OPEIU
AFL-CIO-CLC

For Immediate Release:

June 9, 2003
 
 

Office and Professional Employees International Union Endorses Gephardt

Representative Richard Gephardt was endorsed today by the Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-CIO in New York City. Gephardt was present in New York to accept the endorsement from OPEIU, which has 150,000 members in the U. S. and Canada.

"We believe that Dick Gephardt’s strong record on issues of importance to working families warrants our union’s enthusiastic support," said Michael Goodwin, President of OPEIU.  "His commitment to universal health care is an act of courage rarely seen in today’s political arena.  His call for immigration reform inspires us and his record on the environment is unmatched among presidential candidates."

OPEIU represents a cross-section of workers coast-to-coast, including clerical workers, doctors, dentists, helicopter pilots, New York Stock Exchange employees and hotel workers.  OPEIU hopes that its early endorsement of Gephardt will serve as a catalyst to draw the support the union feels he deserves from organized labor throughout the country.

"I am extremely honored and proud to be receiving the endorsement of OPEIU today," said Gephardt.  "I am particularly humbled by this endorsement, because like many of the hard working women and men of this union, my mother was a secretary.  With the help and support of OPEIU members, I'll put the interests of working families first and fight to lift this lagging economy and get all Americans covered with health coverage."
 
 

For further information contact: John Turchiano


For Immediate Release:

Monday, June 9 2003

New York, NY

 

Office and Professional Employees International Union Endorses Gephardt

Representative Richard Gephardt (D-MO) was endorsed on Monday, June 9 by the Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-CIO.  Gephardt was present to accept the endorsement from OPEIU, which represents 145,000 members in the U. S. and Canada.  The endorsement followed balloting of the OPEIU Executive Board in support of Gephardt.  The Executive Board also held a teleconference with Gephardt where he thanked the Board for their support.

The early endorsement was necessary due to the forthcoming AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting on August 4 where endorsement of Presidential candidates will be considered, and the June 30 financial reporting deadline.  Endorsements are extremely helpful to the campaign in fundraising.

"We believe that Dick Gephardt's strong record on issues of importance to working families warrants our Union's enthusiastic support," said Michael Goodwin, President of OPEIU.  "His commitment to universal health care is an act of courage rarely seen in today’s political arena.  His support of working families inspires us, and his record on the environment is unmatched among presidential candidates."

OPEIU hopes that its early endorsement of Gephardt will serve as a catalyst to draw the support the union feels he deserves from organized labor throughout the United States.

The endorsement took place at OPEIU headquarters, 265 West 14th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY.
 

[rec'd the two different releases above]