Kerry gets CWA endorsements

[curse10]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/30/elec04.prez.main/index.html

there are 700,000 people in that union!

<snip>
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- John Kerry's candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination has won the endorsement of a major union representing more than 700,000 people, his campaign said Friday.

A Kerry campaign aide told CNN the endorsement from the Washington-based Communications Workers of America (CWA) is being announced Friday along with another endorsement, that of a popular African-American congressman from Florida, Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Such support for the Massachusetts senator, who won the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, could help further his inroads among union workers and African-Americans, just four days before voters in seven states choose nominees. Widespread victory for Kerry on Tuesday could firm up his lead in the race.
<snip>

sorry if a dupe, I did a search :-)

[CWebster]

1. 699,000 people in that Union now. nt

[Capn Sunshine]

2. Yes, Dean's recent experience with Union endorsements

shows the value of those things, doesn't it?

[MaineDem]

3. I'm putting less faith in these endorsements but I'm happy for this one

Thanskf or the news! :)

[NashVegas]

4. Odd

I'm surprised there are so few posts on this topic.

Nice cap feather, this is.

[JohnKleeb]

5. I heard, quite nice

[Zomby Woof]

6. ZombyKick

[mikehiggins]

7. Do union members always follow the lead of their union leaders?

Uhhh, nope.

As a matter of fact, in my experience in NYC, there were only a couple of unions that really could turn out their people on a regular basis.

Local 3 of the IBEW (my old union) was relatively small but a political powerhouse. One of our officers is a NYS Assemblyman and the head of the AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, and he doesn't even head the union.

1199, headed by Dennis Rivera, is possibly even more powerful and has a very fine political movement with a lot of support for whatever Dennis asks them to do. He is fantastic.

The teachers are also, as usual, heavy duty.

That being said, most union members in my experience pay as much attention to the advice of their leaders as they do to the advice of their ministers and rabbis. Maybe even less.

Still, its nice to have a bigtime union endorse you. The practical value, on the other hand, is much less than it might appear.