September 23, 2013
UFCW Locals Across Ohio Endorse FitzGerald for Governor
Ohio—United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 75, 1059, and 17A, along with members of the UFCW Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Council and International Chemical Workers Union (ICWU) Council, today endorsed Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald for Governor and several other strong candidates for statewide office. These UFCW locals and councils represent over 45,000 workers across Ohio.
“The current leadership in Columbus has failed Ohio’s working families,” the locals said. “Their vision for our state was SB 5–an extreme, unsafe, and unfair law which would have destroyed the freedom of workers to stick together in the workplace. Ohio voters rightly and overwhelmingly repealed SB 5. Now we must remove the politicians who tried to force it upon us.”
“We are extremely confident that Ed FitzGerald is the person to get Ohio back on the right track,” the locals added. “He understands that Ohio workers are sick and tired of their leaders putting profits over people. He wants to make Ohio a leader in attracting employers that pay a living wage and offer good benefits. And he will always protect workers’ fundamental right to form a union.”
In addition to FitzGerald, the UFCW locals endorsed the following candidates:
David Pepper for Attorney General: Pepper has the experience we need in our top law enforcement officer. As Hamilton County Commissioner his efforts have helped prevent crime and improve public safety.
Nina Turner for Secretary of State: Senator Turner is driven by the belief that voting in Ohio should be more expansive, modern and convenient. She will roll back Secretary of State Jon Husted’s troubling tide of measures which restricted the right to vote.
Connie Pillich for Treasurer: Representative Pillich understands that in order for Ohio to compete now and in the future, we must invest in health care and education. As Treasurer, she will make sure our budget is never balanced on the backs of children, seniors, workers, or veterans.
John Patrick Carney for Auditor: Representative Carney is the right choice for Auditor because he will fight for a more open and transparent state government that people can see and trust to spend their hard earned tax dollars effectively.
“All of these candidates share our concerns and care about making life better for workers and their families,” the locals said. “This is the team of leaders that Ohio’s working families deserve to have in Columbus. We are proud to give them all our full support.”
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The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents more than 1.3 million workers, primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. The UFCW protects the rights of workers and strengthens America’s middle class by fighting for health care reform, living wages, retirement security, safe working conditions and the right to unionize so that working men and women and their families can realize the American Dream. For more information about the UFCW’s effort to protect workers’ rights and strengthen America’s middle class, visit www.ufcw.org or join our online community at www.facebook.com/ufcwinternational and http://twitter.com/UFCW