AFL-CIO MEMBER UNIONS
FREE TO BACK CANDIDATES

The AFL-CIO Executive Council turned its member unions loose to make presidential primary endorsements, saying the federation “decided not to proceed with a decision process that would lead to support for a single candidate at this time.”

In a statement approved by the council on August 8 in Chicago, the day after it hosted a debate between seven Democratic hopefuls at the city’s football stadium, Soldier Field, the federation praised all the contenders and said “trade unionists met with the next president of the United Sates and six other candidates.”

But it didn’t say who that “next president” would be among Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Joseph Biden (D-Del.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.).

“There is no consensus,” federation Political Director Karen Ackerman told reporters. She added there may not be one until after the huge round of primaries on Feb. 5.

Instead, the council said “the candidates competing for the nomination of the Democratic Party are far more likely to advocate positions in support of working families than are the candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican party.” No GOPers were invited to the debate, because none answered the federation’s questionnaire.

“The Democratic candidates are strong on issues most central to working people’s lives” but still need “continued engagement” from unions and their members “to promote (candidates’) full understanding of workers’ difficulties and dreams,” the council said.

Though the statement did not say so, the federation named its policy director, Thea Lee, as liaison to all the campaigns, to give them constant and intensive briefings.

But “it is equally clear that our members support a number of the candidates. Many of our members told us all the candidates are impressive,” the council added.

“For this reason, the AFL-CIO has decided not to proceed with a decision process that would lead to support for a single candidate at this time,” it declared.

After encouraging its 54 member unions to continue to educate and mobilize their members, it added that “every national union affiliate may decide for itself if it wishes to support a candidate in the primaries, and that different unions will be ready to make decisions at different times.” That effectively turns them loose to do so. Ackerman said she did not knowof looming endorsements.