During a press conference in support of privatizing Pennsylvania’s liquor stores, Big Labor Boss Wendell W. Young, repeatedly shouted and interrupted speakers at the podium.  Young, who received $287,386 in compensation last year, is the Local 1776 representative for United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents many of Pennsylvania’s liquor store employees.

Commonwealth Foundation’s President Matthew Brouillette captured the above video of Young cursing and yelling “that’s a picture of profit before people, folks”  and “Aw, B*ll Sh*t, there’s not going to be any money.”

Governor Tom Corbett announced his plan to privatize alcohol stores in Pennsylvania (yes, Pennsylvania only allows state-owned stores to sell wine and spirits) back in January. Grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, large retailers and beer distributors would be able to file applications to sell beer and wine as almost all other states allow. Governor Corbett would then use the $1 billion in revenues from his plan to fund public education.  Unsurprisingly, public sector labor unions, who receive union dues from the state liquor store workers, have opposed this plan. But a recent poll (conducted by FM3) found more than 3 out of 5 Pennsylvania voters support privatizing the 80-year-old state store system, with more than 41 percent strongly favoring the measure.

Six business groups held the press conference to show their support for Corbett’s liquor store privatization plan. A group of protesters, many of whom were liquor store workers, heckled throughout the press conference.  But it was Wendell W. Young who was the loudest.  Invoking union protesters in Wisconsin in an interview afterwards with National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Young felt his actions and those of the other protesters were justified.

In 2004, Young was asked about whether unions overpay some at the top and underpay everybody else. He answered “[i]n most cases, people are underpaid…I think salaries are a problem. They’re too low for too many people, but too high for a few.”  Since making that comment in 2004, Young has raked in over $1.8 million in salary.  His total compensation was $287,386 in 2011, whereas his average union member’s salary was merely $31,022 according to the Commonwealth Foundation.

As has been said in Wisconsin many times over the past few years, SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!