That was fast — the IBEW and the AFL-CIO endorsed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the very day that he announced his reelection bid, making it that much harder for any Democrat primary challengers to build strong campaign war chests.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International President Kenneth W. Cooper said that Biden-Harris have led the most pro-union administration of his lifetime. He did not mention the president’s failure to make America energy independent or the increasing reliance on China for critical minerals needed for advanced technologies.
“The IBEW represents approximately 775,000 active members and retirees who work in various fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW is the most established and comprehensive energy union in the world dedicated to promoting members’ welfare, safe working conditions and interests, fighting for fair wages, and for the dignity and rights of all workers in America,” Cooper said.
“When the IBEW endorsed candidate Joe Biden in 2019, it was because of his commitment to creating good union jobs, protecting secure retirements, addressing climate change responsibly and investing in American manufacturing. President Joe Biden has delivered on all of these pledges: promises made and promises kept,” Cooper said.
“Throughout his first term, President Biden has been a steadfast ally of unions and American workers. I am confident that support will continue in his second term. The Biden-Harris administration has consistently advanced policies that empower workers, created opportunities for everyday people, and promoted the well-being of working families. As a direct result of these efforts, the Biden-Harris administration has overseen robust economic growth, increased worker wages and the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years.”
“Within the first week of taking office, President Biden and Vice President Harris began appointing into the administration union officials who have dedicated their lives to advancing the labor movement’s core principles and worker’s rights, including a card-carrying union member for Secretary of Labor and a chief counsel for the NLRB who supports collective bargaining.
“President Biden has issued executive orders to reverse policies that have eroded unionists’ strength for decades, including industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs) and rules that gutted federal employees’ collective bargaining rights. And then the Biden-Harris Administration went on the offense: mandating project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects, establishing the first-ever White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, and ensuring that skilled American workers benefit from historic federal investments.
The AFL-CIO also issued a quick statement: “The record is clear: Joe Biden is the most pro-union president of our lifetime. In the first two years of his presidency, Biden has delivered time and again for working people on the most critical issues we face, including making historic investments in good jobs, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, bringing manufacturing home to the United States, supporting educators and other public service workers, and strengthening the right to organize.
“The future of our country hangs in the balance—and like President Biden, we know there is much more to do. Over the next few weeks, the AFL-CIO and our unions will build on more than a year and a half of engaging our 12.5 million members as we gear up for 2024. We look forward to building on the progress of the past two years and finishing the job of creating an economy that puts working people first.
“We are working to build on the progress of the Biden–Harris administration’s past two years and finish the job of creating an economy that puts working people first,” the AFL-CIO said in a statement.
