International Longshoremen's Association Endorses Gephardt

[quinnox]

20 International Unions Now Back 2004 Bid

October 24, 2003 -

"It's clear that many major American unions recognize Mr. Gephardt as the true champion of American workers. He was always there for us when we needed him. Now is the time for all unions to stand behind this great man and great American -- Dick Gephardt."

— ILA President John Bowers

New York, NY -- The 60,000 member International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO, today became the twentieth international union to endorse Dick Gephardt's candidacy for President of the United States. John Bowers, the international president of the nation's largest longshore union, made the announcement in New York and pledged the ILA's full support for Mr. Gephardt, a man whom the ILA leader said has championed labor and family causes throughout his entire public career in Washington.

"The ILA is proud to support Dick Gephardt for President," said Mr. Bowers. "Dick Gephardt is a loyal friend of longshore workers and a staunch ally of American labor. He deserves the backing of ILA members and their families for many reasons, most notably his support of workers' right to strike, his opposition to the economically crippling North American Free Trade Agreement, his advancement of civil rights and a strong national defense and his genuine concern for health care and Social Security.

Congrats to Dick!

[ShaneGR]

1. When does the AFL vote again?

I wouldn't be surprised if they give him the overall endorsement next time.

[bluestateguy]

2. More establishment endorsements

while other candidates continue to line up support from actual voters.

[Lefty48197]

4. You're not paying attention

Union workers vote at twice the rate of the average American worker. (and they bring two more voters with them to the polls).

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. Longshoremen are establishment?

bwa ha ha ha hee hee hee heh :)

[kodi]

6. best read up on the ILA, they are further left than most US unions

and they are responsive to their rank-and-file members' wishes.

if all US unions were as social aware, we would all be better off

the west coast dock strike last year activated them to seek a real winner in 2004.

it bodes well for gepthardt to get this particular endorsement. he can win in iowa and survive new hampshire then strike hard the following month in more heavily unionized and moderate areas. it will be dean, clark, and gepthardt shortly. party loyalists will side with gepthardt because he is speaking to traditional democratic policies, like social security and medicare and if for nothing more than to deny dean the chance to redefine the party if he is the nominee. if they see gepthardt weaken, they will gravitate to clark, who is getting an infusion of non-traditional democrats and independents support.

dean has to worry about gepthardt, not clark.

and if one thinks unions will not play a vital part in the democratic party winning back the white house one is ignorant of the US labor movement and its historical role in get out the vote drives. there is nothing even close to the power of the unions to get the votes out come election day.

its why the gop continually attacks union dues and support used for political camapigns

[Lefty48197]

3. Yet another Union endorses Gephardt

I hope all the Democrats in America have been paying attention.
Do all of you realize how hard unions fight for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for their members?
Every worker in America deserves to have an advocate like the union members have. Quality of life would rise dramatically if all American workers were suddently unionized.
The union bargainers understand their local and industry economics as well as any corporate CEO or Educated Economist.
Those bargainers consistently get wage and benefit packages for their members, that are up to twice as lucrative as those for non union workers.
Those union members also know which candidate would be the best friend of American workers.
It's Dick Gephardt. Hands down. He knows Washington and working families like none of the other candidates does.