Illinois Republican candidate for Governor Bill Brady recently sent your editor a letter, asking for $30 a month to oppose Democratic Governor Pat Quinn and stop "the union bosses."

Senator Brady, who are these "union bosses" you are referring to?

As a State Senator, you stood for election.   It's been a long time since you've had an opponent for state senator.  Every union officer has to stand for election. Only about a third of the unions in your Bloomington hometown can afford a full-time, elected officer. Most "union bosses" in Bloomington are volunteers, somIetimes paid a small monthly stipend. Some serve for free, doing their best to insure fairness for their fellow workers.

A local union can’t spend money without the membership’s vote and approval. The local union votes on any wages, stipend or expenses that elected officers incur in their duties. Those wages, benefits and stipends are set by membership vote before anyone is elected.

You can call your friends and neighbors "union bosses," we call them elected representatives. It’s this basic little thing called democracy, where people elect their own leaders. Check it out, don’t disparage it.