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After Membership Survey, Letter Carriers Endorse Clinton |
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After a national survey of its membership, the Letter Carriers (NALC) today endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the 2008 presidential election. The union represents 300,000 active and retired postal workers.
Letter Carriers President William H. Young said the endorsement was due to Clinton’s strong support of policies important to the union’s members, including legislation prohibiting the contracting out of mail carrier jobs. In addition, Young said:
Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to deliver the change we need. She’s ready to lead this country from her first day in the White House.…There is nobody better prepared to take up the battle for universal health insurance, and there is no one I would trust more than Sen. Clinton to strengthen Social Security in order to keep the promises we have made as a nation to our retirees, our disabled workers and to their survivors.
In addition to the Letter Carriers, Clinton recently was endorsed by the Transportation Communications Union (TCU), which represents some 65,000 active and retired workers, mainly in the railroad industry.
The union’s Executive Council announced the endorsement after the legislative conference of the Machinists (IAM), with which TCU is affiliated and which also has endorsed Clinton. The United Transportation Union (UTU) also has endorsed Clinton.
TCU International Vice President Bob Davis said Clinton’s voting record shows her commitment to labor issues:
Hillary is without a doubt the right candidate for our members. She has earned our support by the positions she has taken for workers. She is right on Amtrak, she is right on pensions and she is right on workers’ rights
Three unions have endorsed former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.): the Transport Workers (TWU), the United Steelworkers (USW) and the Mine Workers (UMWA). The Fire Fighters (IAFF) have endorsed Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.).
In August, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said it would not yet make an endorsement for a 2008 candidate, freeing AFL-CIO unions to endorse candidates for the caucuses and primaries. The AFL-CIO will continue the Working Families Vote 2008 campaign to help elect a worker-friendly Congress and president.
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So the Letter Carriers believe Clinton supports their issues addressing contracting out of services. Did they miss the spot light on Hillary and Bill’s attachment to the company she intorduced in Buffulo New York??? You know the one - the guys who specialize in outsourcing American jobs.
When are Union members going to realize that if she has done it in the past - if she owns stock in their companies - if her husband is on their board of directors - if she take money from them to support her run for office, she will probably support their issues above ours, just as she has in the past.
I’ll remember this next time a letter carrier tells me they have a problem getting a contract and need someone to walk a picket line for them.
Not the best choice by a long shot. That should have been apparent from the candidates’ statements in the Postal Record, the NALC monthly.
Many companies and organizations will be endorsing candidates for the upcoming elections. We, as informed citizens, still have to do our homework and make our own choices. There is a lot riding on the ‘08 presidential election, and we have to be very, very careful who we pick.
I respect the decision of the Letter Carriers. 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.