Clinton pledges support to unions

Will spend more on U.S. infrastructure, she promises 3,000

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told 3,000 union activists in Washington on Tuesday that they will have a “champion in the White House” if she is elected president.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told 3,000 union activists in Washington on Tuesday that they will have a “champion in the White House” if she is elected president.

WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addressed 3,000 union activists Tuesday, promising to fight for working men and women if elected in November.

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The North American Building Trades Unions, one of the largest labor groups to endorse the former secretary of state, hosted the event at the Washington Hilton.

Supporters waved red-white-and-blue "Hard Hats for Hillary" signs, and a few even wore the shiny headgear.

If elected, Clinton said, she would invest in "clean energy" projects and fight to raise the minimum wage.

She also promised to increase spending on roads, bridges and water systems.

"Building a strong economy tomorrow starts by building a strong infrastructure today," she said.

The former U.S. first lady and senator from New York also promised that she will be a reliable ally if she wins.

"If I'm fortunate enough to become your president, organized labor will always have a champion in the White House," she said, drawing loud applause.

The North American Building Trades Unions, which describes itself as "an alliance of 14 national and international unions," claims membership of 3 million.

Several of the nation's largest unions have endorsed Clinton in recent months. Those include the National Education Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Clinton's rival in the Democratic race, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, also has picked up backing from a few national labor groups, including the American Postal Workers Union and the Communications Workers of America.

Lindsay Brown, secretary-treasurer of the Central Arkansas Building and Construction Trades Council, was on hand for the speech and praised Clinton's "pragmatic approach" to labor and management issues.

He especially liked her support for expanding training opportunities for young people.

As the executive secretary on the Arkansas Apprenticeship Coordination Steering Committee, "apprenticeship is near and dear to me," he said.

Clinton has built relationships with labor leaders over the years, so she's a familiar face at these types of labor gatherings, Brown said. "She hasn't shied away from us, and I think wherever you go ... you'll see different craft unions out there supporting her," he said.

The largest labor group, the AFL-CIO, has not sided with either candidate in the Democratic primary.

Arkansas AFL-CIO President Alan Hughes said union groups, like Democrats in general, are divided between Clinton and Sanders. He didn't attend the event.

"They're pretty much split, so they haven't taken a position on the national level," he said.

As the Democratic primaries wind down, labor groups are more likely to reach a consensus, he said, adding, "I'm anxious to get this show on the road."

Nationwide, there are 14.8 million union members, including 58,000 in Arkansas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At its peak in the 1950s, roughly one-third of the U.S. workforce was unionized.

Today, that number has dropped to 11.1 percent. In Arkansas, that figure is substantially lower -- 5.1 percent.

For candidates, union support can be pivotal, Hendrix political science professor Jay Barth said. In Nevada, for example, organized labor helped Clinton claim a narrow caucus victory in February, enabling her campaign to regain its equilibrium after a lopsided loss in New Hampshire.

But it doesn't carry the same clout as it did decades ago. "It's certainly very positive, but certainly not the kind of force that it would have been two generations ago, just because of the changing role of labor organizations in American life in general," he said.

Although Republican Donald Trump may have support from some rank-and-file members of the Teamsters Union, the vast majority of labor organizations will rally around whichever Democrat emerges on top, he said.

"Unquestionably, organizationally, kind of across the board, there's going to be wholesale support for the Democratic nominee," Barth said.

Metro on 04/20/2016

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