Capitol Confidential/Times Union
Albany, NY
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/27231/schneiderman-gets-uaw-nod/
By Rick Karlin
This is no doubt welcome news for AG candidate Eric Schneiderman heading into the Democratic convention, he just got the United Auto Workers endorsement. While one may think “Detroit” when hearing the initials UAW, their release notes that they have approximately 50,000 active and retired members in New York.
Here’s what they are saying:
Citing his lifelong commitment to economic and social justice, UAW Regions 9 and 9a today announced its endorsement of Eric Schneiderman for New York State Attorney General. The UAW has approximately 50,000 active and retired members in the state.
“The UAW is proud to endorse a lifelong progressive leader like Eric Schneiderman. Eric’s commitment to working families and long record of delivering results makes him the clear choice to be our next Attorney General,” says Bob Madore, UAW Region 9A Director.
The UAW, another major affiliate of the Working Families Party, cited Eric Schneiderman’s dedication to public service and long record of accomplishments for working families. Schneiderman took on the insurance companies on behalf of patients, increased the minimum wage, fought for fair funding for public schools, held the MTA accountable to taxpayers and the riding public and ended the draconian Rockefeller drug laws that devastated communities across this state for decades.
“I am so honored to receive the support of the UAW, a union that has broken new ground for workers in this city and state for decades,” said Eric Schneiderman, a lifelong progressive Democrat. “The UAW has been on the front lines fighting for a brighter future for the working people of New York. As Attorney General, I will be a progressive champion for the working and middle class. I will fight to deliver equal justice for everyone – to make sure there is not one set of rules for the powerful and another for everyone else.”
UAW Region 9 Director Joe Ashton agrees with Madore, “with Senator Schneiderman fighting for us, the working people of this state will have a true champion on our side who has never backed down from a challenge. His progressive values are unwavering – we know that Eric Schneiderman is the best choice for Attorney General.”
A diverse membership in New York, UAW members include legal service and legal aid attorneys, manufacturing sector employees, auto workers, auto mechanics, adjunct professors, graduate students and other university employees, and technical, office, clerical and museum professionals.
With widespread support from a broad and diverse coalition of progressive New Yorkers and the unanimous endorsement of the state’s largest labor union, 1199/SEIU United Healthcare East and the largest private-sector union, 32BJ, and Citizen Action of New York, momentum is growing for Schneiderman’s campaign to be the state’s next Attorney General.To date, Schneiderman has won the endorsement of over fifty federal, state and local elected officials including U.S. Representatives Jerry Nadler, Charles Rangel and Jose Serrano, Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson, NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a host of prominent community activists, and labor unions including the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association.
