This morning, the 2.1 million members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) announced their endorsement of President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012. The endorsement is a part of a broader “99 percent strategy” to create good jobs now, end devastating cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other critical programs, require everyone to pay their fair share in taxes, and create a fair path to citizenship for immigrant workers.
Today’s announcement comes in conjunction with the national endorsement by the 2.1 million-member SEIU. The endorsement is the culmination of a six month conversation among SEIU members and leaders across the country that evaluated the candidates, identified members’ priorities, and ultimately led to a final endorsement.
“We believe in a country where people come before profits, where every American has a good job to support our families, where workers can retire with dignity and where our children can do better than we did,” said SEIU Florida Public Services Union President, Alphonso Mayfield. “That’s why healthcare workers, security professionals and public employees are proudly endorsing President Barack Obama.”
“President Obama is the only candidate I can trust to put the interests of the 99 percent of us who are struggling above the interests of large corporations,” said Rafael Suarez, a Certified Nurses Assistant at Osceola Regional Medical Center. “He is concerned about ensuring my family has access to quality affordable healthcare. And President Obama is the only one who has shown a willingness to invest in our future through good schools and rebuilding our roads and bridges.”
With the endorsement, SEIU is committing to a robust campaign to engage SEIU members and their families and friends, as well as the general public, in the fight to re-elect President Obama. This campaign will include direct voter contact and field operations such as phone banks, door-to-door canvassing and other events that will educate co-workers, friends and neighbors about why President Obama is the best choice for America.
“With so much at stake, there is no time to lose. There is no reason to wait,” said Sonya Roundtree, a Pinellas County School District Bus Driver. “I’m going to knock on doors, make phone calls and do everything I can with my co-workers, family and friends to make sure Florida reelects President Obama. The stakes are too high for my family not to do everything we can to help.”
Please check back soon to see what you can do to get involved to help re-elect President Obama.