After Polling Members, CWA Won’t Endorse

by Seth Michaels, Nov 16, 2007

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced yesterday the national union will not make an early endorsement in the 2008 presidential primaries. CWA locals and councils, however, are able to make their own endorsements.

The decision was made as a result of the union’s CWA Votes effort, which polled members around the country about their preferences in the 2008 race. More than 30,000 member votes came in. CWA President Larry Cohen said the results of polling reflect the wide-open nature of the race. According to Cohen:

Voters made clear that they preferred no endorsement by the national union at this time. Therefore, our union’s executive board is refraining from making an early endorsement but voted to release locals and CWA councils to make their own endorsements.

In an e-mail sent to members, CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach said nearly 80 percent of CWA members voted for Democratic candidates. Member support is split among Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.). Rechenbach urged CWA members to consider these questions when they go to vote:

• Does the candidate support fair trade, not free trade?

• Does the candidate support the Employee Free Choice Act?

• Does the candidate fully back health care for all?

• Does the candidate support maintaining Social Security and Medicare as government initiatives, not private-sector programs?

• Does the candidate support reform of pension laws that help working families?

All three of the top presidential candidates among CWA members are co-sponsors of the Employee Free Choice Act and proposed major health care reform initiatives. Several AFL-CIO unions have made endorsements thus far. Clinton has won the endorsement of AFSCME, the AFT, the Bricklayers (BAC), the Letter Carriers (NALC), Machinists (IAM), TCU/IAM and the United Transportation Union (UTU). (IAM’s endorsement of Clinton in the Democratic primary was accompanied by an endorsement of former Gov. Mike Huckabee [R-Ark.] in the Republican primary.) Edwards 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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