In the wake of Senator Mark Dayton's surprise announcement that he will not seek re-election, union leaders are praising his record and steeling themselves for an all-out effort to elect a pro-labor candidate to replace him.
Citing the difficulties of raising the millions of dollars necessary to run for federal office, Dayton announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election when his six-year term ends next year. Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron and other state labor leaders praised Dayton?s advocacy for working families in his one term in the Senate.
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| Dayton addressing the Minnesota AFL-CIO convention in August 2003. |
Dayton has a 100 percent lifetime voting record on working family issues, according to the national AFL-CIO website. That's a rating of 100 percent for each of his three Senate years rated to date, representing 42 scored votes.
His record on worker issues includes:
In 2001, Dayton voted to support ergonomic standards to protect workers' health.
In 2002, he voted to oppose the "Fast Track" trade proposal because of flawed provisions failing to protect workers' rights and the environment.
In 2003, Dayton voted to extend unemployment insurance benefits and to oppose elimination of overtime for millions of workers.
"He's advocated for Minnesota's Reserve and National Guard soldiers and he's spoken out against the bad trade deals that are sending Minnesota's jobs overseas. He's doing a great job in a hostile environment," Waldron said. "And there's still a lot of work for us to do together."
"For labor and also personally, I'm disappointed he's not going to be running again, said Jon Youngdahl, SEIU state director and the state coordinator of the Labor 2004 political effort. "Labor's losing in the U.S. Senate someone who has been a lifelong friend of organized labor. He's been with us on the picket line. He's been with us on the political front."
"It's not good," said Gary Gross, political director for the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters. "Mark was a good labor guy."
Gross noted Dayton's statement that the fundraising demands for the race would preclude him from serving effectively as Senator. "It's getting to the point where only millionaires run for these positions," Gross noted. "Anybody with that kind of money can't relate to someone who's working for an hourly wage," he feared.
"We really needed Dayton after Paul Wellstone's death and he's been there," said C. Scott Cooper, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action (MAPA), a coalition which includes several labor unions. Dayton has been a longtime benefactor of MAPA. "He's been a good ally for progressives in Minnesota," Cooper said. "We believe we can fill his shoes with another progressive candidate."
For more information
To read Dayton's statement about his decision not to run again, visit his campaign website: www.markdayton.org
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In the wake of Senator Mark Dayton’s surprise announcement that he will not seek re-election, union leaders are praising his record and steeling themselves for an all-out effort to elect a pro-labor candidate to replace him.
Citing the difficulties of raising the millions of dollars necessary to run for federal office, Dayton announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election when his six-year term ends next year. Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron and other state labor leaders praised Dayton?s advocacy for working families in his one term in the Senate.
|
| Dayton addressing the Minnesota AFL-CIO convention in August 2003. |
Dayton has a 100 percent lifetime voting record on working family issues, according to the national AFL-CIO website. That’s a rating of 100 percent for each of his three Senate years rated to date, representing 42 scored votes.
His record on worker issues includes:
In 2001, Dayton voted to support ergonomic standards to protect workers’ health.
In 2002, he voted to oppose the “Fast Track” trade proposal because of flawed provisions failing to protect workers’ rights and the environment.
In 2003, Dayton voted to extend unemployment insurance benefits and to oppose elimination of overtime for millions of workers.
“He’s advocated for Minnesota’s Reserve and National Guard soldiers and he’s spoken out against the bad trade deals that are sending Minnesota’s jobs overseas. He’s doing a great job in a hostile environment,” Waldron said. “And there’s still a lot of work for us to do together.”
“For labor and also personally, I’m disappointed he’s not going to be running again, said Jon Youngdahl, SEIU state director and the state coordinator of the Labor 2004 political effort. “Labor’s losing in the U.S. Senate someone who has been a lifelong friend of organized labor. He’s been with us on the picket line. He’s been with us on the political front.”
“It’s not good,” said Gary Gross, political director for the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters. “Mark was a good labor guy.”
Gross noted Dayton’s statement that the fundraising demands for the race would preclude him from serving effectively as Senator. “It’s getting to the point where only millionaires run for these positions,” Gross noted. “Anybody with that kind of money can’t relate to someone who’s working for an hourly wage,” he feared.
“We really needed Dayton after Paul Wellstone’s death and he’s been there,” said C. Scott Cooper, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action (MAPA), a coalition which includes several labor unions. Dayton has been a longtime benefactor of MAPA. “He’s been a good ally for progressives in Minnesota,” Cooper said. “We believe we can fill his shoes with another progressive candidate.”
For more information
To read Dayton’s statement about his decision not to run again, visit his campaign website: www.markdayton.org