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United Transportation Union Endorses Clinton |
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The United Transportation Union (UTU) has offered its endorsement to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the 2008 presidential election. The UTU is the first AFL-CIO union to make an official endorsement in the 2008 election.
In a statement released today on the endorsement, UTU International President Paul Thompson said:
The UTU has a long history of picking winners early. Hillary will be a president that America’s working families can count on. Time and again, as a United States senator, she has stood with us.
The UTU intends to devote our considerable resources to encouraging our 125,000 active and retired members, their families, friends and neighbors to register to vote and cast ballots on Election Day 2008 for Hillary.
Earlier this month, the AFL-CIO Executive Board said it would not yet make an endorsement for a 2008 candidate, but noted that each of the AFL-CIO-affiliated unions is free to endorse candidate for the caucuses and primaries. More endorsements are expected in coming days.
As the AFL-CIO council noted:
While there are differences among the candidates on a number of issues, we found that the candidates competing for the nomination of the Democratic Party are far more likely to advocate positions in support of working families than are the candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party.
The Democratic candidates are strong on the issues most central to working people’s lives. Nonetheless, continued engagement with them is essential to promote full understanding of workers’ difficulties and dreams. It is clear that a number of the Democratic candidates have the experience and the credentials to lead our nation. And it is equally clear that our members support a number of the candidates—many union members have told us all the candidates are impressive and they are eager to support many of them.
The Executive Council said the AFL-CIO will continue the Working Families Vote 2008 mobilization and education campaign in coming months, to give union members the opportunity to learn more about the candidates and a chance for the candidates to hear from working families.
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I respect the decision of UTU. It’s a tough choice, but I think it’s only fair to remind your membership of Clinton’s votes against Labor.
S. 3569—The Oman Free Trade Agreement expands the failed model of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Like NAFTA and CAFTA, the Oman agreement does not contain adequate environmental protections or enforceable protections for such core worker rights as the freedom of association. Oman is not a democracy, and its workers are unable to form independent unions or to bargain collectively. At the same time, the agreement allows any company incorporated in Oman to sue the U.S. government, undermining the ability of state and local governments to protect public health, strong communities and the environment. The bill passed June 29, 2006.
(Senator Obama also voted for the Oman Free Trade Agreement)
H.R. 6—The overhaul of the nation’s energy policy (H.R. 6) is expected to create thousands of jobs through the construction of pipelines, power plants and new nuclear power facilities. It also would allow the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve the construction, expansion or operation of any facility that imports or processes natural gas, including liquefied natural gas. The Senate passed the conference report on the bill July 29, 2005.
S. 2020—As part of the budget reconciliation process, which included tax cut and spending cut legislation, the Bush administration and congressional Republican leaders were seeking $70 billion in tax cuts, mostly for the wealthy, paid for in part by huge cuts in vital working family programs. After some changes, the Senate passed a $60 billion tax cut bill, with more than three-quarters of the benefits going to families with $100,000 or more in annual income. The bill passed Nov. 18, 2005.
H.R. 2739—U.S. and international labor and human rights activists long have fought to include strong and enforceable workers’ rights standards, including the freedom of association, in trade agreements. The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement negotiated by the Bush administration did not include enforceable core labor standards. The agreement also contained a new temporary guest-worker program for professional workers entering the United States from Singapore. The bill passed July 31, 2003.
H.R. 2738—U.S. and international labor and human rights activists long have fought to include strong and enforceable workers’ rights standards, including the freedom of association, in trade agreements. The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement negotiated by the Bush administration did not include enforceable core labor standards. The agreement also contained a new temporary guest-worker program for professional workers entering the United States from Chile. The bill passed July 31, 2003.
H.R 3295—The Help America Vote Act overhauls our nation’s election system by creating minimum national standards for voting machines, provisional ballots and statewide voter registration lists. The conference report passed Oct. 16, 2002, 92-2.
Here’s where my candidate stands on Labor: http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=R5yUfh7zFJA&sdig=1
Like I said, I know it’s a tough choice. I hope you’ll join me in making the right one.