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ILWU Backs Obama for President
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The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in the presidential race.The 60,000-member union is the fifth one afilliated with the AFL-CIO to back Obama.
ILWU President Bob McEllrath says Obama would be the best candidate on key issues like trade, health care and workers’ freedom to form unions:
America’s working families are ready for a candidate with a fresh approach who will put people first and hold corporations more accountable. Obama met with us, listened to our concerns, and we think he’ll do the best job on the issues that matter most to working families.
Among AFL-CIO afilliates, Obama also has been endorsed by the Boilermakers (IBB), the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA), the Utility Workers (UWUA) and the Transport Workers (TWU), which initially gave an endorsement to former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.).
Two other unions that endorsed Edwards, the Mine Workers (UMWA) and United Steelworkers (USW), have not announced any plans to endorse another candidate for president.
Twelve unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO have endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.): AFSCME, AFT, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Bricklayers (BAC), Letter Carriers (NALC), Machinists (IAM), Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), TCU/IAM, Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and United Transportation Union (UTU).
The IAM and IUPAT endorsements of Clinton in the Democratic primaries were accompanied by endorsements of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Republican primaries.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the UAW have announced they will not make endorsements during the primary season. The Fire Fighters (IAFF) union, which endorsed Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), has not announced a new endorsement.
In August, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said it would not yet make an endorsement for a 2008 presidential 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.
The next contests in the 2008 presidential election will be held tomorrow, with primaries in Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont and Texas, which has a primary/caucus format.
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UNION SUPPORT FOR SENATOR BARACK OBAMA IS GREATER THAN THIS ARTICLE PORTRAYS!!!
To be completely fair to the Union Locals of the Change to Win coalition who have signed Solidarity Charters and paid per capita taxes with numerous AFL-CIO State Federations across the Country; it is important to advance the following Press Release from earlier today.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2008
CONTACT: Greg Denier
Noreen Nielsen
202-721-0660
WASHINGTON, DC – Following is a statement from Change to Win leadership denouncing the latest smear tactics on Sen. Barack Obama’s trade positions.
“Our unions decided to endorse Senator Barack Obama because of his strong stand on the issue of fair trade. In all of our discussions with him, it became clear that Senator Obama is the strongest candidate to protect America’s workers and the environment through a new trade policy. We firmly believe that Senator Obama is the strongest candidate to stand up for American jobs in future trade agreements. On NAFTA, we believe him when he says he will “use the hammer of a potential opt-out as leverage to ensure that we actually get labor and environmental standards that are enforced.
“We are disappointed that the Clinton campaign has decided to peddle a memo from a low level bureaucrat of an anti-worker Canadian administration that is in complete contradiction to the actual positions of Senator Obama. Our members should remember that it was the Clinton Administration that was the driving force behind the passage of NAFTA in 1993 and its aggressive campaign for NAFTA is a big reason the Democrats lost the House in 1994.
“We support Senator Obama and stand with him in his commitment to a trade policy that benefits American workers.”
Anna Burger, Chair
Edgar Romney, Secretary-Treasurer
Joe Hansen, President, UFCW
James P. Hoffa, President, Teamsters Union
Bruce Raynor, President, UNITE-HERE
Andy Stern, President, SEIU
(It’s not like this information will be posted timely enough, if at all, to have any positive effect on the Democratic Primaries of March 4th for Senator Obama. Thanks anyway, though!)
I do believe there is no way any president can be worse than Bush when it comes to the working families.