News & Updates

Union Coalition Endorses Barack Obama For President

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Change to Win chair Anna Burger announced today the organization's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president on a news conference call with reporters, calling him the candidate with the best vision and plan to restore the American Dream for America's workers.

"For workers, this election is about changing America to win a better future for our children," said Burger. "Sen. Obama not only shares our vision and dream, he is uniting Americans in building a movement for change that will have the power to turn that dream into reality."

"He will fight to protect the right of workers to have a voice on the job, guarantee quality affordable health care, create good jobs through rebuilding and expanding our nation's infrastructure, and fight for fair trade policies to promote job growth," continued Burger.

The Change to Win endorsement activates an aggressive grassroots political effort in the upcoming primary states where Change to Win has more than half a million members. A grassroots army of thousands of volunteers and members who are the workforce of the future will help mobilize workers to vote for Obama in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. "American Dream Teams" will knock on doors, distribute information, and talk directly to working families, in addition to making phone calls, sending out mail, and barnstorming worksites to educate and mobilize members to vote for the American Dream candidate - Barack Obama.

"Sen. Obama is building an election coalition that will bring the change this country needs to restore the American Dream for America's workers. We believe we can make a difference in helping build this new movement. With our six million members, Change to Win unions will play an important role in making sure Barack Obama is the next president of the United States. Our members are active, involved and determined to make a difference."

Dear Senator:

The seven unions and six million members of Change to Win urge the Senate to approve the bipartisan Senate stimulus package. At a minimum, the Senate should ensure that the final package includes two critical elements of the Finance Committee package: extension of unemployment insurance (UI) and rebate payments for those whose income consists of Social Security or veterans' disability benefits.

Working families have seen their purchasing power stripped and their economic well-being eroded by rising unemployment, declining real wages, and rising costs for necessities such as gas, housing, and health care. To be effective, a stimulus package must help those hardest hit by the economic downturn and put money into the hands of those most likely to spend it quickly. The expanded rebate provisions, extensions of UI, and increased home heating assistance in the Senate package fit both of these criteria and should be quickly enacted.

While the stimulus package is welcome, much more remains to be done to address the underlying causes of our economy's weakness and the decline in worker living standards. In the short run, Congress should pass additional stimulus measures to provide: aid to the states, funds to accelerate ready-to-go construction and neglected infrastructure repair projects, and increases in food stamps to help those struggling to pay for necessities.

Sustained economic recovery − for our country and our nation's working families − is made in working America. The purchasing power of working families, and thus economic growth, is fueled by good jobs with wages that can support a family and that provide affordable health care and adequate retirement benefits.

Sincerely,

Greg Tarpinian
Executive Director