AFL-CIO Affiliated National Unions

	Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Organization: General President Martin Maddoloni. The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (United Association), representing approximately 326,000 members engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems, has endorsed Sen. John Kerry for President.
	Amalgamated Transit Union ATU Organization: International President Warren S. George, International Executive Vice President Michael J. Siano, International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens. On February 9, 2004 the Amalgamated Transit Union endorsed Sen. John Kerry for President.  ATU had endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President on October 1, 2003.  ATU is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in North America.  Comprised of over 180,000 members in over 273 local unions, the ATU includes bus, subway, light rail and ferry operators, clerks, baggage handlers, mechanics and others in the urban transit, over-the-road, and school bus industries, as well as paratransit, emergency medical, clerical, and municipal workers.
	American Federation of Teachers AFT Organization: President Sandra Feldman; Secretary-Treasurer Edward J. McElroy; Executive Vice President Nat LaCour. On February 4, 2004 the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, representing preK-12 teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, higher education faculty and staff, nurses and other health care workers, and state and municipal employees, endorsed Sen. John Kerry for President.
	Sheet Metal Workers SMWIA Organization: General President Michael J. Sullivan; General Secretary Thomas J. Kelly.  11 General Vice Presidents. On February 2, 2004 the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, representing 150,000 skilled craftspersons in the unionized sheet metal industry throughout the United States and Canada, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry for President.
	Farm Workers UFW Organization: President Arturo S. Rodriguez. On February 1, 2004 the United Farm Workers of America, representing thousands of farm workers in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Washington and Oregon, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry for President. [press release]
	Communication Workers CWA Organization: President Morton Bahr; Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling; Executive Vice President Larry Cohen. On January 30, 2004 the Communication Workers of America, representing 700,000 workers in telecommunications and information technology, journalism, broadcast and cable TV, publishing, manufacturing, airlines, and the public sector, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry for President. [press release]
	Utility Workers UWUA Organization: Donald Wightman is National President; Gary M. Ruffner, National Secretary-Treasurer; D. Michael Langford, National Executive Vice President; and Gerald Waters, National Vice President. On October 22, 2003 the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, representing some 50,000 workers in the gas, water, nuclear and electric industries, announced its unanimous endorsement of Sen. John Kerry for President.
	Fire Fighters IAFF Organization: Harold A. Schaitberger is General President, x is Secretary-Treasurer.  The Executive Board comprises the two officers plus sixteen regional Vice Presidents. On September 24, 2003 the Executive Board of the International Association of Fire Fighters voted unanimously to endorse Sen. John Kerry for President.  IAFF represents 260,000 fire fighters (of whom 18,000 are Canadian).  Kerry accepted the endorsement the same day at a press conference in Washington, DC.
	www.firefightersforkerry.com10/22/03

Also

Building & Construction Trades Department Building & Construction Trades Organization: President Edward C. Sullivan; Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Maloney. On February 10, 2004 the Building & Construction Trades Department, an independent affiliated organization of the AFL-CIO representing 15 international unions comprising over 3 million working men and women, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry for President. [press release].

Independent National Unions and Groups

	Alliance for Economic Justice AEJ Organization: Joseph J. Hunt, Chairman On February 11, 2004, the Alliance for Economic Justice, a coalition of 19 unions formed in 2003, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry.  The Alliance had previously backed Rep. Dick Gephardt.
	NTEU NTEU Organization: President Colleen M. Kelley.  On February 2, 2004 the National Treasury Employees Union, representing some 155,000 workers in 24 government agencies, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Kerry.  NTEU is the largest independent non-postal federal employees union.

