MontCo Liquor Privatization Plan Opposed

Labor activists and allies plan to turn out in force next Monday night (see Calendar for details) to support union workers at Montgomery County's Department of Liquor Control (DLC). "We can’t let 350 union jobs and $35 million in annual revenue slip away," says UFCW Local 1994's Gino Renne. Although the county has opposed the push to privatize the DLC, proponents -- led by Delegate Charles Williams Frick -- are trying to end-run local opposition by pushing state legislation. The union on Monday accused Frick of violating state ethics laws -- Frick owns a substantial amount of stock in liquor giant Diageo N.A. -- and formally urged the Maryland State Assembly's ethics committee to take action against Frick. Click here to read Jonathan Shurberg's blog post pointing out that the main proponents of privatizing DLC have been in receipt of large campaign donations from major players in the liquor industry.