CWA Endorses Barack Obama for President

Contact: Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 702-892-3027, and 202-415-6566 (cell)

Las Vegas – The Communications Workers of America overwhelmingly endorsed Senator Barack Obama and pledged to work harder than ever to elect him President of the United States.

The 2,000 delegates to the union's 70th convention voted by acclamation to support Senator Obama's bid, citing the values that he shares with working families and his support for the critical issues of Employee Free Choice, health care, fair trade and jobs and retirement security.

Senator Obama addressed the CWA convention by satellite. He stressed that families across the country want real change: "an economy that rewards not just wealth but the work and workers who create it."

"Change is having a President who's been an organizer…and who lets unions do what they do best and organize our workers. That's what change is and that's the choice in this election," he said.

CWA President Larry Cohen said CWA had committed to the 2008 elections like never before, "in ways we never dreamed of," to bring about the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States.

Cohen pointed out that CWA and its Alliance partners – the Steel Workers, Auto Workers, and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers – has more than 1 million active and retired members in the critical election states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. "In these states, we will unite working families and take our message to members in the workplace like never before. With President Obama, we can reform health care, we can win the Employee Free Choice Act and bring about real, positive change for working families in our country," he said.  

Senator Obama has declared that "we are ready to play offense for America's workers" and CWA is ready to work to make that happen," Cohen said.

Delegates noted that Senator McCain is in lockstep with President Bush, voting with the administration 89 percent of the time overall and 95 percent in 2007.

Senator Obama's message of hope and real change has invigorated a new generation of voters and touched Americans of all ages – Democrats, Republicans and Independents, CWA delegates said.

"He is determined to change the culture in Washington, to dispel the current tone of bitter partisan rhetoric and to work to address our nation's many challenges. If anyone can inspire our leaders and all Americans to make this vision a reality, we believe it is Senator Obama," they declared. "His historic presidency will be a victory for every American."