UNITE UNITE Organization: President Bruce Raynor; Secretary-Treasurer Edgar Romney. On February 6, 2004 UNITE (the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees), representing more than 500,000 active and retired members in apparel, textile and related industries; in industrial laundries; in distribution and retail; in auto parts and auto supply; in Xerox manufacturing and many other industries in the United States and Canada, announced its endorsement of Sen. John Edwards. [press release]

	AFSCME AFSCME Organization: International President Gerald W. McEntee; International Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy; 31 International Vice Presidents.  3,500 local unions. Withdrew endorsement on February 7, 2004.  (statement) On November 12, 2003 the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, representing more than 1.4 million members including health care, education and public service workers, announced its endorsement of Gov. Howard Dean.   AFSCME is regarded as perhaps the most effective and politically powerful national union.  McEntee is Chair of the AFL-CIO's Political Education Committee.  AFSCME was the first union to endorse Bill Clinton in 1991.  (fact sheet)
	Service Employees SEIU Organization: President Andrew L. Stern; Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger; Executive Vice President Patricia A. Ford; Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina; Executive Vice President Tom Woodruff.  There are more than 300 SEIU affiliates and 25 state councils. On November 12, 2003 the Service Employees International Union, representing 1.6 million workers in health care (more than 755,000 health care workers), public sector, building service (more than 200,000 workers), and industrial and allied jobs in North America, announced its endorsement of Gov. Howard Dean.  In September the International Executive Board had opted not to endorse a candidate. >  Following a meeting of the Board on November 6, 2003, Dean appeared with SEIU leaders, but they announced they would delay making an announcement upon the request of AFSCME's Gerald McEntee.  SEIU claims to be the largest and fastest growing union in the AFL-CIO.  (February 18, 2004 statement)
	Painters IUPAT Organization: James A. Williams is General President/Director of Organizing; Kenneth E. Rigmaiden is Executive General Vice President; George Galis is General Secretary-Treasurer.  Six General Vice Presidents and the President Emeritus round off the 10-person General Executive Board. On October 27, 2003 the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, representing over 140,000 painters, drywall finishers, wallpaper hangers, glaziers, glass workers, floor covering installers, sign makers, display workers, convention and show decorators, and other occupations in North America, announced its endorsement of Gov. Howard Dean in an event at IUPAT District Council 81 in Ankeny, Iowa.

