Politics: Aaron Schock Earns Support from 9 Unions
(Press release)
(PEORIA) Representative Aaron Schock picked up the support of nine unions in his bid to succeed Ray LaHood as Congressman for the 18th District.
The unions include:
* National Education Association, NEA, the largest union representing teachers in the 18th District
* Illinois Education Association, IEA
* The International Union of Operating Engineers
* The National Association of Police Organizations, NAPO
* The Illinois Police Benevolent and Protective Union
* The Peoria Police Benevolent and Protective Union
* The International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, FIREPAC
* United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
* Airline Pilots Association International Union
In issuing their endorsement, the NEA wrote to Schock saying, “The NEA and IEA are proud to support the election of federal candidates, like you, who measure up to the issues that most concern our members.
The NEA and IEA are the union representing the largest number of teachers in the 18th District.
Schock recently was the keynote speaker at the Illinois Police Benevolent and Protective Union’s annual convention in Springfield earlier this month. He received a warm welcome and rousing ovation for his remarks to the members and the leaders held a news conference with Schock announcing their endorsement.
NAPO represents more than 2,000 police unions and associations, 241,000 sworn law enforcement officers, 11,000 retired officers and more than 100,000 citizens who share a common dedication to fair and effective crime control and law enforcement.
The International Union of Operating Engineers; the Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners; the National Education Association’s NEA Fund, and the International Association of Fire Fighters AFL-CIO FIREPAC also sent the maximum allowable $5,000 contribution to Schock’s campaign fund.
“I am honored to have the support of working men and women and the support of these organized labor unions,†said Schock. “I had a productive relationship with union representatives as a State Representative and my door will always be open as I try my very best to represent all the people of the 18th District.â€
October 30th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
AWESOME!!!!!!!GO AARON GO. He will be a great leader in Washington. He has done a lot here in our community and beyond . I’m very proud of him and his work….
October 31st, 2008 at 8:05 am
are these all new? I thought he had some of these before.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:38 am
I can understand the police unions, but the others I just can’t understand. Has the Boy Wonder changed his stance on the Employee Free Choice Act when I was distracted? Didn’t president Bush’s own Education Secretary equate unionized teachers to terrorists?
But then again the Iowa unions threw their support to Hillary Clinton in the expectation she would win, and they were wrong.
October 31st, 2008 at 10:12 am
I guess some unions have forgotten the ongoing carnage that Bush & Co. is doing to them, the NLRB (5 mem board: 3 vacant, Bush appointed Chair) and the FLRA/FSIP (7 mem’s, all Bush appointed anti-labor drones).
What a shame these ‘leaders’ sold out. I hope their membership is smarter than that on election day, and the next time these pencil-dick poobahs are up for their OWN elections. Send these Bozos packing!
http://www.nlrb.gov/About_Us/Overview/board/
http://www.flra.gov/biograph.htm
l
October 31st, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Schock outworks and outmanuevers his opponents every time. This is but one example. Union support comes right out of the Democatic base and in the 18th District a Democrat already starts behind and now Callahan doesn’t have her full base intact. The mayors, unions, farm bureau, and a Democratic State Rep on TV for Schock are big setbacks for Callahan. The Green Party candidate also takes votes that would go to the Democrat. Schock also does well with African-Americans. That’s why he won his re-election by such a large margin.
October 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Seth, would you agree with me that there is a fundamental difference between a local non partisan election like the school board, a partisan state race, and a highly partisan federal office.
As for the Mayors, Mayors have to be cognizant of their local FIRE departments. You know Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate. Mayors around here tend to be Republican.
I also doubt that Schock will due well with African-Americans especially after worrying about Obama’s “level of socialism” comment at the Republican Day at the State Fair. The last time I checked the 18th district was much larger than the 92nd state House race so people will tend to vote on party lines. Also didn’t Reagan’s own Ag Secretary raise money for Callahan?
I agree with your analysis since the 18th hasn’t had a Democrat since 1917, and has a partisan voting index of Republican +5.5. Remember the Republicans have already lost a similiar seat this cycle IL-14. So we’ll see.
Lastly, I must confess I’m a little bit shocked about one of the union endorsements since I am friends with a business agent of one of the nine unions and I suspected that person of being a source for a newspaper story.
October 31st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Brian, you raise a good point about the Employee Free Choice Act. For anyone not familiar with EFCA, it is probably the most important piece of labor legislation in the last 60 years. It may well mark the return of workers rights in America. Even with a democratic congress and an Obama presidency, passage of EFCA is not guaranteed. There are many anti-labor democrats in Congress. and it may not get to Obama’s desk. It wouldn’t hurt to have some republican support. Not that Schock will support EFCA, but at least he’ll will listen. That is what campaign contributions are all about – not getting the elected official to vote your way, but getting some “face time” with him/her to make your case. I say smart move by the Unions.
October 31st, 2008 at 3:49 pm
[...] This survey was done after Schock released a statement claiming endorsement from nine labor organizations. [...]
October 31st, 2008 at 4:09 pm
[...] annoyed some people with a line at the bottom of this post, which noted that a member of the Peoria Chiefs who tossed a baseball an oposing player and instead [...]
October 31st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
“I guess some unions have forgotten the ongoing carnage that Bush & Co. is doing to them”
As opposed to the Democrats’ desire to end secret ballots for unions? Yeah, such friends of labor…
October 31st, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Now for the facts:
“Some 60 million U.S. workers say they would join a union if they could, based on research conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates in December 2006. But when workers try to gain a voice on the job by forming a union, employers routinely respond with intimidation, harassment and retaliation.
During union election campaigns, management routinely coerces employees to convince them not to choose union representation. According to a survey of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election campaigns in 1998 and 1999 by Cornell University scholar Kate Bronfenbrenner, private-sector employers illegally fire employees for union activity in at least 25 percent of all efforts to join a union.
Employees not fired fear losing their jobs if they support union representation. According to the Bronfenbrenner survey, management forces employees to attend group anti-union presentations in 92 percent of all union campaigns. Brent Garren, senior associate counsel for UNITE HERE, told a House subcommittee this past September that 79 percent of workers agreed workers are “very†or “somewhat†likely to be fired for trying to form a union.
The Employee Free Choice Act would reform the nation’s basic labor laws by requiring employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing union representation. It also would provide mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes and establish stronger penalties for violation of the rights of workers seeking to form unions or negotiate first contracts. The act had bipartisan support of 44 senators and 215 representatives in the 109th Congress, and the AFL-CIO expects even greater support in the 110th Congress.”
If we had strong unions we would still have health care and safe pensions. Like we used to have before the Reagan – Bush – Bush era.
October 31st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
The fact that an Obama presidency means a grater change the Employee Free Choice Act will pass is enough reason for me to support him.
Same reason I am supporting Callahan in the 18th District.
December 29th, 2008 at 3:35 am
fafkliydkwvuebhmwell, hi admin adn people nice forum indeed. how’s life? hope it’s introduce branch