FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, February 10
WASHINGTON, PA – Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing nearly 80,000 workers statewide announced its endorsement of Conor Lamb for Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District. Union members and leaders, including school employees, healthcare workers, and public service workers announced the endorsement at an event to kick off a canvas program to knock on thousands of doors ahead of the March 13 special election.
“Conor Lamb has a proven track record of fighting for our country and will continue to fight so that working people have the freedom to join together in union, take their kids to the doctor and send them to good public schools,” said Gabe Morgan, Vice President of 32BJ SEIU, which represents local school workers at Canon McMillan, Greater Latrobe, Penn Trafford, West Jefferson Hills and more.
The special election comes just days after the U.S. Supreme Court will hear opening arguments in Janus v. AFSCME, a case that could reverse decades of labor protections for public sector workers.
“Conor Lamb has not only made it clear that he supports the rights of all workers to organize, join and belong to a union, Conor supports policies that will help increase the wages, on-the-job protections, and the dignity of workers in the 18th district, and across the country,” SEIU Local 668 President Steve Catanese, representing workers employed within state, county, and local government as well as private sector human service providers throughout CD18.
Lamb, a military veteran, has expressed his steadfast support for workers’ rights and protecting the Medicare, Social Security and public schools that Pennsylvania working families rely on.
“Healthcare workers are with Conor Lamb because he’s the leader who shares our values and will fight for the working people of Pennsylvania” said Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania which represents nurses and other healthcare workers at 20 facilities across the 18th Congressional District. “Electing Conor Lamb is essential to ensuring that working families continue to have a voice against the corporate interests that buy their way into our political process and put profits over people.”
For more information, contact Rick Grejda at 412-475-9110 or Julie Blust at 215-713-6777 or jblust@seiu32bj.org.
With over 2.1 million members worldwide, the Service Employees International Union is dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society. In Pennsylvania, SEIU represents nearly 80,000 workers in the areas of healthcare, public services, property services, school employees, laundry, and distribution.
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