	Transport Workers TWU Organization: International President Sonny Hall; International Executive Vice President Michael O'Brien; International Secretary Treasurer John J. Kerrigan.  International Headquarters: New York. On November 20, 2003 the Transport Workers Union of America endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  TWU represents 125,000 transportation and allied workers nationwide.
	International Longshoremen's Association ILA Organization: International President John Bowers; Secretary-Treasurer Robert E. Gleason; Executive Vice President Albert Cernadas; General Vice President Benny Holland Jr.; General Organizer Gerald Owens; Assistant General Organizer Harold J. Daggett; 25 Vice Presidents. On October 24, 2003 the International Longshoremen's Association endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President. The ILA represents 60,000 waterfront workers at ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Great Lakes region, major U.S. rivers, Puerto Rico and Eastern Canada.  ILA affiliated Masters, Mates and Pilots represent maritime workers on both coasts.
	International Union of Journeymen Horseshoers & Allied Trades IUJAT Organization: International President S. Richard Elliott. On October 15, 2003 the International Union of Journeymen Horseshoers & Allied Trades, claiming more than 75,000 active and retired members, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.
	Food and Commercial Workers UFCW Organization: President Douglas H. Dority and Secretary-Treasurer Joseph T. Hansen. The International Executive Committee consists of the two officers and three Executive Vice Presidents.  There is an Executive Board comprising about 80 or 90 leaders including local union presidents, regional directors, council representatives, and headquarters directors. On October 11, 2003 the United Food and Commercial Workers Union endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President. The UFCW is the largest private sector union with one million members nationwide in a wide variety of industries including health care, meatpacking, poultry and food processing, manufacturing, textile and chemical trades, and retail food. [press release]
	MEBA MEBA Organization: President Ron Davis. The Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  MEBA, the nation's oldest maritime labor union, represents 30,000 licensed engine and deck officers aboard seagoing vessels, ferries and government-contracted ships.
	BCTGM BCTGM Organization: International President Frank Hurt; International Secretary-Treasurer/Director of Organization David B. Durkee; International Executive Vice President Joseph Thibodeau; International Executive Vice President: Larry Barber.  On October 8, 2003 the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The BCTGM represents more than 120,000 workers in food and consumer products industries throughout the United States and Canada.
	Amalgamated Transit Union ATU Organization: International President Warren S. George, International Executive Vice President Michael J. Siano, International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens. On October 1, 2003 the Amalgamated Transit Union endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  ATU is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in North America.  Comprised of over 180,000 members in over 273 local unions, the ATU includes bus, subway, light rail and ferry operators, clerks, baggage handlers, mechanics and others in the urban transit, over-the-road, and school bus industries, as well as paratransit, emergency medical, clerical, and municipal workers.
	Laborers LIUNA Organization: General President Terence M. O'Sullivan and General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni. The General Executive Board includes the two officers and 14 Vice Presidents. On September 23, 2003 nearly 1,000 Laborers’ leaders, activists and rank-and-file members gathered in Chicago for several of the union’s annual conferences voted overwhelmingly to endorse Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  LIUNA represents more than 800,000 workers in building and highway construction, hazardous materials, public service and health care.  Gephardt spoke to the Laborers and received the endorsement on the morning of September 24.
	Plasterers and Cement Masons OPCMIA Organization: General President John Dougherty and General Secretary-Treasurer Patrick D. Finley.  The General Executive Board consists of the two officers, an Executive Vice President, and 5 Vice Presidents. On September 22, 2003 the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association (OPCMIA), representing 50,000 workers in  including plastering, cement masonry and other industries throughout the U.S. and Canada, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.
	PACE PACE Organization: International President Boyd Young, Secretary-Treasurer James H. Dunn.  15-person Executive Board.  PACE is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. On August 20, 2003 the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union, the fourth largest manufacturing union in the AFL-CIO, representing 300,000 workers in the pulp, paper, oil, chemical, industrial, auto supply, atomic and mining sectors, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The announcement was made in Las Vegas during PACE's first constitutional convention since the merger of the United Paperworkers International Union and the Oil, Chemical, & Atomic Workers Union in January 1999.  Before the convention, during the week of Aug. 11, the union's executive board and the rank-and-file advisory board held meetings and endorsed Gephardt.  PACE also polled its locals at the convention and 98 percent endorsed Gephardt.
	Teamsters Teamsters Organization:  Executive Officers are General President James P. Hoffa and General Secretary-Treasurer C. Thomas “Tom” Keegel.  The General Executive Board consists of 22 Vice Presidents geographically located or at-large. There are 521 Teamsters locals in North America. On August 9, 2003 the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing 1.4 million members, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  Teamster's President James P. Hoffa appeared with Gephardt at rallies in Detroit, MI, Des Moines, IA and Manschester, NH.
