01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, June 17, 2004

CERVANTES taught in his novel Don Quixote de la Mancha how one can be foolishly impractical in the pursuit of a perceived ideal. Unfortunately, The Providence Journal editorial board and Governor Carcieri never learned that lesson. Their lonely, quixotic attempts to smear the name of a good and honorable man, Frank J. Montanaro, are as tragic as Don Quixote's jousts with windmills. [Mr. Montanaro is president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and chairman of the board of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, among other posts.]

In their never-ending attempts to control everything and everybody, The Journal editorial board and the governor resort to the most heinous of political strategies -- destroying the reputation of an honorable person. Fortunately, Frank J. Montanaro is a bigger man than these naysayers. And better yet, his 45-year history of honorable public service trumps even the most disingenuous attempts to discredit him.

What the Journal editorial board and the governor are blind to is the very reason their smear campaign will fail. Frank J. Montanaro has a record of accomplishment and public service that transcends their petty partisan politics. In every walk of life, from representing firefighters, serving on the board of the United Way, spearheading the campaign to raise over $1 million for 9/11 victims, serving as a board member of the state's Economic Development Corporation, serving on the Board of the Providence YMCA and his many, many more charitable efforts and public service, he has carved out a 45-year record of dedicated and honorable service.

At some point, the Journal editorial board and Governor Carcieri will realize they are the only passengers on their "train" of personal destruction. The loneliness they find on this trip is indicative of the respect that people have for Frank J. Montanaro. With the exception of a few political hacks who blindly follow the governor, not one person of substance has stepped up and questioned Frank J. Montanaro's integrity, leadership and passion for public service.

Our organization, Working Rhode Island, the largest coalition of union workers in Rhode Island history, will no longer sit idly by and watch a great champion of working people be erroneously labeled. Contrary to the pre-conceived notions of the governor and The Journal, we created this organization to bring respect and dignity back to the workplace. For too long, union bashing has been a simple and convenient tool for all things economically evil -- when in fact unions have had an important and positive impact on our state, our economy and our workers.

Under the leadership of people like Frank J. Montanaro, Rhode Island's unions have been at the forefront of positive change. The spirit of cooperation and trust between labor and management has solved many of our state's greatest problems. Together, we fixed a broken workers' compensation system, we built a world-class airport, a successful convention center and a mall at Providence Place that we all can be proud of. And it doesn't end there. Our unemployment-insurance system improvements were a direct result of the joint efforts of management and labor.

Finally, and contrary to what most people have been led to believe by media reports, unions have made millions of dollars in wage and contract concessions to keep Rhode Island strong. Unfortunately, the "positive" story of sacrifice and hard work is never reported, and people are led to believe that the unions are the problem -- when often we are a critical part of the solution.

Over the past few months, we have tried to reach out to the governor, to work together in a spirit of cooperation. Unfortunately, the governor, supported by The Journal's editorial board, has chosen a different path. He has chosen to demonize unions and embark on personal attacks. This approach is not in the long-term interest of our great state. It is time for the governor and the Journal editorial board to come down from their high horses.

Their attacks on unions and their leaders are as ill-advised as Quixote's tilts at windmills. The attacks are unreasonable and impractical. Further, the attacks send us down a path of confrontation unprecedented in our state's history. Their actions are a grave disservice to the hard-working people who have made Rhode Island so great.

George Nee is secretary-treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. This column was also signed by 12 other labor leaders.