Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Unions and Their Endorsements...so far

From the National AFL-CIO Website

AFL-CIO Unions on Election 2008AFL-CIO affiliates play a crucial role in educating and engaging 10 million union members and their families about what's at stake for working families in elections. Watch this space: As the election season heats up, more AFL-CIO unions will be covering the issues that will get working families to the polls—and the candidates' positions on them.
Already some AFL-CIO unions have sponsored candidate forums focused on working family issues.
AFSCMEMore than 800 AFSCME members and retirees attended a Democratic Presidential Forum on working family issues in Carson City, Nev., on Feb. 21. Sponsored by AFSCME and moderated by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, the forum included candidates Joe Biden, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson and Tom Vilsack. Find out more.
AFSCME has endorsed Clinton for president.
AFTOn May 16, the AFT hosted Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson and John Edwards at their Executive Council meeting. On their presidential campaign site, "AFT: You Decide 2008," members were asked to send in questions they most wanted the candidates to answer. AFT selected seven questions out of more than 750 submissions. Find out more.
AFT has endorsed Clinton for president.
ATU
The Amalgamated Transportation Union has endorsed Clinton for president.
BricklayersThe Bricklayers union has endorsed Clinton for president.
Building and Construction Trades DepartmentThe AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department—which represents more than 2 million working men and women—hosted a candidate forum March 28 following the group's legislative conference in Washington, D.C. The trades union members heard from Joe Biden, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson. See the daily feed.
Communications Workers of AmericaThe Communications Workers of America has lauched CWA Votes, a website providing information about presidential candidates. The site also provides a member poll to solicit input for the CWA endorsement.
As a result of member polling, the CWA announced in November that the national union would not make an endorsement in the president primaries.
Fire FightersThe Fire Fighters hosted the first bipartisan presidential forum of the 2008 election cycle March 14, in conjunction with the union's legislative conference. Candidates who took part included Joe Biden, Sam Brownback, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, James Gilmore, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson. Check out the videos.
Letter CarriersThe Letter Carriers union has endorsed Clinton for president.
MachinistsThe Machinists hosted four presidential candidates at its 2007 National Staff Conference. IAM members heard from Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, Mike Huckabee and Dennis Kucinich. Check out video of the event here.
The IAM has endorsed Clinton in the Democratic primary and Huckabee in the Republican primary.
Mine WorkersThe Mine Workers union has endorsed Edwards for president.
Office and Professional EmployeesThe Office and Professional Employees union has endorsed Clinton for president.
Painters and Allied Trades The Painters and Allied Trades union has endorsed Clinton for president.
Sheet Metal WorkersThe Sheet Metal Workers union has endorsed Clinton for president.
TCU/IAMThe TCU/IAM has endorsed Clinton for president.
Theatrical Stage Employees
The Theatrical Stage Employees union has endorsed Clinton for president.
Transport WorkersThe Transport Workers has endorsed Edwards for president.
UAW The UAW announced in December that the national union will not make an endorsement in the presidential primaries.
United SteelworkersThe United Steelworkers sponsored a national presidential candidates forum July 5-6 in Cleveland on renewing America’s manufacturing base. More than 1,000 USW members from Ohio and other industrial states were joined by their families at the forum. Candidates who took part included Joe Biden, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich.
The USW has endorsed Edwards for president.
United Transportation UnionThe United Transportation Union has endorsed Clinton for president.

Stewards Army Beats Verizon Deregulation Drive in Virginia

From the CWA National Web Site-Good Action by both Labor and Politician's
January 17, 2008
Action by the Stewards Army produced a big win in Virginia for Verizon consumers. In response to CWA's campaign to safeguard Verizon consumers and quality service and keep oversight of a critical public utility, Verizon has dropped its efforts in the state legislature to end the regulation of the sale of a telephone company.
District 2 staff, CWA locals throughout the state and the Virginia AFL-CIO are continuing to fight Verizon's attempt to end regulation of basic telephone service rates across the board for residential and business customers. Bills pending in both houses of the legislature would permit the total price deregulation of Verizon's operations; last year the State Corporation Commission had established a competitive test to assess whether prices could be deregulated.
In testimony to regulators and other public officials, CWA members have cited numerous examples of Verizon's failure to maintain basic telephone service across the state; the company is focusing attention on the build-out of FiOS – fiber optic Internet, television and phone service – in select areas but isn't building these next-generation networks in most communities in the state.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Who is with us...?

John Edwards: In New Hampshire, He's Alone Saying "Union" Unprompted
by Jonathan TasiniSunday 06 of January, 2008
Over the past few months, I, and others, have pointed out that John Edwards is clearly the strongest advocate for organized labor. Up here in New Hampshire, where I've been for the past couple of days, I think that has become more clear. That became clear yesterday.
All the Democratic candidates, if asked, will all profess their love for the labor movement. And I part company, slightly, with some of Edwards supporters, who have tried to paint other candidates, particularly Sens. Obama and Clinton, has being hostile to unions.
I think the important difference is what candidates say, in their messages, when they are not asked specifically about unions. What do the say when they aren't asked specifically whether they support the Employee Free Choice Act (which elicits a no-brainer answer that, of course, every Democrat supports EFCA). Because that, I believe, gives some indication about what we can expect from a president when the hard fights come for the labor movement.
So, yesterday, I was with a group of United Auto Workers activists and leaders who were trudging through a relatively balmy day in Nashua, knocking on doors of Democrats and Independents. In Edwards' standard piece of literature, he specifically talks about "strengthening organized labor" as part of his economic program.
Mentions of unions in Sen. Obama's standard literature: zero.
Mentions of unions in Sen. Clinton's standard literature: zero.