By Steve Gunn
EAGnews.org

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. – Organized labor leaders would like to shed their reputation for thuggish behavior and become known as respectable professionals.

To achieve that elusive goal, they will have to do something about people like Louis Rainone.

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Rainone, 58, secretary of National Education Association Rhode Island, was arrested last Friday for allegedly punching a 62-year- old man in the eye in a public restaurant, according to WPRI.com.

Three witnesses told police they saw Rainone hit the other man, according to the news report.  Rainone claimed he was retaliating because the older man pushed him first.

For the record, Rainone is not a third-grader, and he wasn’t pleading with the playground attendant for leniency. He just sounded like a third-grader pleading for leniency.

Rainone reportedly did even more to reinforce the union stereotype. Before striking his adversary, the union official reportedly told him he was going to “throw him in the ocean.” There was no report on whether Rainone mentioned the possible use of cement shoes for his potential victim.

The incident occurred less than 24 hours after the Rhode Island State Board of Education chose to retain Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, a dedicated school reformer who is hated by the teachers unions.

Perhaps Rainone was in a grumpy mood over the state decision and just had to take it out on someone.

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Rainone was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct and will appear in court June 21, according to the news report.