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Democratic Candidates Speak Out in Support of Auto Workers |
Seven Democratic presidential candidates have made public statements in support of the 73,000 striking workers at General Motors Corp. (GM) plants around the country. So far, no Republican presidential candidates have issued statements.
UAW members went on strike yesterday after what UAW President Ron Gettelfinger called GM’s “one-sided negotiations” that failed to provide adequate job security to its employees. The union already had given GM a nine-day extension to negotiate a fair contract, which expired Sept. 14.
Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.):
I fully support the UAW’s right to strike. American automakers have made promises to their hard-working employees and must do their best to uphold those commitments. Both sides in these talks are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I urge them to return to the table and find a resolution as quickly as possible. Today’s events remind us that American automakers need help with health care costs. To keep health care affordable I believe we have to help employers or union-run health plans with catastrophic costs to keep health care affordable for workers, retirees, and their families.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.):
There is a role for presidential leadership. Over the last several years the Big Three automakers and the UAW sought repeatedly to have a meeting in the White House with the president to talk about the issues that affected our auto industry and they were rebuffed repeatedly. Finally there was a meeting that occurred with no follow-up.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.):
The United Auto Workers is taking a brave step forward on behalf of all union members today by standing up for their very basic rights to organize and fight for quality and secure health care for their members. I have long supported the right to collectively bargain, the need for safe workplaces, fair wages, and secure retirements for our nation’s workers. I find it terribly discouraging that such a prominent company as General Motors does not appear to share these beliefs, and is putting other priorities ahead of the health and well-being of its workers. Working people in this country are the key to a strong, vibrant and expanding middle class—no company should stand in the way of that. I hope that the strong action taken by the UAW demonstrates to GM that its unwillingness to negotiate is simply unacceptable.
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.):
I offer my strong support to the striking auto workers and look forward to a fair and speedy settlement that will improve the lives of these hard-working UAW members. And I call on General Motors to do what is right and realize that it has a responsibility to negotiate fairly and move quickly to settle a contract that respects the health, safety and economic security of the auto workers and their families. I also salute the courage of the auto workers to go on strike. Their fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, affordable health care and a secure retirement helps raise standards for workers all across America.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio):
I strongly support the leadership and the membership of the UAW in their efforts to secure a new contract that provides job security, a fair wage, and solid benefits for workers and retirees…Until we have a truly universal, national, not-for-profit health insurance system that covers all Americans, workers will continue to be asked to bear the burden of paying more and more and getting less and less in return. And the retirement security of millions of UAW members will be at risk. I have always stood with my union brothers and sisters, and I’m proud to stand with the UAW now.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.):
The demands the union is fighting for—job security, the health benefits they were promised—are things that all workers should expect and that UAW members deserve. General Motors owes it to the UAW to come back to the bargaining table so that union members can go back to work.
Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.):
I am disappointed that it has come to this. But how can we ask American workers to secure our nation’s economic future if we do not allow them to secure theirs? Things have to change. For too long, workers have held up their end of the bargain while employers and the government have failed to do the same. A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, decent benefits, and reasonable job security. I hope that this strike will come to a quick resolution that is fair for both sides. As a nation, we have to do better by working families. I have the experience to bring people together and produce real change in this country. As President, I will nominate a union member as my Secretary of Labor and will stand with working Americans.
For more information on presidential candidates and their stand on working family issues, check out Working Families Vote 2008.
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Wow! only 6 candidates have come out in support of the UAW strike. Are you sure about that. I’d hate to think that the UAFL-CIO is intentionally ommitting other candidates, say, like…DENNIS KUCINICH! ? He is STILL the only card carrying UNION member running for President…REMEMBER??! How can you carelessly ignore his statement? This wouldn’t be a political move by the powers that be within the AFL-CIO, would it? For the love of God, I hope not—otherwise SHAME ON YOU!
Well, for those of us Union Members who ARE Kucinich supporters here is his startement:
Kucinich supports UAW members
Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, the only card-carrying union member among the Democratic candidates, issued a statement of support today for the UAW members who have gone on strike against General Motors.
“I strongly support the leadership and the membership of the UAW in their efforts to secure a new contract that provides job security, a fair wage, and solid benefits for workers and retirees,” Kucinich said.
He said that business decisions by GM management, not its workers, have contributed to the company’s financial problems. “You can’t blame UAW members for those bad decisions, and it’s unfair for the company to try to pay for those decisions by demanding more and bigger concessions from workers.”
The cost of health care for employees and retirees, he noted, is a significant factor, as is job security, “and those two issues are inextricably tied together. Until we have a truly universal, national, not-for-profit health insurance system that covers all Americans, workers will continue to be asked to bear the burden of paying more and more and getting less and less in return. And the retirement security of millions of UAW members will be at risk.”
“The members of the UAW have done everything within reason over the years to help ensure the continued viability of General Motors. They’ve done their part, now it’s time for GM to step up to the plate and stop asking for more givebacks and concessions.”
“I have always stood with my union brothers and sisters,” said Kucinich, “and I’m proud to stand with the UAW now.”
Thanks for pointing this out, alhidalgo. We did check all the 2008 candidate websites earlier today; perhaps the statement by Rep. Kucinich wasn’t up at that time.
We’ve now added it to the post.
You should remove Hillary’s comments from this post, she said nothing in support of UAW members. She said something having very little to do with both parties involved but nothing about the strike. She does not support labor any more than her husband and just because Bush has been so much worse, let’s not glorify the Bill era, the guy was a nightmare. People in the labor movement need to stop getting starstruck every time a politician gives a lukewarm acknowledgement that unions exist.
You should remove Hillary’s comments from this post, she said nothing in support of UAW members. She said something having very little to do with both parties involved but nothing about the strike. She does not support labor any more than her husband and just because Bush has been so much worse, let’s not glorify the Bill era, the guy was a nightmare. People in the AFL-CIO need to stop getting starstruck every time a politician gives a lukewarm acknowledgement that unions exist.
Dennis Kuchinch hit the nail on the head, until we have true Universal health care, corporate snakes will continue to erode and chip away the benefits hard working people have deserved. Corporate CEOs who continue to get outrageous bonuses for doing nothing and then try to cut costs on the backs of the working class are a big reason to organize! Cutting pensions and health care for retirees is un-American and an outrage!
HR 676 is the solution to the health care crisis. Over 300 Union organizations across the nation and 23 state AFL CIOs have endorsed this legislation.
Where does the National AFL CIO stand? We pay dues to you, get on board!
For-profit health care plans are fattening the pigs of the health care industry with less approved medical care and rising co-pays.
Whether GM holds true to the promise of job security, that is something to keep an eye on. Good work UAW! Glad the strike did not drag on. Now let’s see how Chrysler and Ford pan out.
Now the UAW is going to have more control over retiree health care. Great—but how long will that fund be sufficient? It’s better to have it separate from GM holdings, I suppose, but will the UAW be the best stewards of that trust? Time will tell.