements to register their anti-union work with the Department of Labor
In addition to their work against unionizing at Amazon, Global Strategy Group has also worked against teachers union and efforts to unionize at Lyft and Uber.
“This is really really disgusting,” said American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten in 2022. “Why would any firm that is connected to a party that believes in the values of collective bargaining and worker voice help Amazon fight a union drive.”
Several unions including the AFT and SEIU put the Global Strategy Group on a “scab list” and forbid their affiliates from working with them. Several leading Democrats and state parties also dropped the Global Strategy Group.
“We will not be working with GSG in the future,” said the Nevada Democratic Party. “We are outraged to learn of GSG’s involvement in the effort to bust labor organizing at Amazon.”
Given that a majority of Global Strategy Group's clients were Democratic politicians, the firm decided to drop its anti-union work with Amazon in 2022 to stave off an exodus of their clients in the Democratic parties.
However, the union busters and firms, who approved anti-union campaigns are still employed at Global Strategy Group. Some campaigns continue using the law firm, whose leaders decided to work as union busters for hire.
When reached for comment, Mikus defended using the Global Strategy Group and affirmed his pro-union principles.
“Everyone involved in our efforts is strongly pro-union which is why language is included in our contract making it clear they will not do any work that opposes organizing efforts, including participating in campaigns that make it harder for workers to organize or qualify for benefits," GSG does not currently work for Amazon and has not since 2022."
Payday attempted to reach the O’Connor campaign, whose campaign has received endorsements from several unions, for comment about how they felt about an independent expenditure group working to elect him that is working with an anti-union firm. O’Connor’s campaign did not respond for comment.
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