At the General Membership Meeting on July 27th, the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 formally announced our endorsement of both Democrat JB Pritzker and Conservative Sam McCann in the General Election race for Governor of Illinois.
IUOE Local 150 President-Business Manager James M. Sweeney made the following statement:
Local 150 has a politically diverse membership in Illinois, with a nearly 50/50 split of members who identify as Republicans and Democrats. One thing we can all agree upon, however, is Bruce Rauner’s failure as Governor over the past three-and-a-half years. His inability to put the good of our state ahead of his obsession with attacking workers has left our economy, our infrastructure, and our reputation in embarrassing condition.
In this election, JB Pritzker and Sam McCann have stepped forward with their own ideas to stop the gridlock in Illinois, empower working families and get our state moving forward again. Local 150 has proudly endorsed both candidates to our membership in Illinois, and I encouraged our members to vote their issues with the confidence that a vote for either of these candidates will not be a vote against their paycheck, their rights on the job, or their union.
It is no secret that many Republican union workers across Illinois held their noses and voted for Bruce Rauner in 2014 or simply sat out the election. This year, no matter their political affiliation, union members can choose between candidates who represent their beliefs on various issues without threatening their livelihood.
Both Pritzker and McCann oppose “right-to-work” laws, support strong prevailing wage laws, and count infrastructure investment among the main priorities of their agendas.
