>Press Release
>AUGUST 30, 2000 CONTACT: Jake Lewis or Laura
>Jones, (202) 265-4000
> Chris Townsend, (814) 453-4228
>
>UNITED ELECTRICAL WORKERS
>VOTE TO ENDORSE RALPH NADER
>
>Erie, Pennsylvania The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of
>America (UE) voted at their annual convention Aug. 30 to endorse Ralph
>Nader's candidacy for President, saying, "the wasted vote in this
>election would be for the pro-business Democrats and Republicans."
>
>The 35,000-member independent union represents workers in manufacturing,
>public sector and private non-profit sector jobs. "Decades of
>corporate-controlled Democratic and Republican presidencies convince us
>that we have no choice but to escape the two-party trap," states a
>resolution passed by UE, which has endorsed just four other presidential
>candidates in its 65-year history. "Nader's energetic and principled
>candidacy will bring us closer to real labor law reform, national health
>care and a challenge to if not controls on the power of
>multinational corporations."
>
>The union praised Nader's pro-labor platform, which calls for triple
>back pay for workers fired illegally during an organizing drive,
>expanded power for the National Labor Relations Board to issue
>injunctions to stop unfair labor practices, a ban on the permanent
>replacement of strikers, and, most prominently, repeal of the anti-labor
>Taft-Hartley Act.
>
>The UE is the third union to officially throw its support behind Nader.
>In June, the 31,000-member California Nurses Association, the largest
>organization of registered nurses in California, endorsed Nader,
>praising his "outspoken stance on behalf of an overhaul of the nation's
>health care system, and strong advocacy of nurses' and patients'
>rights."
>
>The 1,200-member AFSCME Local 1108 followed with an endorsement of Nader
>in August. The union of nonprofit workers which represents Los Angeles
>area Head Start, child care and social service workers cited Nader's
>support of universal health care, expanded child care and better wages
>for child care workers as reasons for the endorsement.
>
>Nader's history of support for labor rights and his strong pro-labor
>platform have earned the enthusiastic support of growing numbers of
>rank-and-file union members, who are organizing Labor for Nader groups
>in major metropolitan areas around the country. One of the strongest
>Labor for Nader chapters is in Detroit, Mich., where Nader plans to
>appear on Labor Day, Sept. 4.
>
>###
>Paid for by the Nader 2000 General Committee, Inc.
>PO Box 18002 ¨ Washington, DC 20036 ¨ www.votenader.org ¨ (202) 265-4000
>¨ fax (202) 265-0183
>--
>Stacy Malkan
>Assistant Press Secretary
>Nader 2000 Campaign
>202.265.4000 ext. 42
>202.265.0183 (fax)
>www.votenader.org
>
>Paid for by the Nader 2000 General Committee, Inc.
>P.O. Box 18002, Washington, D.C. 20036
>
>Wednesday August 30 3:47 PM ET
>Nader Picks Up Additional Labor Support
>
>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saying Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader
>(news - web sites) would bring nation ``closer to real labor law reform,'' a
>union representing 35,000 electrical workers and manufacturing employees
>endorsed the longtime consumer advocate on Wednesday.
>
>``Decades of corporate-controlled Democratic and Republican presidencies
>convince us we have no choice but to escape the two-party trap,'' read the
>endorsement approved by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers
>Union.
>
>Nader has secured the support of three unions, but is unlikely to receive
>the Teamsters endorsement when it is announced in September.
>
>Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) secured the support of the AFL-CIO
>late last year, but Nader has scrapped with the Democratic presidential
>candidate throughout the year for labor support.
>
>``The politicians must be told they have to join the fight of working people
>or we're going to break their hearts like they broke ours,'' said Bill
>Austin, a leader of the electrical union from Iowa.
>
>The endorsement came during the 65-year-old independent union's annual
>convention in Pennsylvania.
>
>Nader has polled about 5 percent in recent national polls, with slightly
>stronger support in Democratic strongholds like California.