International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO Endorses Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States |
06/26/2008 |
“The ILA is proud to endorse and support Senator Barack Obama for president of the United States,” said Richard P. Hughes, ILA President. “Throughout his years of public service, Senator Obama has stood staunchly with working families and the union movement with a 98% positive labor voting record.”
The ILA represents waterfront workers at major U.S. ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, major rivers and Puerto Rico, in addition to Eastern Canada.
“With the support of our ILA-COPE program, and our affiliation with AFL-CIO State and Central Labor Council bodies and the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the ILA will do all that it can to ensure the election of Senator Obama as our next President,” Mr. Hughes said. “We will engage our members to aggressively register families and friends to vote.”
The ILA enjoys a deep concentration of politically active members in key election states such as Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Many ILA members are actively involved with their local labor affiliated A. Philip Randolph Institute Chapters, which has extensive voter education and “Get Out the Vote” programs.
“The ILA echoes the statement of our national AFL-CIO in noting that Senator Obama has advocated a change for our nation that mirrors the priorities of the labor movement,” said ILA President Hughes who also serves as a Vice President and Executive Council member of the AFL-CIO. “He supports trade policies that put America’s workers first and has pledged to address our nation’s health care and retirement crisis.”
ILA President Hughes added that the choice was clear for all working families that Senator Obama deserves our full, united and unwavering support.
For additional information, contact Jim McNamara of ILA at 212-425-1200, ext. 327 or jmcnamara@ilaunion.org