Hospital Union Backs Obama

Today, the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees announced its endorsement of Barack Obama. The 150,000 member union is an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) which previously had endorsed Sen. Clinton. The union has 16,000 members in Pennsylvania.

Speaking to the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO where the endorsement was announced by the union's president, Henry Nicholas, Obama said:

I’m tired of playing defense. I know the AFL-CIO is tired of playing defense. We’re ready to play some offense. We’re ready to play offense for a decent wage. We’re ready to play offense for retirement security. We’re ready to play offense for universal health care….It’s time we had a president who didn’t choke saying the word “union.”

For her part, Sen. Clinton suggested she would make trade agreements that are competitive and good for workers.