Labor for Bernie

From KeyWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Labor for Bernie is a nationwide network of labor activists, backing bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign.

For more information to Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign 2016 and Bernie Sanders.

About the campaign

Labor for Bernie "is a volunteer effort neither funded nor directed by the Sanders for President campaign"[1] powered by Movement Builders, "A creative agency for nonprofits, unions & progressive causes."[2]

A letter pledging support for Bernie Sanders was signed by over 1100 labor union activists.

Text of the letter

"We are union leaders, organizers and labor activists committed to building a broad, effective movement for democratic change. While we come from different unions and backgrounds, our goal is a government that carries out the will of the people, not prop up the profits of the 1% at the expense of the rest of us.

To that end, we support Bernie Sanders to be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Senator Sanders has a long-standing commitment to union principles and labor’s values and we stand firmly behind him as the strongest candidate who will articulate our issues. Sanders is the bold, pro-worker alternative.

As a truly progressive candidate for the Democratic Party nomination, Senator Sanders has the chance to inspire millions of Americans with policy proposals that put the interests of the 99%, front and center. His campaign will draw attention to what unions and collective bargaining have accomplished for workers and energize our movement.

Franklin D. Roosevelt called out the “economic royalists” of his day; Senator Sanders is picking up the banner. He is the only candidate who clearly challenges the billionaires at the very top who not only stole our pensions, our jobs, our homes, but now are dismantling our democracy. He answers to “We the People” and not to the corporate and financial sectors or members of the privileged elite. Bernie brings the kind of leadership that is necessary to build a real, living democracy and a prosperous sustainable economy.

Labor must step up to change the direction of American politics. We need politics to focus on the issues of our time: growing inequality and pervasive racism, the power of concentrated wealth and its corruption of our democracy, an escalating pension and retirement security crisis, runaway military spending and a militarized foreign policy, Medicare for All, and the need for new, bold solutions to our shared problems.

Labor for Bernie 2016 won’t be a corporate-style, staff-driven, top-down campaign. It will reflect our commitment to creating fundamental change and the urgency of stronger grassroots organizing and political activity.

We call on labor leaders, union members and working people to unite behind Bernie Sanders for a voice in the presidential political process and to elect the President working families need – a President who will answer to the 99 percent!

We are Labor for Bernie 2016. Join the political revolution today!"[3]

Postal Workers meeting

A "meet and greet" was held at the office of the American Postal Workers Union July 13, 2015 between more than 40 U.S. labor leaders and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, who is running for president.

"Bernie Sanders has been an outspoken champion of postal customers, postal workers and the public Postal Service - demanding expanded services for all Americans, an end to mail delays, and an end to the closure of postal facilities," said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.

"And he has been a forceful advocate for working people for decades. He's not in the pocket of big corporations. We thought it was important to hear his ideas about the 2016 campaign - especially how he plans to take on the big-money interests that are strangling our political system and our economy.

"There has been tremendous interest and excitement about his campaign in the labor movement," he said.

The meeting at APWU's office was co-hosted by former president of the Communications Workers of America Larry Cohen, APWU President Mark Dimondstein and APWU Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Powell. Neither the APWU nor the CWA has endorsed a presidential candidate in 2016. Both unions are affiliates of the AFL-CIO.[4]

Labor Union supporters

The following labor union activists signed the above pledge:

References

  1. ↑ Labor for Bernie homepage, accessed July 13, 2015
  2. ↑ Movement Builders homepage, accessed July 13, 2015
  3. ↑ Labor for Bernie pledge, accessed July 13, 2015
  4. ↑ [ http://peoplesworld.org/labor-leaders-meet-with-bernie-sanders/, PW Labor leaders meet with Bernie Sanders, July 14 2015]
Retrieved from "https://keywiki.org/index.php?title=Labor_for_Bernie&oldid=605905"