‘Obama for President’ Says Local 600’s National Executive Board
National Officers Highlight Healthcare and Labor Rights in their Choice
 Local 600’s National Execuitve Board has recommended that the union endorse Barack Obama for President and support labor-friendly candidates throughout the United States for the following reasons:
• Healthcare: The cost of healthcare is skyrocketing each year as more and more employers are unable to afford health insurance for their workers. Unions frequently are forced to forego wage increases just to keep their health plans intact. Barack Obama and labor-friendly candidates propose to strengthen employer-sponsored plans by extending coverage to millions of Americans who have no health insurance. Senator McCain, on the other hand, proposes to replace the tax benefits employers receive for providing health coverage with a personal tax credit of $2,500 for single individuals and $5,000 for families. If adopted, McCain’s proposal would mean the end of employer-sponsored health plans such as the Motion Picture industry Health Plan and the IATSE National Plans.
• The Economy: The choice in this election is a choice between more of the same policies that have widened inequality, added to our debt and shaken the foundation of our economy, or change that will reward hard work with a decent living, that will invest in the ingenuity and innovation of our people, and that will fuel bottom-up prosperity to keep America strong and competitive. Senator McCain has gone on record in support of the Bush Administration policies that have resulted in lost jobs for 5 straight months — more than 320,000 since the beginning of this year. The percentage of homes in foreclosure and late mortgage payments has never been greater. Gas is nearing $5 a gallon. Barack Obama’s economic plan calls for an extension of unemployment benefits, expansion of college tuition grants, federal aid to those facing foreclosure, fair trade agreements that protect workers’ rights and environmental standards, and an increase in minimum wage.
• Labor Rights: By supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, Barack Obama has committed to support workers’ right to organize unions without fear tactics and intimidations that are all too common in the workplace. This legislation would allow workers to win union representation through a majority showing of authorization cards. It would avoid the process that currently encourages employers to fire union organizers, threaten workers’ jobs and make a mockery of the democratic process. John McCain opposes the Employee Free Choice Act and supports national right-to-work legislation.
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