For Immediate Release
Friday, September 11, 1998
Statement by AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee on Governor Wilson’s Executive Order in Defiance of the Will of the Voters
"Today, Governor Pete Wilson made a mockery of the democratic process by issuing an Executive Order that flies in the face of California voters who clearly found that ‘paycheck deception’ initiatives were unfair. By issuing an Executive Order on a matter that was debated fully and was voted on by the state’s voters just earlier this summer, Governor Wilson has shown that he has little regard or respect for the judgment of California voters.
"In June, the voters made it clear that they would not tolerate the passage of ‘Paycheck Deception’ action. They understood -- despite a barrage of misinformation by Wilson and his cronies -- that such action would have the chilling effect of silencing working people and their unions.
"In November, it will be clear to Governor Wilson that his Executive Order had the unintended result of once again energizing and mobilizing union members all across the state. To that end, Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis and other like-minded candidates will reap the rewards of a committed and motivated Labor Movement."
