Jan Brewer’s gubernatorial campaign and the Arizona Republican party planned protests this week outside union offices to pressure them to end an economic boycott of the state. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union was boycotting Arizona in protest of its SB 1070 immigration law, but ended its boycott yesterday.
Brewer’s campaign wanted to turn the tableson unions by using their usual protest messages against them. The protests included “Shame on UFCW/SEIU” signs because unions often use “Shame on” signs to protest companies that hire non-union workers. The UCFW decided Thursday to call off its boycott, the Phoenix Business Journal reported: “I hope Ms. Brewer joins the call to ‘tone it down’ and help create solutions for both border security and immigration reform,” said UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin. ”It is now time for calm, reasoned discussion that can move forward to first secure our borders, while designing a workable, humane plan to finally reform our nation’s immigration laws,” said McLaughlin.
The UFCW boycott was one of many economy-wounding boycottsin protest of SB 1070. The Service Employees International Union plans to continue its boycott of the state, and the Brewer campaign said it would turn its protest attentions toward them next.