CWA BACKS ENGEL FOR CONGRESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2020
Contact: Rachel van Raan, CWA District 1 Digital Media Associate  
rvanraan@cwa-union.org  |  212-344-2515

CWA BACKS ENGEL FOR CONGRESS
Union Endorses Congressman with Strong Track Record in Re-Election Bid 

NEW YORK - With major worker issues on the line on the national level, the Communications Workers of America, District 1, announced their endorsement today for Eliot Engel for Congress in New York’s 16th District, citing his strong union background and consistent track record of backing workers and fighting against corporate powers. 

“Eliot has dedicated his life to representing working people in the Bronx and Westchester,” said Dennis Trainor, CWA District 1 Vice President. “He was an original co-sponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organizing Act, which is a major litmus test for our union. He supports equal rights, collective bargaining, public education and services, pension funding, fair taxes, green jobs and unions. When the rights of working women and men are on the line, Eliot can absolutely be counted on as a true progressive champion.”

Representative Engel is a long-time advocate for organized labor and former union member who has demonstrated his commitment to fighting for New York’s working families. Most recently, he voted to expand worker protections by helping pass the Protecting the Right to Organizing (PRO) Act, and has also co-sponsored and voted to raise the Federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and advocated for equal pay for women. In looking ahead to November, the union cited Rep. Engel as an important part of ensuring that the current pro-worker Congressional majority stays strong and committed to fighting for workers for years to come. 

"Eliot Engel has always been there for us. He has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our members on the picket lines, and fought for us in Washington when labor was under attack," said Kevin Sheil, President of CWA Local 1103. "Every time we've needed a champion for working men and women, Eliot has answered the call. It's an honor for us to once again answer the call for him, and support his re-election campaign for Congress."   

"CWA Local 1101 is proud to once again endorse the Bronx's own Eliot Engel, a long-time champion of workers' rights and labor, for Congress in New York 16,” said Keith Purce, President of CWA Local 1101. “Eliot has always been a strong supporter of our union, and we need to make sure that we send him back to Washington so that he can keep fighting for our members and their families."   

“As a former UFT member and the son of an ironworker, I am honored to be endorsed by CWA and I pledge to continue to fight on behalf of working people in this country,” said Congressman Engel. “Huge corporate interests and conservative Republicans have made it their mission to drive down union membership and tip the scales against the American worker. It’s unacceptable and we need to fight back. Unions are the backbone of the American economy. We must all support the gains that organized labor makes collectively for its members.”

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The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 working men and women in telecommunications, customer service, healthcare, media, airlines, public service and manufacturing. District One represents 65,000 total members in New York State.