Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) General President Terry O’Sullivan announced LIUNA’s endorsement of the Biden/Harris ticket for President and Vice President of the United States.
After discussions with our members, the LIUNA General Executive Board unanimously endorsed Joe Biden for President.
LIUNA General President O’Sullivan said:
“This election is nothing less than a battle for the soul of our nation and the future of the trade union movement. As President, Joe Biden will lead our great country out of the darkness of the pandemic, rebuild and restore our economy, and pursue our highest ideals and aspirations. We can count on him to stand with us on issues of critical importance to LIUNA members and their families, including infrastructure investment, prevailing wages and collective bargaining, pension and immigration reform, protecting federal and public sector workers, strengthening the U.S. Postal Service, and a comprehensive energy policy.”
Why Biden / Harris Have Our Vote
Where do the Candidates Stand on Workers Rights and Unions?
Trump
The Trump Administration’s appointments to the NLRB, the agency that sets rules about forming and maintaining unions, keeps doing things to make it harder to organize new work and members. Making it easier to bust unions. A few years back in NJ, a group of contractors walked away from their contracts. The result was that our brothers and sisters showed up to work and their pay was cut to $10 an hour and their benefits were gone. Everything they worked for was taken away. The NLRB, under Trump, is trying to make it easier for contractors to do this and they’re stacking the rules against us. Nothing will stop it from happening but us!
Biden
Biden is a lifetime supporter of Collective Bargaining, supports protecting the right to organize and card check, helped to appoint pro-worker and pro-Union nominees to the US Supreme Court. Will appoint pro-worker and pro-labor nominees to the NLRB and Secretary of Labor. Lifetime commitment to the rights of working people, supports policy to lower the cost for prescription drugs, commited to strengthening our Union multi-employer pension plan. Plans to rebuild the American economy, create millions of good Union jobs, provide immediate relief for cities and states affected by the pandemic, helping families struggling with unemployment and poverty.
Where do they Stand on Workplace Safety and OSHA Regulations?
Trump
Trump’s OSHA is asleep on the job. Over 1,000 construction workers die on the job every year and hundreds of thousands more are injured. Of course union construction is safer, but it would be even more safe with an active OSHA to help. OSHA has the lowest number of workplace inspectors in the last 45 years! There are 862 inspectors to cover millions of workplaces. It would take OSHA 165 years to inspect each workplace under its jurisdiction just once.
Lives are at stake here—the lives of you and your coworkers. It is clear that the Trump Administration isn’t interested in enforcing safety at work. A 2nd Trump term will cripple OSHA even more, and you may be the one that pays the price with life and limb.
Trump has done NOTHING TO HELP our pension and health and welfare plans. His administration supports policies that are adverse to Union benefit programs.
Biden
Joe Biden will protect workplace safety and appoint pro-worker and pro-Union people to ensure the safety of workers in the workplace. Will enforce and protect the Davis-Bacon Act and make sure that the labor standards are high on all public and private construction projects. Oversaw construction investment after the Great Recession, putting Laborers back to work on $48 billion in transportation infrastructure; including over 42,000 miles of improved roads and almost 2,700 rebuilt or strengthened bridges. Supports LIUNA work in the natural gas and nuclear industries and has proposed a $400 billion investment in energy that will create thousands of jobs.
Biden has a career long history of supporting Union workers, their families, Union benefit programs, and a worker’s right to organize and a safe workplace.
VIDEO: Round Table Discussion with Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez & Local 169
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez joined the Northern Nevada Laborers for a virtual tour of their state-of-the-art Training Center. Following the tour, Chair Perez sat down with members of Northern Nevada Laborers for a roundtable discussion. Catch it all on the video here.
Local Elections
In addition to the endorsement for President, there is a list of Local 169 Endorsed Candidates for State and Local races and state wide ballot questions. Your vote for State Legislature, County Commission and City Councils impact:
- State laws such as prevailing wage
- State budgets for transportaon, health care, safety, schools and much more
- Appointments to state boards and commissions that approve or manage construcon projects
- Laws dictang city and county procurement policies Elected Commissioners, City Councils and School Boards
- Oversee millions in construcon projects
- Oversee the public approval process for planning and zoning for development projects
As many of you know, this year’s election will be by using mail in ballots. All active, registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail.
The Union is recommending that if you are going to vote by mail, that you do it early.
It is very important that when voting by mail, that you follow the instructions carefully, that you place the marked ballot in the secrecy envelope, sign the return envelope and that you mail it so that it is post marked on or before November 3, 2020 (we recommend, you mail it in as early as possible).
Learn more about early voting here.