Weingarten: "I'm going to make some changes in the union"

Union president Randi Weingarten said that she is going to “make some changes in the union” to correct the cue-card lobbying that happened at Monday’s City Council hearing, which she called inappropriate. Weingarten made the comments on Fox 5’s Good Day New York. (Here’s where you can view our slideshow of exactly what the cards the union sent to council members said.)

Yet despite her mea culpa, Weingarten defended the union’s right to help elected officials prepare for hearings:

You do your job as advocates — and we are fierce advocates — when you do everything you can to make sure that people are prepared. That’s your job. But you don’t do something that creates the appearance of impropriety.

I wrote to some union officials asking what exactly will change in the union’s lobbying practice, which they have argued is not the way they usually do business. I haven’t heard back.

The Daily News’ Liz Benjamin reported on the video earlier today. She also, generously, and, unfortunately, against convention, acknowledged that we reported this story first. Thanks, Liz!