Sanders Wins South Carolina AFL-CIO Endorsement

[Le Taz Hot]

The South Carolina AFL-CIO executive board passed a resolution supporting U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ candidacy for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and recommending his endorsement by the state and national labor organization.

“We call on the AFL-CIO, union members and working people everywhere to unite behind Bernie Sanders and elect the president Americas’ workers desperately need,” the resolution said. The resolution “strongly urges” the national AFL-CIO to endorse Sanders.

Erin McKee, president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, said the executive board member who recommended Sanders said “nobody in a very long time has stood up for working people and labor like Bernie Sanders has.”

South Carolina is among the first four states in the nation to hold primaries or caucuses to begin the process of selecting the Democratic Party presidential nominee. The action by the South Carolina executive board made it the second state, after Vermont, to back Sanders.

Forgot the link:
http://njtoday.net/2015/08/30/sanders-wins-south-carolina-afl-cio-endorsement/

And apparently, this is old news -- I went by the dateline in the article. I think I'll keep it up anyway.

[OKNancy]

1. Posted back in June here on DU

just in case you think this is new
http://www.democraticunderground.com/128013349

[Le Taz Hot]

4. I went by the dateline that was in the link

(which I originally forgot to add but just now did.) That link said August 30, 2015.

I think I'll keep it up, though.

[left-of-center2012]

12. Posted back in June here on DU

This isn't the "Breaking News" forum.

[L0oniX]

14. Clue: It wasn't posted in LBN

[OKNancy]

15. Clue: I just thought people would want to know that it is not a new thing

geez.

[L0oniX]

17. It's new to people who haven't seen it. Duh

[dsc]

2. so it is OK now for unions to endorse without getting the approval of their entire membership?

Heck they didn't even do a poll apparently. I forget, someone told me this behavior wasn't OK, but for the life of me I can't recall where it is I read that.

[Starry Messenger]

3. No. And this isn't an endorsement because they can't do that.

Per their charter. This is a resolution. State chapters can only recommend, not endorse.

[dsc]

5. you might want to chat with the OP

[Starry Messenger]

22. *shrug*

I must be on ignore.

[Le Taz Hot]

6. One chapter is not the national chapter.

But you knew that. Or at least I hope you did.

[dsc]

7. I would assume it has more than the members of its board

we heard long weeping and gnashing of teeth over the teachers and machinists who dared endorse Clinton (though funny we heard no such outrage when the nurses endorsed Sanders) without getting the express permission of every single solitary person who so much as visited their facebook page. But now, apparently it is hunky dory again. Fancy that. I am sure it will become horrible again when some union endorses Hillary.

[sabrina 1]

8. If the membership objects to it in large numbers, then no, it isn't alright. Has the membership of

union risen up against this resolution? It happened in June and so far, I haven't received any petitions to sign objecting to it from thousands of members.

[dsc]

10. well I haven't seen large numbers of teachers or machinists

I did see random quotes from a facebook page and a lot of weeping Sanders supporters here.

[Fuddnik]

18. I voted with my Union Plus credit card.

Several donations to Sanders, and a monthly contribution to his Super Pack!

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. A resolution is not an endorsement

And I actually do not expect you to know that

[Starry Messenger]

9. Recommendations made in resolutions are not an endorsement.

The state chapter would get its charter revoked if they made an actual endorsement outside of the national structure.

(And to forestall the inevitable: AFT holds its own national charter, so they can legally issue their own endorsements. Other unions have the same set-up. However, its state chapters do have their charters enrolled in the national AFL-CIO, so the CFT would also not be able to endorse independent of the national AFL-CIO.)

[cantbeserious]

11. Excellent News - As Things Should Be

eom

[L0oniX]

13. K & R

[AzDar]

16. Bernie!!

[turbinetree]

19. Old or New.................

this helps put pressure on the delegates that are representing the unions, or if they are union members within the delegate caucus to consider who is the best candidate------------------that's what great about unions 50+1 they will look at who is representing the ISSUES for the worker

And yes, I am bias



Honk-----------------for a po0litical revolution Bernie 2016

[Karma13612]

20. Rather embarrassed to say that I did NOT know

about this, or if I did, it slipped my (slightly aging) mind.

I am happy for any positive news for Bernie Sanders.

As far as union endorsements go, I think back to the Gov race in NY last November. Made me really angry that my SEIU 1199 union endorsed Cuomo instead of Zephyr Teachout. And I did NOT have a vote in this. I was not approached for my input at all.

So, not sure how supports and endorsements work, but I will be supporting Bernie, and I hope that 1199 does the same. As long as I am in my current job, I can't quit the union, even if they support Hillary. That really makes me mad. I could always make up a T-shirt that says "I'm with the Bernie Sanders wing of 1199".

Haha!! Peace, #bernie2016

[Le Taz Hot]

23. Oh, I probably read it too, back then.

Probably K & R'd the thread, too! LOL! I turned 60 this year and I reserve the right to forget stuff. Often.

[Karma13612]

25. too funny!!! nt

[Sancho]

24. It's been pointed out this is a resolution (not endorsement), and also is a local chapter...

If you have worked in union chapters as an officer (I have), you know that chapters usually can't endorse nationally. Chapters also analyze positions of candidates and impact on contracts, benefits, etc.

In SC (where I used to teach school and college), there is no statewide FEA/AFT collective bargaining like there is in Florida. Here, we do surveys, meetings, and organize candidate meetings. For example, I'm going to lunch with a team from FEA/AFT and a state Senator next Tuesday, and FEA is hosting some candidates to a breakfast in Tampa in a couple weeks.

In Florida, our members right now are heavily in favor of Hillary. We represent lots of public employees. Our analysis shows Bernie's plans (like the Robin Hood tax) would be bad for our benefits. We also have over-whelming support for Hillary's path to citizenship, plans for education, tuition-equity, and women's issues (lots of teachers are women).

Our surveys don't show much interest in TPP, Wall Street (other than the negative impact of a transaction tax), or minimum wage (we like to bargain salaries way above minimum wage). Actually, we have so many immigrants that there's a little positive for the TPP because they see the US as a big bully that defeats progress in their home countries!

The SC AFL-CIO is a relatively small group. Years ago I was in one of the performing arts unions in SC that was affiliated, but SC has resisted union factories in the boat, auto, textile, airplane, and tire plants. There is always hope, but it's a very tough state to organize. I don't know, but likely farm workers and labor on the Charleston seaport are the largest part of the group. Maybe service workers in hotels and tourism? I'd be curious if someone who was from SC could say more about who they represent at this time.

[PatrickforO]

26. I don't blame you a bit for keeping this up Le Taz. Yes, the resolution itself is dated in June

but this was the first I've heard of it. Those scamps in the msm just aren't telling us about inconvenient stuff like this.

Thanks for the post!