	Steelworkers Steelworkers Organization: Leo W. Gerard is International President; Andrew V. Palm is International Vice President (Administration); Leon Lynch is International Vice President (Human Affairs); and James D. English is International Secretary-Treasurer.  The International Executive Board comprises 19 officials including the four officers, a National Director for Canada, directors of 12 geographic districts.  Thre are over 2,000 affiliated local unions in North America. On August 5, 2003 the United Steelworkers of America, representing 700,000 members (1.2 million active and retired members) announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The announcement was made at an event in Chicago in conjunction with the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting there.  USWA first surveyed activist members through its Rapid Response network and the Executive Board then voted unanimously on August 4 to issue the endorsement.
	Seafarers Seafarers Organization: Michael Sacco is President; John Fay is Executive Vice President; David W. Heindel is Secretary Treasurer.  These three officers are part of a 12-person Executive Board.  [Sacco is also President of the Maritime Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and he happens to be a longtime resident of Gephardt's congressional district]. On July 31, 2003 the Seafarers International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, representing 80,000 members, including unlicensed United States merchant mariners sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels in the deep sea, Great Lakes and inland trades as well as licensed U.S. mariners in the Great Lakes and inland sectors, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  (The independent national American Maritime Officers joined in the announcement, done in a conference call; the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association-AFL-CIO had been scheduled to participate as well but did not make it).
	IATSE IATSE Organization: Thomas C. Short is International President; James B. Wood is General Secretary-Treasurer.  The General Executive Board includes these officers, 2 emeriti officers, and 13 Vice Presidents.  On July 29, 2003 the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, representing over 100,000 members employed in the stagecraft, motion picture and television production, and trade shows industries throughout the United States, its territories and Canada, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The announcement came at IATSE's mid-summer board meeting at the Essex House in New York.  [press release]
	Machinists Machinists Organization: The Executive Council consists of International President R. Thomas Buffenbarger, General Secretary-Treasurer Donald E. Wharton, and 7 General Vice Presidents. On July 11, 2003 the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, representing nearly 720,000 active and retired union members in aerospace, air transport and manufacturing in North America, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The endorsement came in a vote by nearly 700 elected leaders of the IAM at the union's national staff conference in Cincinnati, OH.  [press release]
	Boilermakers Boilermakers Organization: Charles W. Jones is International President; Jerry Z. Willburn is International Secretary Treasurer.  The union's Legislative Education Action Program (LEAP) committee comprises the President, Secretary Treasurer, and the U.S. (7) and Canadian vice presidents. On June 23, 2003 the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, representing over 100,000 workers in the United States and Canada, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The LEAP committee made the unanimous endorsement following a straw poll of members.
	OPEIU OPEIU Organization: Michael Goodwin is the International President. On June 9, 2003 the  Office and Professional Employees International Union, representing 150,000 members--private and public sector professional and semiprofessional workers--in the United States and Canada, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President. [press release]
	BMWE BMWE Organization: Mac A. Fleming is President; Freddie N. Simpson is Secretary Treasurer. On June 5, 2003 the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, a Southfield, Michigan-based union representing about 40,000 workers who maintain railbed of train tracks in United States and Canada, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President. [press release]
	Bricklayers BAC Organization: The Executive Board consists of five officers: President John J. Flynn, the Secretary-Treasurer, and three Executive Vice Presidents.  The Executive Council, the Union's highest advisory body, comprises the Executive Board (5), Regional Vice Presidents from BAC's ten Regions in the U.S. and Canada (27), IU Regional Directors (10), Craft Vice Presidents (7), and At-Large Members (10). On May 21, 2003 the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, representing more than 100,000 skilled masonry workers in North America, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  The endorsement was made in a resolution approved by a unanimous vote of the BAC Executive Council on May 20 during its spring meeting.
	Iron Workers Iron Workers Organization: General President Joe Hunt, General Secretary Michael Fitzpatrick, and General Treasurer Dennis Toney.  The Executive Council includes the three officers and eight vice presidents. On April 9, 2003 the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (Iron Workers), with over 135,000 members in North America, endorsed Rep. Dick Gephardt for President, becoming the first international to endorse a candidate.  The actual endorsement was made in a resolution approved at the meeting of the union's General Executive Council on March 17, 2003.

