The Nov. 29 vote by the union\'s national board was 17-0, with one abstention.
"Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to deliver the change that America\'s working families need," ATU President Warren S. George said in a statement. "She has a deep commitment to rebuilding the middle class and addressing the pocketbook issues that most matter to our members," he added.
In a telephone interview, George elaborated, explaining the decision was not easy because "we have good candidates running this time and it\'s tough when you have to split hairs" among them. "But her record on transit issues, transit security and health care was too much for our board, and our members, to ignore," he said of Clinton.
ATU, which represents bus, subway and paratransit workers nationwide, joins the Sheet Metal Workers/UTU, the Letter Carriers, AFSCME, the Machinists, Teachers, the Bricklayers, and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM in backing Clinton.
The Steel Workers, the Mine Workers and the Carpenters have endorsed former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., who ran third in two polls ATU ran among its members in the last three months, George said. No international union backs Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who ran second in the ATU surveys. The Fire Fighters have endorsed Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., who trailed in the ATU ranking.
The two surveys also asked ATU members to discuss key factors in making an endorsement. Electability, favorable-unfavorable ratings and "who would you like to see as president" came out on top, the union said. Clinton came out on top on electability, along with 68 percent of members praising her stand on mass transit issues.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
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The Nov. 29 vote by the union\’s national board was 17-0, with one abstention.
"Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to deliver the change that America\’s working families need," ATU President Warren S. George said in a statement. "She has a deep commitment to rebuilding the middle class and addressing the pocketbook issues that most matter to our members," he added.
In a telephone interview, George elaborated, explaining the decision was not easy because "we have good candidates running this time and it\’s tough when you have to split hairs" among them. "But her record on transit issues, transit security and health care was too much for our board, and our members, to ignore," he said of Clinton.
ATU, which represents bus, subway and paratransit workers nationwide, joins the Sheet Metal Workers/UTU, the Letter Carriers, AFSCME, the Machinists, Teachers, the Bricklayers, and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM in backing Clinton.
The Steel Workers, the Mine Workers and the Carpenters have endorsed former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., who ran third in two polls ATU ran among its members in the last three months, George said. No international union backs Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who ran second in the ATU surveys. The Fire Fighters have endorsed Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., who trailed in the ATU ranking.
The two surveys also asked ATU members to discuss key factors in making an endorsement. Electability, favorable-unfavorable ratings and "who would you like to see as president" came out on top, the union said. Clinton came out on top on electability, along with 68 percent of members praising her stand on mass transit issues.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.