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On Saturday June 21^st, 2008 the Metro Detroit Central Labor Council conducted its endorsed candidate ‘boot camp’. The purpose of the camp was to provide those candidates for state office a comprehensive understanding of the issue that are important to the Michigan labor movement and how they as elected officials can help address those issues. (Go to Youtube - Metro Detroit AFL-CIO Bootcamp, to see video)

Several first time and incumbent candidates for the Michigan State Legislature were in attendance to hear from Michigan AFL-CIO President, Mark Gaffney, about the labor movements concerns regarding health care and the Michigan economy as well as labor’s opposition to so-called “Right to Work” legislation and support for “Hire Michigan First” legislation. Presenters at the ‘boot camp’ included representatives from the AFT, MI AFL-CIO and USW. In explaining the purpose of the boot camp Metro Detroit CLC President, Saundra Williams, stated “we want them to be very clear about what our agenda is and what’s important to us and what should be important to them because issues that effect the labor movement affect everybody.”

Several participants in the boot camp expressed gratitude for the boot camp because it gave them a chance to interact with area labor leaders in a way that would help make them more effective at incorporating the labor agenda into their campaign’s message to voters.

Macomb County Commissioner – 6th District Elizabeth Lenhard (Dual Endorsement)

Mi. State Representative – 13th House District Andrew Kandrevas (Dual Endorsement)

Mi. State Representative – 13th House District Bo Schimers (Dual Endorsement)

U.S. Representative – 13th Congressional District Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick

Wayne County Commissioner – 7th Dist. Monique Baker McCormick (Dual Endorsement)

Unions in America have diminished, because of the relentless war wages on them by corporations, as the unions have diminished, so has the American middle class. Wages have fallen in the last seven years, and more and more of the middle class has slid into poverty. And where there is no middle class, there is no democracy. The 40 hour week, time and a half for overtime, health and pension benefits, holidays off with pay, job security, protection against work place discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age – all these things came to the American worker because unions of workers fought for and got them for us. And now, just as before, we need American workers because unions of workers fought for and got them for us. And now, just as before, we need American work unions to grow to protect American jobs from going overseas, or being filled by cheap illegal alien workers! Good paying American jobs for American workers, that is what unions are about. You don’t want to work as a union person, no one is forcing you to. There are thousands of non-union low paying jobs out there for you. But if you want all the benefits of a union job, that the union fought to get, then take the time to join your fellow workers in the union to help fight to keep them! Otherwise join the race to the bottom of the economic pay scale, as our America diminishes to a two class country of wealthy and poor peons. That’s what the Republicans and the corporations that support them want.

Metro Detroit CLC Conducts

Candidate ‘Boot Camp’