Unions distance themselves from Obama economic record

Unions distance themselves from Obama economic record

Largest U.S. labor union not ready to back Hillary Clinton 2016 White House bid

AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka praised the National Labor Relations Board’s sweeping new rules approved Wednesday that make it easier for unions to gain members at companies that have long rebuffed them. (Associated Press) more >

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/28/afl-cio-wont-endorse-any-democrat-with-obama-econo  

The country’s largest labor union won’t endorse any Democrat who has the same economic team as President Obama and won’t be getting behind Hillary Rodham Clinton early in the 2016 presidential race, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Thursday.

“If you get the same economic team, you’re going to get the same results. The same results aren’t good enough for working people,” he said.

Mr. Trumka, who leads the AFL-CIO federation of 56 unions, with more than 12 million members, said repeatedly that the working Americans were still “hurting” amid a lethargic economic recovery.

“For most folks, it seems to be an economy of stagnation,” Mr. Trumka said at a breakfast with reporters hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.

 As for the 2016 race to replace Mr. Obama, Mr. Trumka said the union would withhold an endorsement until the field fills out and union leaders collectively vet all the candidates, thereby avoiding a repeat of 2008, when several unions split endorsements between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama.

“We’ve signed an agreement with all the unions of the AFL-CIO [that] no one will endorse until we decide that all of us are going to endorse,” Mr. Trumka said told reporters.

               
“We will call in and question all of the candidates,” he said. “One of our biggest concerns is who is the candidate’s economic team, because if the present economic team doesn’t change, you are going get the same results.”

The AFL-CIO didn’t endorse Mrs. Clinton in 2008, waiting until late in the contentious Democratic primary race to get behind Mr. Obama. Other unions split endorsements between the two.

Mr. Trumka praised the qualifications of Mrs. Clinton, who was secretary of state and a U.S. senator from New York. But he said that it was “too early” to make an endorsement.

“Hillary did an excellent job as secretary of state. I think she is very, very qualified to be president,” he said. “Would I say that she is the favorite now? Yes. But I think any time anybody believes there is going to be a coronation, that’s dangerous to the candidate.”

He said the promise of a coronation could make a candidate complacent.

“That’s not good for the candidate, because the candidate needs to be developing the grass-roots system and support across the country, and the deeper you go, the better off that candidate is,” Mr. Trumka said. “And I think, quite frankly, that is precisely what [Mrs. Clinton] is going to do.”

Mr. Trumka named other potential Democratic contenders for the White House, including Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who has been aggressively laying the groundwork for a 2016 run.

Later, Mr. Trumka repeated his indictment of Mr. Obama’s economic policies, urging Mrs. Clinton to chart a different course.

He said Mr. Obama also had come up short on championing pro-union policies.
“I think he’s trying,” Mr. Trumka said. “Is it enough? We’d like to see more.”

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Christian Science Monitor

Joanne Leedom-Ackerman was a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, a director at the Human Rights Watch, is a director at Refugees International, and a board member at the International Crisis Group.

Note: Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, the Roosevelt Institute, the International Rescue Committee, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a benefactor at the Human Rights Watch, is a director emeritus at Refugees International, a board member at the International Crisis Group, and a co-chair, national finance council at Ready for Hillary.

Allida M. Black is a co-founder of Ready for Hillary, and a governor at the Roosevelt Institute.

Barbara Shailor was a governor at the Roosevelt Institute, an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, an international director for the AFL-CIO, and an executive director for the Solidarity Center.

Clifford S. Asness is a director at the International Rescue Committee, was a leadership council member for the Robin Hood Foundation, and supported same-sex marriage in New York.

Richard L. Trumka is the president of the AFL-CIO, the secretary-treasurer at the Solidarity Center, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and was a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

R. Thomas Buffenbarger is a trustee at the Solidarity Center, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and an officer for the Boy Scouts of America.

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Penny S. Pritzker was a member of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, the national finance chair, fundraiser for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a co-chair for the 2009 Barack Obama inaugural committee, a fundraiser, national co-chair for the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a contributor for the 2013 Barack Obama inaugural committee, the host for the Barack Obama fund-raising dinner, 7/2/2008, Craig M. Robinson’s basketball coach for the children's team, is , the secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Michelle Obama is Craig M. Robinson’s sister, and was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory A-Z (Past Research)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

http://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/commercial-club-of-chicago-members.html