or Immediate Release Contact: Steve Crawford, Crawford Strategies
#SEIUforum (857) 753-4132
steve@crawfordstrategies.com
Jeff Hall, 1199SEIU
(617) 281-8384, Twitter @1199Mass
jeff.hall@1199.org
SEIU State Council Hosts U.S. Senate Candidate Forum
Democratic Party candidates appeared before members of state’s most politically active labor organization, sought endorsement of SEIU State Council
BOSTON – The two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate faced off today in a forum (#SEIUforum) in a packed room of more than 500 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) from across Massachusetts. Congressmen Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch appeared in the Dorchester offices of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East for a wide-ranging forum that included questions on immigration reform, health care, the federal budget and other issues important to SEIU members.
“SEIU members had a huge and historic impact this past November. We re-elected President Obama and we reclaimed Senator Kennedy’s legacy with the election of Elizabeth Warren,” said Veronica Turner, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU, which represents healthcare workers in Massachusetts. “SEIU members were excited to hear from these candidates on the issues that matter most to working families.”
Lynch and Markey spoke to members of the SEIU’s four most politically active locals in Massachusetts and took questions from the over 500 union members present at the forum. Nearly 100,000 SEIU members in Massachusetts work as hospital employees, homecare workers, janitors, security guards, social workers, and other professions.
“SEIU members mobilized their communities to vote in the 2012 election and made a huge impact,” said Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615, which represents property service workers in Massachusetts. “Educating members through forums like this and getting out the vote in communities where our members live is essential to electing a pro-worker candidate, especially during a special election where turn-out is often light.”
The forum is the first time in the campaign that the Democratic candidates have appeared together on the same stage. The candidates for the Republican nomination, Dan Winslow, Gabriel Gomez, and Michael Sullivan, declined invitations to attend the forum.
“Both candidates said a lot of good things and I liked the way they supported the underprivileged, the poor, the marginalized, and immigrants,” said Joyce Harvey, a retired state employee and a member of SEIU 509. “It’s important for the candidates to represent those who have less of a voice in our society.”
“The sequestration cuts are hurting children and families in our state who rely on Head Start as a tool to engage our children in the act of learning both academically and socially,” said Carla Elder, a family advocate from Somerville and a member of SEIU 888. “I was glad to see the candidates express their concern about the cuts to Head Start, higher education, and other programs.”
“Both candidates are strong and we can see that they are people who will work with us,” said Jackie Wesley, a janitor with SEIU 615. “They understand what we are going through with the economy and either one will do a good job in the US Senate.”
“I believe in our health care system and I believe we need to continue to improve it,” said Margaret Menz-Calabro, a personal care attendant from Quincy and a member of 1199SEIU. “I was glad to hear both candidates say that they support protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security and keeping children on their parent’s health insurance until they are 26.”
SEIU is a member-driven union with a member-driven endorsement process. This forum reflects the vital role that member voices play in guiding the endorsement process. Scorecards on the candidates completed by members will be a primary factor in determining the SEIU State Council endorsement.
The SEIU State Council is a representative body of leaders who have been democratically elected by the membership at-large to represent their Local and workers in their respective industries. The SEIU State Council will make an endorsement in the US Senate race on Wednesday, March 13.
The members-only forum, which was streamed live on masslive.com, was sponsored by the SEIU State Council, 1199SEIU, SEIU 615, SEIU 509, SEIU 888, and the SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents.
#SEIUforum (857) 753-4132
steve@crawfordstrategies.com
Jeff Hall, 1199SEIU
(617) 281-8384, Twitter @1199Mass
jeff.hall@1199.org
SEIU State Council Hosts U.S. Senate Candidate Forum
Democratic Party candidates appeared before members of state’s most politically active labor organization, sought endorsement of SEIU State Council
BOSTON – The two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate faced off today in a forum (#SEIUforum) in a packed room of more than 500 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) from across Massachusetts. Congressmen Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch appeared in the Dorchester offices of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East for a wide-ranging forum that included questions on immigration reform, health care, the federal budget and other issues important to SEIU members.
“SEIU members had a huge and historic impact this past November. We re-elected President Obama and we reclaimed Senator Kennedy’s legacy with the election of Elizabeth Warren,” said Veronica Turner, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU, which represents healthcare workers in Massachusetts. “SEIU members were excited to hear from these candidates on the issues that matter most to working families.”
Lynch and Markey spoke to members of the SEIU’s four most politically active locals in Massachusetts and took questions from the over 500 union members present at the forum. Nearly 100,000 SEIU members in Massachusetts work as hospital employees, homecare workers, janitors, security guards, social workers, and other professions.
“SEIU members mobilized their communities to vote in the 2012 election and made a huge impact,” said Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615, which represents property service workers in Massachusetts. “Educating members through forums like this and getting out the vote in communities where our members live is essential to electing a pro-worker candidate, especially during a special election where turn-out is often light.”
The forum is the first time in the campaign that the Democratic candidates have appeared together on the same stage. The candidates for the Republican nomination, Dan Winslow, Gabriel Gomez, and Michael Sullivan, declined invitations to attend the forum.
“Both candidates said a lot of good things and I liked the way they supported the underprivileged, the poor, the marginalized, and immigrants,” said Joyce Harvey, a retired state employee and a member of SEIU 509. “It’s important for the candidates to represent those who have less of a voice in our society.”
“The sequestration cuts are hurting children and families in our state who rely on Head Start as a tool to engage our children in the act of learning both academically and socially,” said Carla Elder, a family advocate from Somerville and a member of SEIU 888. “I was glad to see the candidates express their concern about the cuts to Head Start, higher education, and other programs.”
“Both candidates are strong and we can see that they are people who will work with us,” said Jackie Wesley, a janitor with SEIU 615. “They understand what we are going through with the economy and either one will do a good job in the US Senate.”
“I believe in our health care system and I believe we need to continue to improve it,” said Margaret Menz-Calabro, a personal care attendant from Quincy and a member of 1199SEIU. “I was glad to hear both candidates say that they support protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security and keeping children on their parent’s health insurance until they are 26.”
SEIU is a member-driven union with a member-driven endorsement process. This forum reflects the vital role that member voices play in guiding the endorsement process. Scorecards on the candidates completed by members will be a primary factor in determining the SEIU State Council endorsement.
The SEIU State Council is a representative body of leaders who have been democratically elected by the membership at-large to represent their Local and workers in their respective industries. The SEIU State Council will make an endorsement in the US Senate race on Wednesday, March 13.
The members-only forum, which was streamed live on masslive.com, was sponsored by the SEIU State Council, 1199SEIU, SEIU 615, SEIU 509, SEIU 888, and the SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents.
