Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Leaflet Worksites

Frank Snyder, Labor 2008 state director for Pennsylvania, joined members from the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council in leafleting construction sites to make sure union members know about Sen. Barack Obama’s record of support for working people.

Early Tuesday morning, business manager Pat Gillespie and affiliate leaders from the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council handed out leaflets at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard and at two construction sites. The Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades leadership is leafleting every day of the week from now until the election to make sure their members know about Barack Obama’s record of supporting working people.

Said Gillespie:

We are going out to various construction sites and other worksites to let our members know the difference between Barack Obama and John McCain. This is one of the easier decisions for a working person to make. Barack Obama stands for working people, he cares about us and our future. John McCain has come up with the same old nonsense, the same old hopeless policy that we’ve suffered under the last eight years.

This race is too close and I worry that it is because of the color of Barack Obama’s skin. We have to look past that and look at what is best for us and for our future and that would be electing Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. This is about the future of working people in America.

As he handed him a leaflet, Butch Grobes, a steward for Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA) Local 690, told Valo Terry of Boilermakers (IBB) Local 19 how important it is to support Barack Obama.

He is for the working people and for our issues.

Terry answered:

I know he is. McCain supports unfair trade agreements and he doesn’t support the middle class or working America. Just look at where the economy is right now. It’s just further proof that the Bush administration and their policies—policies that McCain supports—hurt working people. So I fully support Barack Obama.

Said Fred Chamberlain, IBB Local 19 vice president and Philadelphia Metal Trades Council recording secretary: 

It is so important that we are out here talking to the workers and trying to let them know that Barack Obama supports working people. Our members elected us and they trust us to get this important information to them.

Philadelphia Metal Trades Council President Gary Gaydosh said:

The guys that work with us trust us and come to us for advice. We don’t tell them how to vote but we give them information and hope that they go with their union and the future of working families. We hope that because we talked to them today at the worksite they will support Barack Obama.

Mike Fera, OPCM Local 592 business manager, said:

We are brothers and we are fellow union members. And our future depends on this election. We, as union members, got to get the vote out for Barack Obama. It’s not enough for us to just vote for Obama. It’s about our friends, our family and our union brothers all voting for Obama, too.

So I urge all leaders of all unions to get out to your worksites and talk to your members. We need to elect Barack Obama and it’s up to us to make sure that happens.

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