Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden received the endorsement Monday of Sandy Opstvedt, a local labor leader and member of the Democratic National Committee.

Opstvedt, of Ames, cited the former vice president’s long-standing support for organized labor and his plan to protect pensions and a secure retirement of U.S. workers, in her decision to endorse Biden.

“Joe Biden has always, and will always, stand up for labor in Iowa and across the country, because that’s who he is,” said Opstvedt, a labor activist for 31 years when she joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, in a statement released by the Biden campaign Monday evening. She currently works for the Public Professional and Maintenance Employees Local 2003. “As president, Joe will fight for higher wages and good-paying jobs, strengthen social security and Medicare, and build on Obamacare. And when he beats Donald Trump in November, Joe will bring honesty, decency, and respect for workers back to the White House.”

Biden’s campaign said having Opstvedt’s endorsement is a “big deal,” in this year’s presidential election.

“Organized labor built this country and created our middle class - but across Iowa and across America, labor is under attack,” said Jake Braun, Iowa State Director, Biden for President. “That’s why having Sandy Opstvedt on Team Biden is such a big deal. Sandy has spent her life dedicated to lifting up and protecting workers, which is what our campaign is all about.”

Biden has received more than 200 endorsements from Iowa, including Attorney General Tom Miller, former U.S. Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, and Congresswoman Abbie Finkenauer.

The former vice president is scheduled to visit Ames Tuesday with an event scheduled for 1:15 p.m. at the Gateway Conference Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive.