PEP, December 2007: AFSCME says: Hillary in 2008

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, District Council 37’s national union, endorsed U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton for president of the United States on Oct. 31.

The District Council 37 Executive Board voted Nov. 14 to recommend Sen. Clinton as the Democratic Party candidate, and the DC37 Delegates Council voted overwhelmingly at its Nov. 27 meeting to endorse her for president.

“The next president will play a critical role in rebuilding America’s middle class and ensuring that everyone shares in our country’s prosperity,” said President Gerald W. McEntee. “President Hillary Clinton will make us stronger at home and respected abroad.”

“I am honored to receive AFSCME’s support,” Clinton said as she accepted the endorsement — and a pair of red boxing gloves — from McEntee. “In my administration, America’s working families will again have a partner in the White House,” she said.

The AFSCME endorsement follows an extensive 10-month, member-driven endorsement process that featured candidate appearances, interviews and membership polls, which show that Sen. Clinton enjoys deep support among the union’s 1.4 million members.

A record of leadership
District Council 37’s voice was strong on thenational scene as Executive Director Lillian Roberts, appointed by McEntee to the AFSCME Screening Committee, urged the committee to recommend that the Executive Board make a pre-primary endorsement. This move positioned AFSCME as a major political force in determining which candidate will receive the party’s nod at the Democratic National Convention next summer in Denver.

DC 37’s AFSCME International vice presidents led the charge in winning the national union’s endorsement for the senator from New York State. Joan Reed, retired president of Local 2054, put the endorsement motion before the AFSCME Executive Board and Eddie Rodriguez, president of Local 1549, seconded it.

“We’ve looked at these candidates closely, and we’ve drilled down deep into the union to see who was inspiring our members, who has what it takes to take back the White House and govern effectively when they get there,” McEntee said. “We looked for the candidate who will fight for working families and who has the greatest ability to win, the candidate who will motivate our members to make calls, knock on doors and talk to their co-workers like never before.”

AFSCME launched its Take Back America campaign with a push for increased PEOPLE participation and member contributions on the MVP level. Last June the union held a leadership conference in Washington with a candidates’ forum, and outlined its plans to spend more than $60 million, and mobilize 40,000 union volunteers in the 2008 election campaign.

With its choice for presidential candidate named, AFSCME, which represents more than 30,000 workers in Iowa, mobilized thousands of volunteers for Clinton in the weeks and days leading to the Iowa caucus votes on Jan. 3, 2008.

“The caucuses are going to be two months from tonight and I will need you to be there,” Clinton told union supporters. In response to an accelerated national calendar, New York State moved its presidential primary up to Feb. 5, 2008. DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams said, “This will give our state stronger influence over which candidates will run in November 2008.”

“Hillary Clinton has a record of leadership, of bringing people together for more than 30 years,” McEntee said. “Hillary Clinton inspires our members. She sparks the flame we need to win.”

— Diane S. Williams