Easton City Council Candidate Crystal Rose Supports Unions.

On March 23, Hearst Magazines staffers at their Easrton facility staged a walk-out to demand a union contract that offered a better salary and benefits. Many political hopefuls attended, hoping to pick up a vote here and there. But Crystal Stoneback Rose, who is running for Easton City Council, was absent, presumably because she was working.

Over the weekend, I was sent a photograph of one of her campaign signs, located inside the window at Hearst, with an anonymous claim that her campaign is supported by management. "Employees are sooo pissed," I was told. 

I checked, and sure enough there was a sign inside the Hearst window, 

It was gone Monday morning. I decided to reach out to Crystal and get her side of the story. I'm glad I did. Here's her response:

"As a candidate for a local election, a first time for me, it is my hope to educate the voters in Easton about my candidacy, my character, and how I will serve the people of our City. A visit to my website roseforeaston.com familiarizes the viewer about who I am and what I see as priorities if elected to serve. I am a fourth generation Eastonian, the daughter of a former union electric worker (IBEW 1289) who is now retired. My husband and I are Easton Area High School grads, where my mother-in-law taught, a member of the teacher’s union and union rep until her retirement. I am employed full time with Unity Bank. I am and have been devoted to the many non-profit organizations that provide for Easton’s economic development and social services.

"Among my priorities are addressing the needs of our residents (including finding ways for higher paying, quality jobs for them), supporting economic and workforce development initiatives, including maintaining our small businesses and continuing to attract large businesses.

"I am running a clean campaign, on a modest budget, to get the messages out about my candidacy and my priorities using tried and tested methods - through my website, personal conversations with voters, mailings, and of course, through yard signs (which seem to be a favorite among supporters, whether or not they are the most effective media for getting the messages to the voters).

"As I have hit the campaign trail hard, I am fortunate to learn I have so many supporters in the City who seem to agree that my service will benefit the City. My support comes from diverse voters, from all of the neighborhoods throughout the City; some of them are union workers, some are unemployed and looking for work, some are disabled, some are retired, some are managers, some are professionals; all of them have voices that deserve to be heard. That is my pledge.

"I support union workers and independently employed (self-employed) small businesses. I have hired a union printer for my mailers. That person is grateful for my business. I hired a local person to make a limited number of yard signs for the campaign. That person needed and was grateful for the business.

"I am not familiar with how and when each of my yard signs is posted. Supporters call and request signs – some as many as 15 at a time. While I count among my supporters a few people who are employed with Hearst Publications (management, writers, and office workers alike), I was not aware that a sign was posted at that office. I am not involved nor familiar enough with the Hearst personnel matters to speak to it. I have not been asked to nor is it appropriate for me to insert myself in that private company’s labor relations.

"As a general matter, I support all workers’ rights to organize. The research reflects that generally, labor unions produce positive economic, health, and democratic outcomes in the communities in which they are active. See: Banerjee, A. Poydock, M. McNicholas, C, Mangundayao,I and Sait, A., 2021,December 15), “Unions Are not Only Good For Workers, They’re Good for Communities and Democracy”, https://www.epi.org/publication/unions-and-well-being.

"As a member of Easton’s City Council, I will be committed to working with the City’s “management” and our City’s unions to assure those positive outcomes. I look forward to working to develop initiatives, and if necessary, legislation, that will assure that businesses and their workers thrive, including ensuring compliance with Federal labor laws and workers’ rights to unionize."