U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek Endorsed for U.S. Senate by America’s Building Trades Unions, AFL-CIO

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Miami) was endorsed by the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO (BCTD) for the 2010 U.S. Senate election in Florida.

“Members of the Building Trades Unions work with their hands and minds everyday to make Florida prosperous again,” said Congressman Kendrick Meek. “They are on the front lines working to rebuild our state and know firsthand the impact that reckless policies can have on our communities. The federal stimulus package passed in Congress and signed into law by President Obama will enable the Building Trades to help put Floridians back to work and revitalize our economy by producing green jobs. The Building Trades family represents the everyday man and woman who I look forward to representing too in the U.S. Senate.”

The BCTD Governing Board of Presidents voted to endorse Meek on Monday.

Upon the conclusion of that vote, President Mark H. Ayers said, "We are excited about the prospect of helping Kendrick Meek become the next U.S. senator from Florida. Throughout his life, both as a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol and most recently as the congressman from Florida's 17th District, Kendrick has held firm in his belief that government should work for all the people, not just the privileged few. We are honored to issue this endorsement and we will do all that we can to educate and mobilize our members on his behalf in 2010."

Mike Williams, President of the Florida Building Trades Council said, “Kendrick Meek’s record on issues that concern the Building Trades Union is a model of perfection. He understands that when our members in Florida are working, the families and communities of the state are benefiting. We serve as the barometer of our state’s economic health, and the Florida Building Trades are thankful that Kendrick supported the much needed economic recovery plan. Our membership spans the state and we will work as hard to rebuild Florida as we will to elect Kendrick Meek to the U.S. Senate.”

The Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO is an alliance of 13 national and international unions which collectively represents 2.5 million skilled craft professionals in the United States and Canada.

The Building Trades includes the following unions: Insulators/Asbestos Workers, Boilermakers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Electrical Workers, Elevator Constructors, Iron Workers, Laborers, Painters, Roofers, Sheet Metal Workers, Teamsters, and Plumbers and Pipe Fitters.

Since announcing his candidacy on January 13th, Congressman Meek has received endorsements from SEIU, United Teachers of Dade, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, and AFSCME.