Everything about this story in the NY Daily News is almost too funny to be true. According to the article, Paul Egan, the political and legislative director for the United Federation of Teachers in NY, along with two dozen other union folks were escorted by police from a “posh” Albany restaurant after a dispute about the size of the portions.
Paul Egan, pictured above, “set off the fracas – claiming the quail he was served, and finished, wasn’t large enough – sources said.”
The NY Daily News continues:
Egan began shouting and demanded to see the manager. The restaurant’s owner soon appeared, and pleaded with Egan to calm down, sources said. When he didn’t, restaurant staffers called the cops. Two officers were dispatched to handle a man who was “yelling and refusing to leave,” Albany Detective James Miller said. “There was a dispute over the bill,” Miller said. “They were refusing to pay.” Miller said members of the party-hearty crew identified themselves to cops as union reps, and he noted Egan “was pretty irate and agitated.”
To hustle the scene-makers out of the dining room, restaurant managers reduced the bill for the group’s prix fixe dinners, Miller said. Officers told Egan the dispute was a civil matter and ordered him to pay the bill – to which he followed up by asking if he was required to leave a tip, sources said. “It was explained he needed to pay the bill and leave because he and the group were causing a disturbance,” Miller said. With the tab finally tallied, cops told the union honchos to hit the road.
OK. Let’s slow down and go over this bit by bit. A bunch of union fat cats were dining in a fancy restaurant near the capitol because I guess that’s how you can best represent the working person.
One of them who, let’s be honest, could stand a few reduced-sized portions threw a fit when he wasn’t given enough food. Blowing a fuse to demand more and more, regardless of whether it is needed, is the defining characteristic of a union boss. So, that makes sense.
Even after the manager reduces the bill, the UFT political and legislative director still wants to stiff the wait-staff by leaving no tip because, again, the union is all about helping your fellow worker.
And if all of this wasn’t hysterical enough, the Daily News adds:
A source with ties to the union said it’s not the first time Egan has been kicked out of a restaurant after making a scene. “He’s done this more than once, though he never got escorted out by the police before that I know of,” the source said. The source recounted Egan loudly complaining during a Christmas-time lunch that he didn’t get enough meatloaf and mashed potatoes. In the end, Egan was bounced from the city eatery but not before the owner tore up his check, the source said.
I love it. This is actually a routine. Perhaps this is something he learned from his work. Raise a big stink and you can get free stuff.
Where else have I seen this kind of behavior. Oh yeah, I remember:
Posted by Jay P. Greene 
Jay P. Greene's Blog 