The likely endorsements of Dean by the SEIU and AFSCME, if they come through, will prevent any candidate in the Democratic Presidential primary from getting an AFL-CIO endorsement, i.e. a blanket endorsement from the entire labor movement.
Who has endorsed? Who has yet to endorse? And, how do the leading candidates rank in union support? Gephardt has the most union endorsements, with Dean, assuming these two big endorsements come through a close second. Moreover, Gephardt has won basically a consensus among blue collar unions, while Dean's endorsements are primarily among less traditional unions in the government and service sectors. Almost every large U.S. union is shown below. The details are below.
All numbers are thousands of members unless otherwise noted. Membership data comes from multiple sources and is approximate only.
AFL-CIO
International Brotherhood of Teamsters 1,500 G*
United Food and Commercial Workers 1,400 G
Service Employees International Union 1,400 D
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 1,300 D
American Federation of Teachers 1,000
Laborers International Union of America 800 G
International Machinists and Aerospace Workers 780 G
United Auto Workers 746
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 727
United Steelworkers of America 700 G
Communications Workers of America 630
Carpenters 525
Int'l Union of Operating Engineers 360
American Postal Workers Union 350
Hotel and Restaurant Employees Int'l Union 350
PACE International Union 320 G
National Ass'n of Letter Carriers 313
Plumbers 307
Int'l Ass'n of Firefighters 250 K2 L3
Needletrades (UNITE) 250
American Federation of Government Employees 197
Amalgamated Transit Union 165 G
Graphic Communications International Union 150
Sheet Metal Workers 150
United Transportation Union 135
Iron Workers 135 G
United Mine Workers of America 130
Painters and Allied Trades 130 D
Office and Professional Employees 130 G
American Federation of Musicians 125
Bakery, etc. Workers 125 G
Transportation Workers of America 125
Int'l Union of Electronic, etc. Workers 120
Bricklayers 100 G
Transportation-Communications Int'l Union 100
Theatrical Stage Employees 95 G
Seafarer's 85 G
Boilermakers 80 G
International Union of Police Ass'ns 80
Horseshoer's 75 G
Television and Radio Artists 75
Longshoremen Int'l (ILA) 65 G
Glass Workers 65
Longshoreman and Warehouse Uinion, International (ILWU) 60
Locomotive Engineers 58
Air Line Pilots 57
Maintenance of Way Employees 55 G
Farm Worker's of America 50
Flight Attendants 46
Utility Worker's Union of America 43
Plasterers 40 G
Actor's Equity 40
Marine Engineer's Beneficial Association 30 G
Firemen and Oilers 26
Roofers 25
Leather Goods 6
Maritime Officers est. 10 G
Independent Unions
National Education Association 2,500
Missouri NEA 32 G
California NEA 335 D
South Carolina NEA est. 20 E
National Fraternal Order of Police 290
American Nurses Association 177
Treasury Employees 155
American Nurses Association 133
National Federation of Federal Employees 120
Rural Letter Carriers 100
American Ass'n of University Professors 44
Nat'l Ass'n of Postal Supervisors 36
Security, Police and Fire Professionals 12
- Chicago Local endorsed Kerry.
- May be only Massachusetts local; website unclear.
- International Uniformed Professional Firefighter's Connecticut Local
Summary: Total Members of Endorsing Unions
Gephardt 6,632K
Dean 3,165K
Kerry ??250K??
Edwards est. 20K
Lieberman est. 10K
Clark None