Electricians Union Leader To Take Over Building Trades Council
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A controversial local union leader has just gotten an even bigger job in organized labor.
John Dougherty, better known as Johnny Doc, has leveraged his leadership of the 6,000-member electricians union into a political machine.
Soon, he'll have some 40,000 workers under his jurisdiction as head of the Building and Construction Trades Council.
The council's current leader, Pat Gillespie, is retiring in December and chose Dougherty to fill out the rest of his term.
Gillespie says Dougherty's political sense will be an asset.
"
A big project doesn't happen without political help. You absolutely need a political bent for this job."
It may also have made him suspect to some council members, but he was approved unanimously.
Board member Pat Eiding says he's convinced Dougherty is committed to using his prowess for labor and not other projects, noting Dougherty doesn't take over until after the November election, in which his brother is running for state Supreme Court.