Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on March 13, 2008 - 12:16pm.
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UNITE HERE endorsed Richard Moore today.

At a press conference in his Raleigh headquarters, the state chapter of the labor group announced its endorsement of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

UNITE HERE was formed recently by the merger of Unite and the Union of Hotel and Restaurant Employees. It formerly represented workers from the closed Pillowtex factory in Kannapolis.

"We have decided in this election to endorse Richard Moore wholeheartedly," said Southern Regional Director Harris Raynor. He praised Moore's "intelligence expertise" in business and capital as treasurer.

The union belongs to the AFL-CIO coalition of labor groups. After the state chapter decided not to endorse either Moore or Democratic rival Beverly Perdue, its membership was open to make its own endorsements.

Raynor said it will ask Moore to speak to workplaces and will send its workers door-to-door for him.

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Re: Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on March 13, 2008 - 2:17pm.

The AFL-CIO just confirmed to Dome that UNITE HERE is part of the North Carolina coalition of labor groups.

— RTB 

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Re: Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by JeremySp on March 13, 2008 - 2:17pm.

I think the confusion here centers on national vs. state level membership in the AFL-CIO.

While it's true that UNITE HERE and other unions split with the national AFL-CIO and formed Change to Win in 2005, the AFL-CIO developed a process - Solidarity Charters - by which local chapters of Change to Win unions could remain united with the AFL-CIO at the state and local level.

Solidarity Charters have enabled local chapters and state councils of UNITE HERE along with the Teamsters, SEIU, UFCW, the Laborers, and the Carpenters to maintain their membership in the NC State AFL-CIO and our Central Labor Councils.

In addition to these Change to Win unions, the NC State AFL-CIO continues to count several local chapters of CWA as members of our State Federation.

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Re: Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by liam on March 13, 2008 - 1:29pm.

You know, you'd think that would be the case. But NC appears to be an exception. According to their website, Change to Win unions are still under the AFL umbrella.

So either RTB is correct or the AFL website is hopelessly out of date. I did notice that it included the CWA amongst its member unions. Didn't they leave the NC AFL this year though?

Very confusing.

http://www.aflcionc.org/membership/unions.php

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Re: Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on March 13, 2008 - 1:27pm.

UNITE HERE is a part of the N.C. chapter of the AFL-CIO and the national Change to Win coalition.

You can see them on the AFL-CIO membership page here. 

— RTB

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Re: Unite Here endorses Moore

Submitted by lefaim on March 13, 2008 - 12:50pm.

UNITE HERE is NOT a part of the AFL-CIO. They are part of Change to Win, which broke off from the AFL-CIO a few years ago.

Change to Win has 7 larger member unions, including UNITE HERE and SEIU and I believe the Carpenters amongst others..

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