Bernie Sanders' momentum stalls in an unlikely place: union halls

[DCBob]

From LA Times..

National unions representing more than half of America’s 14.6 million unionized workers are already in Clinton’s corner, and many of the rest are heading in that direction. It is creating significant tension in some of the organizations and raising the question of whether the Sanders campaign is faltering or if union leadership has lost touch with its rank and file, large numbers of whom are turning out to support Sanders with unrivaled enthusiasm.

“There is no incentive for elected officials to support working-class values if union leaders are going to then say, ‘We need someone more conservative because they will win,’” said Larry Cohen, a former president of the Communication Workers of America who is advising Sanders. “That is what we are getting here. … Secretary Clinton is fine. But she is a corporate Democrat. That hasn’t worked.”

About 80,000 union members have enlisted in the Labor for Bernie campaign, through which they are pressuring the heads of their various unions not to endorse Clinton. They launch social media campaigns denouncing their union leadership when they are ignored. Local chapters of unions in key early states have gone rogue and thrown their support behind Sanders. Many of them parrot Sanders’ call for massive change — the kind union leaders have been demanding for decades — and they are resentful that their organizations would back the establishment at a time the insurgency finally has so much momentum.

Even so, the next major union poised to make an endorsement — the Service Employees International Union, which represents 2 million workers — is expected to throw its support behind Clinton. Union officials say their internal polling shows 75% of their members favor her. Sanders supporters may be louder, and may be concentrated in early-voting states getting a lot of attention, SEIU officials say, but Clinton is the candidate most of the union finds appealing.

More: http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-bernie-sanders-labor-20151106-story.html

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Note 75% of the SEIU members favor Hillary.

[LWolf]

1. I don't think those 80,000 union members

working for Sanders is an indication of "stalling."

I think that union members will vote for him in large numbers regardless of which candidate gets their unions' endorsement.

I know that there are various groups whose unions have already endorsed Clinton that are working to elect Sanders. I belong to one myself: "NEA Members for Bernie Sanders."

[RobertEarl]

2. The unions are not united

Some unions don't like Bernie because he is a tree hugger who is against the keystone pipeline and big projects like nuclear and coal plants.

[LWolf]

3. I can see that logic.

I have a friend who has always been a Republican, not because she agrees with them on much of anything, but because they keep her husband working in the aerospace industry.

It's commonplace for union members, though, to vote their own conscience if their union leadership goes another direction.

[DCBob]

4. Sure. there are alot of union members working for Sanders but most appear satisfied with Hillary.

I thought this was most enlightening from the article..

Union officials say their internal polling shows 75% of their members favor her. Sanders supporters may be louder, and may be concentrated in early-voting states getting a lot of attention, SEIU officials say, but Clinton is the candidate most of the union finds appealing.

[artislife]

5. I am just remembering

one post that argued against a postive article from the LA Times as not being what the Times said but one lone writer.

So I guess this is one lone writer according to how to post with integrity ala H group rules.

Lolz

[DCBob]

6. Why would it matter?

[artislife]

9. It was a sticking point

but I thought the same...

Shrug, this is a funny time.

[Cha]

7. Union officials say their internal polling shows 75% of their members favor her. Sanders supporters

may be louder, and may be concentrated in early-voting states getting a lot of attention, SEIU officials say, but Clinton is the candidate most of the union finds appealing."

Ya think?

Mahalo DCBob!

[DCBob]

10. Yep... thats the thing that caught my eye as well.

Considering we have been repeatedly told here that its only the union leadership supports Hillary not the membership.

[Cha]

11. We're "repeatedly told" a lot of bulloney. After awhile all credibility is lost. Gone

[DCBob]

12. Many of the Sanders supporters here often exaggerate to push their point.

They lost cred with me a long time ago.

[Cha]

13. They lost it when they repeatedly lobbed ignorant cheap pot shots at Pres Obama all these

years.

And now Bernie's trying to rewrite history and suck up to the President.

[DCBob]

14. Indeed. They often used the same crap we hear from Republicans and RW media.

Pathetic.

[Cha]

15. yeah, anything to attack it doesn't matter if it's rwinger propaganda or not.

[Starry Messenger]

8. I thought SEIU would be next.

k&r

[tritsofme]

16. But...but...Sanders won the poll on their Facebook page!!1!