Tuesday, October 09, 2007

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

posted by Oregon AFL-CIO at 9:43 PM