SEIU Endorses AL!
Posted in Press Releases on February 26th, 2008
SAINT PAUL [2/26/08] - The Al Franken for U.S. Senate campaign is thrilled to announce the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Minnesota State Council.
SEIU in Minnesota is made up of more than 28,000 members statewide - including 14,000 hospital, clinic, and nursing home workers (SEIU Healthcare Minnesota), over 8,000 bus drivers, food service workers, and other public school service employees (Local 284 and Local 63), and almost 6,000 property service workers (Local 26).
“It is an honor and a privilege to receive the support of SEIU,” said Al Franken, “whose members have taught me so much already in this campaign about the daily struggles faced by working families and the power of effective organizing. It is also a tremendous responsibility, one I don’t take lightly. Minnesota’s next U.S. Senator will need to be more than a vote for working families - he’ll need to be a strong voice. I’ll work hard every day to be that voice, and to live up to the faith these progressive heroes have placed in me.”
“SEIU will play an important role in making sure Al Franken is elected in November,” said Julie Schnell, President of the SEIU Minnesota State Council and SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. “Our members are active, involved, and determined to make a difference.”
As part of SEIU’s screening process, candidates each spent a day with an SEIU worker. Al’s partner was health care provider Ulysses Bridges, who released the following statement:
“Al worked alongside me for a day. He experienced first hand what it was like to provide care in a nursing home. He can come back and walk in my shoes anytime but first I want him to go to Washington D.C. and work hard for all of us - it’s time for a Senator who takes us to heart.”
To view Al’s day with Ulysses, and read Ulysses’ take on their meeting, please visit:
http://blog.alfranken.com/2007/10/29/seiu-walk-a-day-in-my-shoes/
For a complete list of endorsements, including labor unions, progressive organizations, and elected officials, please visit: www.alfranken.com/endorsements
For a hi-res headshot of Al, click here:
http://www.alfranken.com/page/content/media
