SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Because He's 'The Best Candidate for Working Families,' Sanders Nabs Another Union Endorsement
West Coast dockworkers union cites Sanders' support Medicare for all, fair wages
Mar 25, 2016
Citing his support for workers and willingness to take on Wall Street, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) on Thursday endorsed Bernie Sanders for president.
With the endorsement from ILWU, which represents 50,000 workers in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, Sanders has now nabbed the support of five national unions.
" Bernie Sanders is the best candidate for America's working families," said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath.
"Bernie is best on the issues that matter most to American workers: better trade agreements, support for unions, fair wages, tuition for students and public colleges, Medicare for all, fighting a corrupt campaign finance system, and confronting the power of Wall Street that's making life harder for most Americans," his statement continues.
Underscoring backing of rank-and-file union members, ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees told the Huffington Post, "The support was significant at the grassroots level," adding, "Many local bodies throughout the union had already recommended endorsements."
Sanders called the endorsement "an honor."
"This campaign is building a movement of millions of Americans who are demanding that our economy works for everyone, not just the top 1 percent. The working men and women of the ILWU are a vital part of our movement which is spreading to every corner of our country," he stated.
The Amalgamated Transit Union endorsed Sanders earlier this month, with previous endorsements coming from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), and National Nurses United. The United Electrical Workers offered something close to endorsement, suggesting its "members and locals to take a serious look at Bernie Sanders's campaign and to consider their active participation in it." Scores of local unions have already given their backing to Sanders as well.
The ILWU endorsement comes just two days ahead of Democratic caucuses in Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, and as a new national poll shows Bernie Sanders tied with Hillary Clinton among those who have voted or plan to vote in a Democratic contest this year.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Citing his support for workers and willingness to take on Wall Street, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) on Thursday endorsed Bernie Sanders for president.
With the endorsement from ILWU, which represents 50,000 workers in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, Sanders has now nabbed the support of five national unions.
" Bernie Sanders is the best candidate for America's working families," said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath.
"Bernie is best on the issues that matter most to American workers: better trade agreements, support for unions, fair wages, tuition for students and public colleges, Medicare for all, fighting a corrupt campaign finance system, and confronting the power of Wall Street that's making life harder for most Americans," his statement continues.
Underscoring backing of rank-and-file union members, ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees told the Huffington Post, "The support was significant at the grassroots level," adding, "Many local bodies throughout the union had already recommended endorsements."
Sanders called the endorsement "an honor."
"This campaign is building a movement of millions of Americans who are demanding that our economy works for everyone, not just the top 1 percent. The working men and women of the ILWU are a vital part of our movement which is spreading to every corner of our country," he stated.
The Amalgamated Transit Union endorsed Sanders earlier this month, with previous endorsements coming from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), and National Nurses United. The United Electrical Workers offered something close to endorsement, suggesting its "members and locals to take a serious look at Bernie Sanders's campaign and to consider their active participation in it." Scores of local unions have already given their backing to Sanders as well.
The ILWU endorsement comes just two days ahead of Democratic caucuses in Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, and as a new national poll shows Bernie Sanders tied with Hillary Clinton among those who have voted or plan to vote in a Democratic contest this year.
Citing his support for workers and willingness to take on Wall Street, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) on Thursday endorsed Bernie Sanders for president.
With the endorsement from ILWU, which represents 50,000 workers in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, Sanders has now nabbed the support of five national unions.
" Bernie Sanders is the best candidate for America's working families," said ILWU International President Robert McEllrath.
"Bernie is best on the issues that matter most to American workers: better trade agreements, support for unions, fair wages, tuition for students and public colleges, Medicare for all, fighting a corrupt campaign finance system, and confronting the power of Wall Street that's making life harder for most Americans," his statement continues.
Underscoring backing of rank-and-file union members, ILWU spokesman Craig Merrilees told the Huffington Post, "The support was significant at the grassroots level," adding, "Many local bodies throughout the union had already recommended endorsements."
Sanders called the endorsement "an honor."
"This campaign is building a movement of millions of Americans who are demanding that our economy works for everyone, not just the top 1 percent. The working men and women of the ILWU are a vital part of our movement which is spreading to every corner of our country," he stated.
The Amalgamated Transit Union endorsed Sanders earlier this month, with previous endorsements coming from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), and National Nurses United. The United Electrical Workers offered something close to endorsement, suggesting its "members and locals to take a serious look at Bernie Sanders's campaign and to consider their active participation in it." Scores of local unions have already given their backing to Sanders as well.
The ILWU endorsement comes just two days ahead of Democratic caucuses in Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, and as a new national poll shows Bernie Sanders tied with Hillary Clinton among those who have voted or plan to vote in a Democratic contest this year.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.