Democratic Talk Radio Blog

Building and Construction Trades Department Endorses Obama

by Seth Michaels, Jun 19, 2008

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/06/19/building-and-construction-trades-department-endorses-obama/

The Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), a coalition of 13 unions, has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.

The BCTD’s Governing Board voted unanimously to endorse Obama yesterday, pledging to mobilize the unions’ 2.5 million members to elect Obama as the next president.

BCTD President Mark Ayres says the unions would educate their members about Obama’s pro-working family agenda and the need for change.

Our endorsement today of Sen. Obama marks the beginning of the fight to return the reins of power to a presidential administration that places high value on the interests of America’s working families. We have pledged to Sen. Obama our determination to engage our members in detailed conversations concerning the stark differences between his view of America and that of Sen. John McCain—whose candidacy, in our minds, is simply a warmed-over version of the anti-worker, anti-union tenure of George W. Bush.

Obama also has been endorsed by AFGE, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the Boilermakers (IBB), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA), Postal Workers (APWU), the UAN, the UAW and the Utility Workers (UWUA).

Three unions that initially endorsed former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.)—the Mine Workers (UMWA), Transport Workers (TWU) and United Steelworkers (USW)—also have given their endorsements to Obama.

Thirteen unions endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who suspended her campaign earlier this month: AFSCME, AFT, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Bricklayers (BAC), Letter Carriers (NALC), Machinists (IAM), Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Plasterers and Cement Masons (OP&CMIA), Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), TCU/IAM, Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the United Transportation Union (UTU). The IAM and IUPAT endorsements of Clinton in the Democratic primaries were accompanied by endorsements of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Republican primaries.

The Fire Fighters (IAFF) union, which endorsed Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), has not announced a new endorsement.

In August 2007, the AFL-CIO Executive Council said it would not make an endorsement at that time for a 2008 presidential candidate, freeing AFL-CIO unions to endorse candidates for the caucuses and primaries. The AFL-CIO will continue the Working Families Vote 2008 campaign to help elect a worker-friendly Congress and president.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 20th, 2008 at 2:30 pm and is filed under Labor Issues, Democratic Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.