Oregon AFL-CIO Convention in the News
As I mentioned in an earlier post, all of our speakers got a warm welcome from our delegates -- including our great elected officials and AFL-CIO union leaders. Today was a also big news draw because of Sen. Edwards' visit. Here's a recap of some of today's news coverage:
John Edwards Campaigns At Union Meeting In Seaside
Oregon Public Broadcasting: Link to story and audio.
Oregon’s labor movement is increasingly seen as an especially effective force in state politics.
Oregon AFL-CIO president Tom Chamberlain says one in four Oregon voters comes from a household with at least one union member. He says the labor federation spends much of its energy communicating with own members about how to vote.
Edwards Courts Oregon Union Members
Associated Press
The labor activists interrupted Edwards with applause several times as he promised an aggressive agenda to provide health coverage for all, end the Iraq war and push for pro-union laws to help working families.
John Edwards Visits Oregon
Story at KPTV FOX 12
"We love him," Chamberlain said. "He understands what it takes for working people to earn a living. It's genuine and sincere. He's a champion for rebuilding the middle class."
Edwards rallies union support in Oregon
Story at the Oregonian
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards got a raucous rock-star welcome from Oregon labor activists Tuesday as he laid out his plans for universal health care, quick withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq and looser union sign-up laws.
"If you can join the Republican Party by signing name on a card, any worker in America ought to be able to join a union by signing a card," Edwards said. And when union workers strike, "No one will walk through that picket line and take your job away from you -- not while I'm president."
"I love what he has to say," said Marty Demaris, an official in the Klamath Falls machinists union. "He's there with labor. It's been a long time since we heard a president talking that way."
John Edwards courts union members in Oregon
Story at WAVY TV
Speaking at the Oregon AFL-CIO convention, Edwards said every person in America is worthy of health coverage.
Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain says that while the state federation isn't planning to make an endorsement, Edwards is highly popular among Oregon's union activists.
John Edwards brings campaign to Oregon
Story at KTVZ
An exuberant John Edwards ... drew a rousing reception from about 400 union members and took heart from a weekend straw poll among state Democrats.
The Convention is in our members' hands -- they are still hard at work at their resolutions. I'll do a recap on the decisions they've made in the coming days.
Labels: Convention, John Edwards, Oregon AFL-CIO
Sen. Edwards: What Can I Say
If you want to see 500 union members and supporters as happy as all get-out, watch them meet and hear from Sen. John Edwards.
The Oregon AFL-CIO hasn't endorsed a candidate for president, and I'm not playing favorites here, but Sen. Edwards hit the ball out of the ballpark in his speech to our Convention today in Seaside. On every issue -- health care, the war in Iraq, and more, he gets it. Working people are the backbone of our country, and we need to work hard to make sure that a child of a mill worker can have the opportunity to someday run for president.
Rep. Kucinich made a similar point on Friday -- that we need to keep the doors open for poor and middle class children to thrive just as the child of a CEO has. That is what our labor movement is about. It's my story and the story of so many of the union members, officers and staff with whom I am honored to work. That's exactly why we're here.
Other highlights so far today:
- AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Organizing Director Stewart Acuff honored us with wall-shaking speeches. When these two were done speaking, I was energized and ready for a fight. Bring on 2008!
- U.S. Senate Candidate (and Oregon House Speaker) Jeff Merkley gave a rousing speech to our delegates, as did candidate Steve Novick yesterday. These two are good friends of labor and received a warm welcome from our folks.
- Our terrific Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byrd and I were re-elected to our leadership posts.
- About ten media covered our Convention today, including three Portland news stations, the Oregonian, several coastal newspapers and the Associated Press.
- Our 400 delegates in attendance have worked night and day to develop resolutions on everything from health care, to how we conduct our Convention. I have been doing this work for 30 years, and I have never seen such an energetic group thinking through these issues and working together like I have seen this weekend. Our members know that the decisions they make this weekend are not just lip service. They will have an impact on the state, and they are weighing them as such. Great work, everyone!
Labels: Barbara Byrd, John Edwards, John Sweeney, Oregon AFL-CIO, Tom Chamberlain
A Little Help From Our Friends
Is that Senator Ben Westlund canvassing with Working America and the Oregon AFL-CIO? You bet.
Sen. Westlund -- a good friend of working people in Oregon -- was among the many candidates and elected officials who have joined us in Seaside so far. He donned a clipboard and knocked on doors in Seaside with the Working America canvassers. Oregon is one of a handful of states for this program, and we have 45,000 members so far -- and no doubt a few more with the assistance of Sen. Westlund.
We also have had a chance to meet with many of our members' state reps and senators, candidates and statewide electeds. In addition to everyone we've had on stage (listed in the Convention to the right), we've seen Senators Brad Avakian, Kate Brown, Vicki Walker, and Representatives Debbie Boone, Brian Clem, Greg MacPherson, Brad Witt, and many more.
Today's Oregonian coverage, while accurate, saved its best line for last.
It's an exciting morning -- Within the hour, AFL-CIO Pres. Sweeney, House Speaker Jeff Merkley and U.S. Sen. John Edwards will take the stage. Then later today, our 400 delegates will once again get to the business of making the decisions to carry us through 2008 and beyond.
When the Convention ends, we will have lots of video, audio and stories to post.
Labels: Convention, Oregon AFL-CIO
As I mentioned in an earlier post, all of our speakers got a warm welcome from our delegates -- including our great elected officials and AFL-CIO union leaders. Today was a also big news draw because of Sen. Edwards' visit. Here's a recap of some of today's news coverage:
