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In a significant development, David Wagenhauser, Democratic Congressional candidate for NY-24, has been endorsed by three prominent Labor Organizations: The United Auto Workers (UAW), the NYS Public Employees Federation (PEF), and the NYS American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations American (AFL CIO).
"We are honored and grateful to receive the endorsement of the UAW, PEF, and AFL-CIO," said Wagenhauser. "I stand with all the hard-working men and women of Upstate and WNY in their fight for truly livable wages, real health care benefits, and financial security in retirement."
NY-24's current Representative, Claudia Tenney, voted to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, to eliminate insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions, voted against cheaper prescription drugs, stands against a living wage, and she has done nothing to make living in Upstate and WNY more affordable.
Tenney stands with big corporations and the wealthy, she does not support the working families of NY-24. Her stand against raising the federal minimum wage: "We should not even have a minimum wage...." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK9y7Vg-asE at 4:10). "This would drive down wages – exactly what the big corporations and billionaires pay Tenney millions to do," said Wagenhauser.
"I will fight to raise the minimum wage, save and expand the health care benefits of the ACA, and improve and protect retirement benefits for all hard-working people," Wagenhauser stated.
About the Unions
The NYS PEF represents 54,000 state employees with professional, scientific, and technical titles. Members work in more than 3,000 different titles in every state agency, including nurses, social workers, doctors, engineers, parole officers, IT specialists, teachers, etc.
The UAW is formally known as the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. The UAW has about 380,000 active and 580,000 retired workers in the country, Region 9 members and retirees are spread throughout the state and district, with many living in Niagara County. Nearly a quarter of UAW members work in higher education.
The New York State AFL-CIO is a federation of 3,000 affiliated public sector, private sector, and building trades unions throughout the state, representing 2.5 million members, retirees, and their families. The foundation of the AFL CIO is the belief that we are stronger together.
