AFL-CIO to endorse Hillary Clinton; CWA, nurses union staying with Sanders

[Omaha Steve]

Source: UPI

By Eric DuVall

WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will receive the endorsement of the nation's largest organized labor group, the AFL-CIO, as soon as next week, multiple media outlets reported Friday.

Politico and The Wall Street Journal reported the organization's political committee held a conference call, during which members voted to recommend the general board issue the endorsement at its next meeting on June 16.

The endorsement would end most but not all of the divisions in the organized labor movement between Clinton and her primary opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders.

While Clinton has enjoyed endorsements from enough trade unions to make for a majority of the nation's unionized workers, several unions had backed Sanders, including the United Steelworkers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Nurses United and the Communications Workers of America.

FULL story at link.


A Clinton supporter wears a Service Employees International Union button at a rally for the candidate in Detroit in March. On Friday, the political committee for the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization, voted to endorse Clinton for president. File Photo by Molly Riley/UPI | License Photo


Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/06/10/AFL-CIO-to-endorse-Hillary-Clinton-CWA-nurses-union-staying-with-Sanders/8411465591511/

[Beowulf]

1. I suppose having their president kicked off the platform committee

would give the nurses union pause. Can't have too much labor involved in developing policy, votes, yes, voice, no.

[RoccoR5955]

2. Not when the banks give you so much money.

In the oligarchy we must protect our donors.

[Beowulf]

3. Money is speech,

or so we've been told.

[Cal Carpenter]

4. Didn't the longshoremen endorse Sanders too?

I imagine they'd stick with him at least for the time being.

Maybe they'll all get behind Clinton after the convention (in fact, I'd be surprised if more than a couple don't endorse her before the general) but in the meantime I'm glad they are helping to illuminate some real differences in the candidates and the need to let more voices into the platform process.

The fact is that organized labor needs to get stronger, not weaker, and despite the relatively small numbers of voters in that category now it is still vital that national Dems support them in terms of real, meaningful policy. It isn't about the votes, it is about workers' rights.

[LeftyMom]

5. The ILWU did, which is west coast longshoremen. The east cost ILA endorsed Clinton.

The ILWU has always been the more radical organization.

[midnight]

6. Nurses care….