Posted on by paulgarver

Labor for Bernie

For immediate release: July 27, 2015

AFL-CIO delay on endorsement provides more time to build broader union support

The national AFL-CIO’s decision on July 24 to delay an early endorsement is a reflection of the growing union support for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ bid for President. The delay gives the Sanders campaign more time to firm up labor support which is continuing to surge at the grassroots.

Labor for Bernie 2016 was kicked off in late June with 1,000 supporters and has quickly grown to a national network with more than 5,000 union supporters who have signed an on-line statement embracing Sanders as the only declared candidate, in either major party, “who challenges the billionaires who are trying to steal our pensions, our jobs, our homes, and what’s left of our democracy.”

Larry Cohen, past president of the Communications Workers of America and now a volunteer working on the Sanders’ campaign said, “Our strong and growing grassroots movement shows that Bernie shares our values and beliefs. Workers are fed up with business as usual. This campaign is about putting a stop to the corporate assault on our kids, our country and working families!”

Sanders’ union supporters are taking an active role in thousands of grassroots organizing parties taking place on July 29. Labor for Bernie 2016 has produced a new leaflet highlighting Sanders long track record of support for workers’ rights. It has also upgraded its website to provide better networking tools for supporters to build member-to-member relationships within their unions and in their communities.

A recent Utility Workers Union of America poll of 400 elected delegates to their national convention in Hollywood FL supported Bernie Sanders with 65 percent of the vote, Clinton had just 23 percent, with Martin O’Malley taking only 7 percent and the combined Republican field winning 5 percent

Since early June, Sanders has received support from the Vermont AFL-CIO, South Carolina AFL-CIO, Teamsters (Lithographers) Local 1 in New York City, IBEW Local 2222 in Boston and IBEW Local 159 in Madison, WI.

On July 11, the American Federation of Teachers national executive board voted to endorse Clinton with little membership input. The endorsement caused an uproar on social media and led to a major spike in sign-ups by teachers on the Labor for Bernie website. Today, nearly 700 members of the AFT or the larger NEA have joined the network.

Members of other unions are also showing strong support for Sanders. More than 575 IBEW members who have signed up make it the largest supporter, followed by AFT (374 members) and NEA (312 members), then CWA (308 members) Teamsters (301 members), and the UAW (266 members). Nearly 18 percent of the Labor for Sanders 2016 initiative are from Building Trades unions with IBEW and the Carpenters (203) members showing the strongest support.

With more endorsers signing up every day, the Labor for Bernie network is urging the AFL-CIO, its affiliated national unions, and major unaffiliated labor organizations (NEA, SEIU, and IBT) to sponsor candidate forums and debates, at the grassroots level, before making any presidential endorsement decision of their own.

Labor for Bernie 2016 is a volunteer effort neither funded nor directed by the Sanders for President campaign. To join this grassroots mobilization, download useful organizing materials, or learn more about Bernie’s past and present support for workers and their unions, go to: www.laborforbernie.org

For more information, contact: laborforbernie@gmail.com or call Larry Cohen 202-215-1118; Steve Early 617-930-7327; or Stewart Acuff; 202-701-0180

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Filed under: Organizing, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: AFL-CIO, Bernie, Labor for Bernie, Sanders |