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Pennsylvania’s Labor 2008 Program in Full Swing |
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The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO has kicked its political program into high gear. Last week, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO General Board affirmed its commitment to get out the union vote to elect Sen. Barack Obama and a working family-friendly Congress.
The presidential contest in Pennsylvania was decided by a few percentage points in 2000 and 2004, and it’s a crucial state this year as well. Every vote will count, and a strong, energized union movement will make the difference.
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO’s Labor 2008 political program already is mobilizing union members across the state through worksite leafleting, door-to-door walks and more. Volunteers around the state are educating union members about Obama’s record and his vision for the country.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George says Obama is a candidate who’s on the side of working families, not corporate special interests.
Barack Obama comes from a working-class family, with working-class values. He fought for equal pay, minimum wage, prevailing wage improvements, card check, responsible bidder and unemployment for locked-out workers. He stands up for working people and he will turn our economy around so that all Americans will benefit from fair trade, affordable health care, pension protections and the right to form a union.
George also announced the state federation’s endorsements in all 19 of the state’s U.S. House districts, as well as for the state House, Senate, auditor and treasurer.
These candidates have proven themselves to be the friends and supporters of working families. They understand that workers are struggling in this economy with stagnant wages, soaring prices for health care, gas and food. They advocate and support an agenda that mirrors the priorities of the labor movement. We are confident that they will put this country back on track toward prosperity and opportunity for all, not the few.
U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, from western Pennsylvania’s 4th District, is one of the four new members of Congress elected in 2006, and he understands the union vote was crucial in sending him and other pro-worker candidates to Congress from Pennsylvania that year.
The reason we had the change that we saw in November of 2006 was because of the work of organized labor and of working families getting involved in the political process, talking about health care, talking about education costs and fuel costs, Social Security and pensions. We need to continue moving forward, talking about those issues, and we’re going to continue this fight through November.
Altmire is a supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, which he calls “very necessary” to ensure workers’ freedom to form unions and fight for their rights in the workplace.
In addition to Altmire, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO has endorsed three other new members running for their critical first re-election: Reps. Joe Sestak (7th District), Patrick Murphy (8th District) and Chris Carney (10th District).
For a full list of federal endorsements, check out the Pennsylvania page at Working Families Vote 2008.
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Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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