Updated: 2020 Elections: Union Endorsement Timeline

Posted by Olivia Grady on Thursday, March 19th, 2020 at 11:33 am - Permalink

CWF will be monitoring and updating this timeline until the 2020 election:

March 23, 2020: The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

“This has been a competitive and spirited battle for the Democratic nomination, with all candidates making valuable contributions to the debate over the country’s future. But now is the moment for unity and solidarity. The stakes are too high for anything less. This is a once-in-a-lifetime election. There is no higher priority than denying Donald Trump a second term. It is time for Democrats, union members and all working people to organize and mobilize to make Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States.”

Number of Members: 1,339,779

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 1/19 to 12/19: $180,558,087

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 1/19 to 12/19: $26,394,712

2016 Election Contributions: 100% to Democrats

March 22, 2020: American Federation of Teachers endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

Weingarten continued: “Biden is with us on investing in public education; making college a reality for everyone; fixing the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness program; making healthcare a human right, not a privilege for the wealthy; prioritizing clean energy and environmental justice; and building an economy that respects the value of workers’ voices. His whole career has been devoted to building a pathway to the middle class for the millions of people facing an affordability crisis daily. It’s time to give him the chance to do that as president.

Number of Members: 1,684,544

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 7/18 to 6/19: $178,819,789

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 7/18 to 6/19: $40,942,838

2016 Election Contributions: 100% to Democrats

March 20, 2020: United Food and Commercial Workers endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

“At a time when UFCW members in healthcare, food retail, packing, and processing are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak, the vice president has again stood by our side by calling for paid leave and designating these brave workers as first responders,” Perrone said.

Number of Members: 1,230,309

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 1/19 to 12/19: $225,634,288

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 1/19 to 12/19: $6,112,404

2016 Election Contributions: 99% to Democrats

March 14, 2020: National Education Association endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

“Biden is also committed to attracting and retaining the best educators by paying them as professionals they are and increasing funding for support staff and paraprofessionals,” Eskelsen García added. “And he will fire Betsy DeVos and replace her with an Education Secretary who comes from a public school classroom and believes that educators must have a seat at the table when crafting education policy.”

Number of Members: 2,975,933

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 9/18 to 8/19: $369,113,753

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 9/18 to 8/19: $36,519,476

2016 Election Contributions: 86% to Democrats

March 8, 2020: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

“Joe Biden strongly supports the PRO Act, which would hold corporations accountable for violating labor laws and repeal anti-union right-to-work laws. Joe has also pledged to protect the pensions of workers and strengthen our ability to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. Joe would also end the senseless attacks on federal workers and fight for multi-employer pensions by passing the Butch Lewis Act.

Number of Members: 573,365

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 1/18 to 12/18: $139,800,074

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 1/18 to 12/18: $3,259,131

2016 Election Contributions: 96% to Democrats

February 5, 2020: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden:

“Vice President Biden has listened to what we have to say about one of our nation’s most pressing challenges, and I know IBEW members will have a seat at the table in a Biden White House.”

Number of Members: 677,748

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 7/18 to 6/19: $144,117,712

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 7/18 to 6/19: $5,754,625

2016 Election Contributions: 98% to Democrats

January 30, 2020: American Postal Workers Union endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders:

“We’re pleased that a number of presidential candidates have taken positions and actions supportive of postal workers and expanding union rights. But when we judge candidates by their long-term and consistent actions, Bernie Sanders stands out as a true champion of postal workers and all workers throughout the country,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein.

Number of Members: 235,253

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 1/18 to 12/18: $47,659,364

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 1/18 to 12/18: $1,116,201

2016 Election Contributions: 93.9% to Democrats

November 16, 2019: United Farm Workers endorsed Senator Kamala Harris:

“Senator Harris has the longest history of working directly with the UFW. She led the fight for equal treatment and protection of farm workers. She is author of the federal bill providing overtime pay after eight hours a day for America’s farm workers. She lobbied the governor to sign California’s landmark law in 2016 providing phased-in overtime and to strengthen the state rules preventing worker deaths and illnesses from extreme heat. She has joined farm worker marches and the 2016 UFW convention.”

Number of Members: 8,733

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 1/18 to 12/18: $4,465,252

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 1/18 to 12/18: $399,817

2016 Election Contributions: 100% to Democrats

November 15, 2019: National Nurses United endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders:

“NNU’s presidents told the crowd of cheering nurses that Sanders’ dedication to rebuilding the labor movement and protecting workers—as the chief sponsor of the Workplace Democracy Act and as a cosponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—was central to the endorsement.

‘Bernie knows our millionaire and billionaire CEOs will exploit workers with complete disregard for human rights, civil rights, or safety, and he understands that it’s union power — worker power— that keeps employers in check,’ said NNU President Zenei Cortez, RN, lauding Sanders’ call for an end to “right-to-work” laws and at-will employment, and his vow to protect workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.”

Number of Members: 140,351

Workers’ Dues and Fees Collected from 7/18 to 6/19: $14,979,079

Cash Disbursements for Political Activities from 7/18 to 6/19: $1,116,391

2016 Election Contributions: 100% to Democrats

November 14, 2019: United Teachers Los Angeles endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders:

“UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said: ‘Why now, and why Bernie? Because we want him to win in the primary election and because we need an unapologetic, longstanding ally of progressive policies to make public education a priority in the White House. Sanders is the first viable major candidate in 25 years in the Democratic Party to stand up against privatization, the charter billionaires, and high-stakes testing and to stand up for a massive redistribution of wealth to schools and social services. Critically, like UTLA, Sen. Sanders believes in building a national movement for real, lasting change.’”