Independent National Unions

American Maritime Officers AMO Organization: Michael R. McKay is National President.  The union is headquartered in Dania Beach, FL. On July 31, 2003 the American Maritime Officers, an independent national union representing 4,000 licensed officers in all sectors of the U.S.-flag merchant fleet, including ocean-going, Great Lakes and inland waters commercial, military support and cruise vessels, announced its endorsement of Rep. Dick Gephardt for President.  (The Seafarers International Union-AFL-CIO joined in the announcement).

State and Locals
Clark
Arkansas Education Association (Sid Johnson, President)  ...announced Dec. 6, 2003
 

Dean
AFT Local 212 (represents more than 1,700 full and part-time educators, professional staff and counselors at Milwaukee Area Technical College; President Michael Rosen)  ...announced Feb. 11, 2004

New Hampshire UAW Community Action Council (1000 members, NH UAW CAP Council President Tedd Evans) ...announced Dec. 23, 2003

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1400 (New Hampshire-based union, representing 1,800 workers at Verizon; Don Trementozzi, president)  ...announced Dec. 22, 2003

NEA New Hampshire  ...recommendation announced Dec. 10, 2003

California Teachers Association (California affiliate of the NEA, 335,000 members) ...announced Oct. 26, 2003
CTA endorsement voted at the regular meeting of the CTA's top governing body, the State Council of Education, in Los Angeles on Oct. 26.

Hotel & Restaurant Employees Local 25 (Washington, DC) ...announced Oct. 16, 2003
 

Edwards
District 2 United Steelworkers of America (represents steelworkers in Michigan and Wisconsin; Harry E. Lester, Director)  ...announced Jan. 28, 2004

Recommendations of:
North Carolina Association of Educators (Carolyn McKinney, President)  ...announced Nov. 19, 2003
South Carolina Education Association
 

Gephardt
United Automotive, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers (UAW) Western CAP Council (represents 120,000 members in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii)  ...announced Dec. 22, 2003

Northeastern Oklahoma Labor Council (NOLC), a consortium of more than 20 unions in northeastern Oklahoma, affiliated with the AFL-CIO  ...announced Dec. 16, 2003

Oklahoma UAW (more than 7,000 retired and active members; Judy Calhoun, President, Oklahoma UAW Community Action Program (CAP) Council)  ...announced Dec. 2, 2003

Missouri UAW (42,000 retired and active members; Stan Morgan, President of Missouri State UAW PAC Council)  ...announced Nov. 19, 2003

UAW Region 3 (75,000 active members and 55,000 retirees in Kentucky and Indiana; Terry Thurman, Director)  ...announced Nov. 17, 2003

Greater Kansas City (MO) AFL-CIO (Bridgette Williams, President)  ...announced Nov. 14, 2003

Iowa UAW [more formally: the Iowa State Community Action Program Council (CAP) of the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)] (David Neil, President of Iowa CAP Council)  ...announced Nov. 12, 2003

Oklahoma Building and Construction Trades Council (13 affiliated local labor unions; represents 10,000 members; Jimmy Fish, President) ...announced Nov. 11, 2003

Missouri National Education Association ...announced Nov. 6, 2003

Iowa Local 234 of the International Union of Operating Engineers (2,300 members) ...announced Oct. 27, 2003

New Mexico Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO (17 affiliated local labor unions; Rudy Zamora, Executive Director) ...announced Oct. 23, 2003

New Hampshire Building and Construction Trades Council (18 affiliated local labor unions; 3,000 members) ...announced Sept. 25, 2003

Missouri Building and Construction Trades Council
 

Kerry
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, UFCW (100,000-member affiliate of the UFCW representing workers at Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Syms, Saks Fifth Avenue, Modell's and other retailers; Stuart Appelbaum, President) ...announced Feb. 2, 2004

Massachusetts Nurses Association (represents more than 22,000 registered nurses and health care professionals)  ...announced Dec. 18, 2003

UFCW Local 328, UFCW Local 1459, UFCW Local 56

Chicago Teamsters Local 705 (21,000 members; the second largest Teamsters local in the U.S.)  ...announced Aug. 4, 2003

Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (over 11,000 members)  ...announced Feb. 18, 2003

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 791 (represents approx. 6,500 grocery store and warehouse employees in MA, RI and ME)  ...announced March 17, 2003
 

Kucinich
International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 23 in Tacoma, WA  ...endorsement formally announced Nov. 8, 2003
 

Lieberman
A coalition of Connecticut labor unions endorsed Sen. Joe Lieberman on June 10, 2003:
Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association of Connecticut
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers (Local Union 12)
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (Local 1)
International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (District Council 11)
IUE Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine & Furniture Workers (Local 81244)
Fairfield County Building and Construction Trades
Connecticut Building and Construction Trades Council

Laborers' Local 383 (Phoenix) - Lieberman
 
 

Copyright © 2003, 2004  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.