MPR's Laurel Druley reports that Governor Ventura told the citizens of Rochester he supports President Bush's plan to call up National Guard troops to tighten security at airports across the nation. His comments came as the Governor spent the day in Rochester talking with state employees.
Potentially complicating matters is that if state employees go on strike due to contract dispute, the National Guard might also be needed to assist with state’s vital functions.
LAUREL DRULEY: Governor Ventura stood with war veterans and national guardsmen at the Rochester Veterans Memorial and said he'd feel safer with soldiers positioned at Minnesota airports. Ventura will call up the state troops over the next several days.
JESSE VENTURA: We're at war, and we're at war inside of our own country something we've never seen or heard of before in the United States of America. I don't think you can be too careful, and people are just going to have to accept a little bit of inconvenience. So if people are inconvenienced a little bit, well, so be it. Everyone has to sacrifice for the good of the country.
LAUREL DRULEY: Ventura did not know how many airports would receive additional security or when guard members would be put in place. He says the number of troops needed for airport duty would not spread the force too thin. National guard personnel are on call in the event the state's two largest employee unions go on strike next week. Minnesota has about 12,000 members of the National Guard. Ventura has ordered the guard to be ready to perform vital functions in the event of a strike. The past few weeks, about 1,000 guard members have trained to care for patients at the state's five veterans homes.
The governor said at a luncheon with Rochester department of Transportation workers, he hopes state administrators and employees reach an agreement this weekend. As many as 28,000 state employees could go on strike as early as Monday if they don't reach contract agreements in the next few days. Many MnDOT workers wore unity buttons as a reminder to the governor they're prepared to strike if they have to. Transportation specialist Lloyd Carter wore a t-shirt displaying a cobra that read union proud will strike if provoked. He says the governor should step in and help finalize negotiations.
LLOYD CARTER: The governor can give directives. He can say, well, OK, guys, let's settle this. Let's settle it once and for all. Or they're going to do what the governor wants them to do.
LAUREL DRULEY: Rochester union leader Ken Decramer agrees.
KEN DECRAMER: He's governor. He has control of-- he has a final say. I guess he can come in showing his leadership, and I feel he can do a lot of things to settle this. It's down to the wire now. I mean, the last few days. I know he has influence on it-- on the people, and I hope he uses it to try and work out some kind of settlement, especially now with everything that's happened after the September 11.
LAUREL DRULEY: But the governor says it's not his place to step into the negotiations.
JESSE VENTURA: My role is that I would like to see them come to an agreement, but I'm not a negotiator. Just as they have to understand, I don't jump behind the wheel of the snowplow to do their job. Therefore, I don't try to inflict myself. Everyone has their job to do, and I leave that job up to the negotiators and the people designed to do it.
LAUREL DRULEY: In addition to his visit with local MnDOT workers, soldiers and veterans, Ventura also visited Rochester's affordable housing project, first homes. Friday, the governor will continue his tour of southeastern Minnesota in Lake City and Red Wing visiting with Wisconsin Governor Scott McCallum. Laurel Druley, Minnesota Public Radio, Rochester.
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