Look For The Union Label

At least three unions representing letter carriers, federal engineers and postal clerks have endorsed a presidential candidate. A couple more large unions are expected to pick a candidate although both may wait until the Democratic convention has selected the team.

All of the unions are backing Democrats and all three are major AFL-CIO affiliates.

The International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers issued the latest union endorsement last week. The executive council of the 85,000 member union said it liked both Democratic candidates but had cast its lot with Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). The IFPTE claims to be the fastest-growing union in the nation. Most of its members are from the private sector but it has a large federal presence as well.

Earlier, the National Association of Letter Carriers members had voted, in a post card ballot, to endorse Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). The ballot contained only the names of Democratic candidates because, the union said, none of the Republican hopefuls had responded to a questionnaire it sent to everybody then in the race.

A couple of weeks back, the American Postal Workers Union’s executive board said it will work to help elect Sen. Obama.

The NALC represents “outside” postal employees, those who deliver the mail. The APWU represents clerical or “inside” employees who run post offices and sort the mail.

The two postal unions represent nearly half a million workers who are actual dues-paying members.

For more on their endorsements, click here.

The executive councils of at least two other federal unions are expected to endorse candidates before the general elections. In past elections, those unions, the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees, endorsed Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and former Vice President Albert Gore (D-Tenn.).

Grass-roots unions leaders say that the favorite Democratic candidate of most of their members was former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.).

But after reporting on the NALC-APWU endorsements earlier this month we were contacted by a dozen or so members of each union who object to endorsements. As one e-mail said: “…I’m a union member and I can tell you that no matter what our executive council says we want, I’m telling you most of the members I know are going to vote for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).”

Outside of the U.S. Postal Service (and the Tennessee Valley Authority) most white collar federal workers are represented by unions, but the majority do not belong to the union or pay dues to it. So what do you think about endorsements? Good idea, bad idea or do they matter at all? Sound off…

Nearly Useless Factoid

According to MentalFloss, Tuesday is the most popular day of the week for giving birth. Part of that factor has nothing to do with nature and everything to do with hospital staffing since elective C-sections and induced labors are often scheduled during traditional working hours.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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