PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island’s labor unions have endorsed U.S. Representative David Cicilline for re-election to Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District. The endorsements affirm Representative Cicilline’s status as a champion for the working people of Rhode Island.
“I’m honored to have the endorsement of Rhode Island’s labor organizations, and I’m proud to stand up for our working families.” said Representative Cicilline. “When unions are strong, America is strong, I will continue to fight in Congress to protect the right to organize, for living wages, and for safe working conditions.”
Cicilline won the endorsement of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, the state’s federation of unions, representing roughly 80,000 working men and women across the state in a variety of occupations.
“Congressman Cicilline continues to be a strong voice for union members in Congress, advocating for crucial pieces of legislation like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the Raise the Wage Act, and the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act,” said Patrick Crowley, Secretary-Treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. “Working people across the state are proud to have David as our champion in Congress.”
The Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council also announced that it has unanimously endorsed Cicilline for re-election. The Council is a coalition of 16 trade unions representing over 10,000 members in and around the state of Rhode Island.
“Nobody in Congress works harder to protect our democracy and fight for working families than Representative Cicilline. Our country needs leaders like him now more than ever. That is why we are so proud to endorse him for re-election,” said Council President Michael Sabitoni announcing the endorsement.
In addition, Representative Cicilline was endorsed by the Rhode Island Laborers’ District Council, who hailed the congressman as “an effective advocate for organized labor in America” that “will continue to fight for family supporting wages and benefits that our hardworking union members deserve.” Said LIUNA General Secretary-Treasurer Armand Sabitoni, “We look forward to another two years of partnership and collaboration with Congressman Cicilline who has the extensive experience, fortitude, and clout to strengthen our state, our nation, our middle class, and the American Labor Movement as we know it.” The RI Laborers’ District Council represents over 12,000 men and women working in the fields of construction, public service, healthcare and gaming.
Representative Cicilline is also endorsed by the National Education Association of RI (NEARI), representing 12,000 educators and state and municipal workers across Rhode Island, adding “Congressman Cicilline has proven time and again that he is a labor and public education champion. David listens to our members, supports the collective bargaining process, and believes in high-quality public education for all Rhode Island students. We are proud once again to support him. We look forward to continuing our work together in his next term representing the Ocean State’s First District.”
Union organizations that have endorsed Representative Cicilline include:
AFL-CIO of RI
Carpenters Local Union 330
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 99
IBEW Local 2323
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 11
Iron Workers Local 37
Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA!) Local 271
Latino Construction Workers Association
National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI)
Plumbers & Pipefitters UA Local 51
Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council
RI Council 94, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
RI Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP)
Rhode Island State Association Of Firefighters
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) RI State Council
Sheet Metal Workers Local 17
Teamsters Local 251
United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9A
United Farm Workers (UFW)
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 328
United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP)
Congressman Cicilline is a staunch advocate for unions and working families, fighting for House-passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which strengthens the federal laws that protect workers’ right to join a union. In Congress, David has also been a strong champion of the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage, provide a higher minimum wage for tipped workers, and remove politics from future minimum wage increases by indexing it to median wage growth. Cicilline co-sponsored the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, which the House passed in 2019, and provisions were included in the American Rescue Plan in 2021 – protecting the savings of more than 1 million workers and retirees, and helping keep tens of thousands of businesses from closing.
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