Under the table

When I ran for 50th Ward Alderman in 1983, I was having lunch with a union representative. The union wanted to help me but was afraid of retribution from the Machine.

So, the union rep handed me his group’s membership list - under the table, as if we were spies and he was giving me classified documents.

“Call these people,” he said. “They’ll help you.”

A lot of them did. The union stayed neutral in the race and avoided political retribution.