MA Senate Race: Iron Workers Endorse Stephen Lynch for U.S. Senate

[Omaha Steve]

http://nhlabornews.com/2013/02/ma-senate-race-iron-workers-endorse-stephen-lynch-for-u-s-senate/

By New Hampshire Labor News | February 2, 2013 | Politics, Union

NHLN Editors Note: In what will be a highly contested race from the MA Senate seat vacated by Sen Kerry, the Iron Workers have already come out in support of Stephen Lynch. Lynch, being a union man himself knows and understand the issues that union workers and middle class families are dealing with right now.

***Iron Workers Endorse Stephen Lynch for U.S. Senate***

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers announced today that it supports Congressman Stephen Lynch in his campaign to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate. The Union is committed to helping Lynch win the special election that follows John Kerry’s departure from the U.S. Senate to serve as Secretary of State.

Lynch, a South Boston native, graduated from his three-year Ironworker apprenticeship in 1976 and was elected President of Iron Workers Local 7, Boston, in 1985. He earned his legal degree while serving as the Local’s President and joined the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1994. Lynch was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2001, and he is prepared to serve the people of Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate.

“Steve Lynch has walked the proverbial mile and then some in the boots of the middle class,” said Iron Workers General President Walter Wise. “He has lived the issues that are important to working families, fought on behalf of working families during his legal career and will be a much-needed addition to the United States Senate. He will use that knowledge to help working people across America.”

About the Iron Workers Union: The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IABSO&RIW) was founded in 1896 in Pittsburgh, Pa. They now represent more than 125,000 Ironworkers throughout the United States and Canada. The IABSO&RIW’s mission is to improve the working conditions of its members while promoting constructive relationships with their employers to increase work opportunities.

[geefloyd46]

1. He has also fought to save the post office too.

[freshwest]

3. That's right. I remembered the name.

...H.R. 1351, the United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011, is a piece of legislation sponsored by Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch. The act calls for the Office of Personal Management to do the definitive audit, come up with the actual figure of overpayment and then apply that to the ridiculous system of prepayment funding expenses. The Postal Service would then have that $5.5 billion a year to use for running its services and improving mail delivery...

http://truth-out.org/news/item/3190-postal-workers-the-last-union?tmpl=component&print=1

Unfortunately it died in committee under GOP rule in the House:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr1351

[Small Accumulates]

2. Too bad he's anti-choice

I'm sure MA Democrats can find and support a candidate who supports middle class men and women.

[freshwest]

4. I think he's not that bad, but definitely not as liberal as Markey:

Last edited Sat Feb 2, 2013, 08:18 PM - Edit history (1)

...There are differences between Lynch and Markey, despite being members of the same party. Lynch voted against Obamacare, officially called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while Markey voted for the bill.

Lynch also has an anti-abortion stance, although it's not absolute— Planned Parenthood currently gives him a score of 83 percent to Markey's 100 percent. The National Right to Life Committee, meanwhile, gave Lynch a score of 10 percent during the last Congressional session, while Markey received a zero.

The most recent National Journal rankings from 2011 give Markey a liberal score of 89.2, making him the 41st most liberal member of the House, while Lynch received a liberal score of 72.8, ranking him the 123rd most liberal member of the House.

Lynch also touts his union support as a former ironworker who then graduated from law school and later won his current congressional seat in 2001, while Markey, also a lawyer by trade, was first elected to Congress in 1976...

http://waltham.patch.com/articles/markey-or-lynch-who-would-you-vote-for-today-d22bf025

I would think he will have to vote with the Democrats in the Senate, but he won't be as reliable as Markey. This could be a very ugly campaign with more conservative members of labor unions voting against Markey. I'm disappointed by anyone representing labor voting against rights for others, when they need their support to survive. But he doesn't appear to fall in the Teahadist camp, as they don't like him that well.