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Bricklayers Build on Clinton’s Union Support |
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Today the Bricklayers (BAC) announced it would become the fifth union to endorse Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for president.
The executive council of the 100,000-member union voted unanimously to support Clinton after she came out the favorite in a member poll.
Says BAC President John J. Flynn:
During her years in public service and in the U.S. Senate, she has listened, she has learned and she has led the fight on so many of the issues that our members care about most—bringing the war in Iraq to a close, advancing affordable, accessible health care, safeguarding Social Security and Medicare, defending prevailing wage protections, restoring the rights of workers to organize and join unions, and ensuring that our veterans receive the services they so justly deserve. Sen. Clinton has earned our Union’s support—she’s worked hard for BAC members and we intend to work hard for her election.
The Bricklayers join four other AFL-CIO unions in their endorsement of Clinton: the Letter Carriers (NALC), Machinists (IAM), TCU/IAM and the United Transportation Union (UTU). (The Machinists’ endorsement of Sen. Clinton in the Democratic primary was accompanied by an endorsement of former Gov. Mike Huckabee [R-Ark.] in the Republican primary.)
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) has won the support of three unions: the Mine Workers (UMWA), the United Steelworkers (USW) and the Transport Workers (TWU). The Fire Fighters (IAFF) union has 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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I respect the decision of BAC. 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.