David Brandon and the Domino's Theory

by: David Boyle

Sat Oct 28, 2006 at 16:26:24 PM EDT

  See, e.g., the Detroit Free Press, "Domino’s Pizza driver makes union history", at http://freep.com/app... (and my own earlier Mich Lib post at http://michiganliber... ),

  “Domino’s Pizza delivery driver Jim Pohle could have quit when he saw a competitor offering an extra 25 cents an hour in wages and his bosses wouldn’t match it. But he decided instead to stand up and form the nation’s only pizza drivers union to successfully organize
workers. …
  Tim McIntyre, a spokesman for Ann Arbor-based Domino’s Pizza Inc., said that while the Pensacola franchise was independently owned and operated, the company was disappointed by the union vote.
  “We do not believe it is necessary in our industry, and are surprised that the individual employees in that store voted to turn over their ability to represent themselves to their supervisor to someone else,” he said in a statement. …”

  “Do not believe it is necessary in our industry”? Goodness gracious!

2) Anti-gay-rights issue

  See, e.g., "Gay marriage factors in Senate race in Michigan" at
http://www.hillnews.... ,

  "...Unlike Coors’s more liberal policy, Domino’s does not extend health benefits to partners of gay employees.

  Dana Harville, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mail message that the pizza giant “offers benefits coverage to our full-time members, their children and to their opposite-sex spouses.”

  Harville added that Domino’s, with 150,000 “corporate and franchise team members worldwide,” conducts “diversity education programs throughout the U.S. that incorporate sexual orientation equally with race differences in our program. Our Legal Guide for Team Members (first distributed company-wide on May 6, 2003) specifies that harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited and will not be tolerated.”

  Brandon, in an interview yesterday with The Hill, declined to discuss his company’s personnel policies. “I’m not here to represent Domino’s Pizza on this or any other issue,” Brandon said. “I’d just as soon not branch off into the pizza business.” ..."

  Well, DB, you ARE in the pizza business, and also the discrimination business too, apparently.

3) Bizarre stance on non-discrimination issues

  See the Michigan Daily interview of Brandon, "The Daily Dish: Regent sells pizzas and helps children: David Brandon, CEO of Domino's Pizza and University Regent", at
http://media.www.mic... ,

  "TMD: The addition of the phrase "gender identity and expression" to the nondiscrimination clause of the University's bylaws has been a major issue with the LGBT community on campus. The University has argued that these identities are encompassed in the word "sex." Why not just add the phrase?

  DB: I would favor a statement that says the University will not discriminate against anybody. I don't understand why we continually
have to have discussions about who should and who shouldn't be included, in terms of our nondiscrimination policy, because I think
identifying specific special-interest groups or specific entities within the institution almost implies that unless you're on that list, then somehow we think you should be treated differently than people who are on that list. It should not be about lists."

  Well. First: why isn't there such a statement in place at Domino's (an effective one, not the fake one Domino's cites above), so that health benefits for same-sex partners would exist at Domino's?
  And second: isn't "I would favor a statement that says the University will not discriminate against anybody" a little vague? Hasn't this guy ever heard of civil rights laws? ...Would Brandon not discriminate against child abusers or something? Wow!
  This guy has no idea of how the law works, or anything. It's sad.

4) Michigan Stadium luXXXury boxes

  See, e.g., the Thursday DetNews, College race winners will face challenges: Issues such as tuition rates, stadium fixes await new members of WSU, MSU, U-M boards.,

  "...The Board of Regents at U-M will vote next year on bidding out $226 million in renovations to Michigan Stadium.
  The plan has drawn the ire of some fans because it calls for the construction of 83 luxury suites, which would undermine the stadium's spirit, they say. ...
  David Brandon, a former U-M football player, said he believes the plan is the best decision for coaches, athletes and fans. ..."

  , and my own Mich Lib posts on the stadium/UM regental issue at http://michiganliber... , http://michiganliber... , and http://michiganliber... , with the last post having a comment by the mighty Jon Koller on the importance of the stadium issue.

  So, if Brandon wants to be a point man on:

anti-unionization;

anti-gay stuff both at Domino's and at UM;

and pro-luxury boxes

(not to mention previous lack of support for affirmative action, though like DeVos he presently claims to be against Prop 2, and now says that UM is following the Supreme Court on aff. action! ...last-minute conversion?),

  what kind of Regental candidate is that?

  NOT to mention the skinny I got from one of the Democratic UM Regents (I shan't say who it is), that Brandon isn't doing that good a job on DeVos' campaign, because he wants to leave the way clear for himself to run for Governor!! (Wow!)
  But don't rely on Brandon to sabotage DeVos; I'm sure everyone wants to fight hard against both DeVos and Brandon, and maybe the information in this diary will be helpful in that effort.

  Have a great Saturday, and avoid falling Dominoes!!! !

  (Comments appreciated too, I appreciate your wisdom.)