Cegelis lands major union endorsement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 16, 2006


Cegelis lands major union endorsement



CHICAGO -- The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents more than 700,000 members, today endorsed Democrat Christine Cegelis for Congress in the hotly contested 6th Congressional District, which includes O’Hare International Airport, where more than 6,000 IAM members are employed.

“She understands what our members have been going through, and she’s been supportive all the way,” said Rich Delaney, Assistant General Chairman of IAM District 141. “She’s been our friend, and we support our friends.”

That support, said Delaney, will include more than a financial contribution from the union. “We’re going to be in touch with every member and every retiree in the District. We’re going to let them know that Christine Cegelis understands how bankruptcy laws are protecting corporations and wiping out pensions. How Bush’s trade policies are forcing American workers into unemployment. And why we need to elect people to Congress who honestly and vigorously will represent the interests of American workers and families, like Christine Cegelis.”

James E. Brown, General Vice President of the IAM Midwest Region, was equally blunt. “We’re tired of middle-of-the-road, get-along, compromise kind of political decision-making in Washington.” He continued, “We need people who understand what’s happening to working families, and who have the courage and the ideas to change that. Christine is one of those people, and we’ll do everything we can to get her elected.”

Cegelis said the endorsement was “huge” in terms of the impact it will have on voters and voters’ understanding of the issues in the District. “They work here, they live here, and they understand the issues that affect this District,” said Cegelis. “This isn’t a symbolic or long-distance endorsement. It’s my friends and my neighbors and hard-working constituents who deserve better than they’ve been getting from the decision makers in Washington. I couldn’t be more proud. Or more encouraged by the faith they’ve placed in me.”


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the more i talk to christine, the more i like her. she knows what is going on, she knows the issues inside and out, and she knows who her voters are, and what they care about. she is a winner. (now you just have to figure out how to make an issue out of those diebold machines.)

i am going to try to get out there tomorrow, so get that list of sign deliveries together for me, eh.