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Painters and Allied Trades Endorses Clinton |
The Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) union has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for president in 2008.
The endorsement came as a result of a major outreach program to the union’s 160,000 active members and retirees. All members and retirees received a survey by mail.
IUPAT General President James Williams says this was the most extensive member polling the union has ever done.
We thought the only way to be completely open and fair about our endorsement was to poll our members to understand which candidate they thought would do the best job.
Of the votes received, 83 percent backed Democratic candidates. Clinton won 48 percent of members’ voters. According to Williams, Clinton earned more votes than any other candidate by a wide margin.
Our members have spoken and they have overwhelmingly chosen Sen. Clinton as the IUPAT candidate for president. They told us that they want retirement security, health care reform and a leader in the White House who can deliver the change this country needs. Sen. Clinton, the members of the Painters and Allied Trades believe in you, and we’re ready to help you win in 2008.
Clinton has won the endorsement of 11 additional unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO: AFSCME, AFT, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the Bricklayers (BAC), the Letter Carriers (NALC), the Machinists (IAM), the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), the Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), TCU/IAM, the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the United Transportation Union (UTU).
IAM’s endorsement of Clinton in the Democratic primaries was accompanied by an endorsement of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Republican primaries.
Three national unions are backing former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) in the Democratic primaries: the Mine Workers (UMWA), Transport Workers (TWU) and United Steelworkers (USW). 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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Where are the endorsements for Senator Obama? Being from Illinois, I can say that this guy is a hard core Union advocate. He singlehandedly removed a tool from the corporate toolbox, as an Illinois senate member, that made lockouts distasteful in Illinois. He accomplished this by making all workers immediately eligible for unemployment compensation when they are locked out by the company. He cares about working men and women! His actions follow his words. We all need to support this man so we have a friend in the White House.
I don’t know if we can make this any clearer: HILARY CLINTON IS NOT A SUPPORTER OF UNIONS. PERIOD!! Despite her BS rhetoric, she supports NAFTA. Need I say more? All of these Unions (or rather Union officials)that are supporting her must be getting paid handsomely. Unbelievable!
I respect the decision of IUPAT. 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.