Sanders Wins South Carolina Labor Backing

Press Release

peaking at a union hall here, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday welcomed news that the South Carolina AFL-CIO executive board passed a resolution supporting his candidacy for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and recommending his endorsement by the state and national labor organization.

"We call on the AFL-CIO, union members and working people everywhere to unite behind Bernie Sanders and elect the president America's workers desperately need," the resolution said. The resolution "strongly urges" the national AFL-CIO to endorse Sanders.

Erin McKee, president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, said the executive board member who recommended Sanders said "nobody in a very long time has stood up for working people and labor like Bernie Sanders has."

South Carolina is among the first four states in the nation to hold primaries or caucuses to begin the process of selecting the Democratic Party presidential nominee. The action by the South Carolina executive board made it the second state, after Vermont, to back Sanders.

Sanders learned the news while campaigning in Iowa, home of the first-in-the nation caucuses.

"We are very pleased to have received the support of the executive board and their recommendation that the South Carolina and national AFL-CIO follow their lead," Sanders said as he prepared to address an audience at United Auto Workers hall.

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