NPMHU Endorses Obama

By a unanimous vote, the delegates to the 2008 NPMHU National Convention endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States of America:

Endorsement of Barack Obama for U.S. President

Whereas, having an ally and advocate in the White House is in the best interest of all Mail Handlers, organized labor and working families; and

Whereas, this is a unique opportunity in the history of this Nation to break with the failed policies of the past and to elect a President of the United States who will change the direction of this country on both foreign and domestic fronts, and will attempt to heal the wounds of eight years of reactionary, anti-labor, divisive governing by the current Bush Administration; and

Whereas, the Democratic Party has supported issues that are critical to the economic well-being of our members and working families, such as making the economy work for working people, abandoning trade practices that eliminate American jobs, establishing an atmosphere of dialogue and concern for all of the people, not just the rich and well-to-do, boldly attacking global warming and other critical issues; and

Whereas, we respect and honor the devoted military service of Senator John McCain, the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party,  but as a politician he has an abysmal voting record of opposing raises in the minimum wage or a livable wage, supporting national Right to Work for Less, voting against prevailing wages in the private sector, supporting privatization of government jobs and outsourcing, voting against increases in benefits for veterans, and continuing the Bush Administration's assault on working families (in current Congress, casting 95% of his votes in favor of the Bush agenda); and

Whereas, the next President will make critical appointments to agencies vital to the future health, welfare and wages of Mail Handlers, such as Secretary of Labor, USPS Board of Governors, the Postal Regulatory Commission, and the U.S. Supreme Court as well as the many lower courts that impact on the welfare of the working class; and

Whereas, Senator Obama has a history as a community activist, State legislator and U.S. Senator of protecting workplace health and safety, community wage standards, domestic jobs, Medicare and Social Security; and

 Whereas, Senator Obama strongly supports the labor movement, and has the character, morals, integrity, courage, and intelligence to put this great country back on track as a world leader; and

Whereas, Senator Obama has supported Unions and declared his opposition to anti-labor initiatives, including "paycheck deception," that would silence the voice of working people in the political arena; and

Whereas, Senator Obama supported from the moment of its introduction the freedom of workers to choose a Union, free from  interference and intimidation by their employers (the Employee Free Choice Act); and

Whereas the NPMHU National Convention in 2004 expressed serious reservations about the war in Iraq and Senator Obama has pledged to bring the troops home as quickly and safely as possible; and

Whereas, Senator Obama was endorsed by the AFL-CIO when he was a State legislator and as a U.S. Senator, and most recently has received the endorsement for U.S. President by the AFL-CIO and by the Laborers' International Union of North America;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the National Postal Mail Handlers Union endorses the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States and will work toward his victory in the November 2008 national elections; and

Be it further resolved, that the National Postal Mail Handlers Union will work to register, educate and mobilize its membership to vote on November 4, 2008.