UPDATE: 11/20 See update over at Michelle Malkin: SEIU leader who threatened Boy Scout quits
… and also from the Morning Call:
Three days of taking body blows nationally from conservative pundits, a rebuke from the Lehigh Valley’s congressman and even a lashing from his own union led Balzano to voluntarily resign his position Thursday as head of the local Service Employees International Union.
Balzano said he and seven other executive officers of the local SEIU stepped down.
Unfortunate outcome to something that could have been easily avoided by simply acknowledging that not everyone needs to bow to the wishes of SEIU.
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Article in the Morning Call of Allentown, PA -
In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park.
Nick Balzano, president of the local Service Employees International Union, told Allentown City Council Tuesday that the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park.
“We’ll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails,” Balzano told the council.
SEIU will be looking into the Boy Scout who did the trails? Seriously?
Isn’t this the same SEIU who’s president has visited the White House more than any other person on this Earth?
Wasn’t this Boy Scout volunteering his time as President Obama has encouraged all Americans to do?
Do we need to check in with the unions, specifically SEIU, prior to performing volunteer work to avoid a visit from a few thugs with baseball bats?
More from the Morning Call -
Balzano said Saturday he isn’t targeting Boy Scouts. But given the city’s decision in July to lay off 39 SEIU members, Balzano said “there’s to be no volunteers.” No one except union members may pick up a hoe or shovel, plant a flower or clear a walking path.
SEIU has spoken!
But, but.. how do we know what we can and can’t volunteer to do? Doesn’t the president want all Americans to volunteer?
Calling service an integral part of how we meet the challenges of our time, President Barack Obama renewed his appeal for all Americans to make service a part of their daily lives in an address to 2,000 service leaders gathered at the Points of Light Institute’s “Presidential Forum on Service” at Texas A& M University on October 16th.
Perhaps President Obama should send out a clarification. Perhaps we should make service a part of our daily lives as long as that service has been authorized by the local chapter of SEIU or is sanctioned by ACORN as an appropriate use of our time and energy.
Thankfully it appears this young scout may be given a reprieve because of the attention this has received:
“We are probably going to let this one go,” Balzano said .
Probably… maybe he should lock the doors just in case.
Folks losing their jobs is sad and an unfortunate consequence of an economy that is being driven into the ground by our “leaders” in Congress.
But this scout did not take anyone’s job. No one was going to be hired to complete this project. The only thing that would have been “accomplished” by stopping this scout is the path would still be inaccessible to folks who can now enjoy some fresh air and exercise along its route.
So happy SEIU has such influence over our president and, apparently, our lives.
More from FoxNews here.
