Bernie Sanders Gets Another Big Boost From Organized Labor

The NNU is the primary nationwide union to endorse Sanders, who has been constructing momentum amongst extra progressive Democrats.

National Nurses United, the nation’s largest organization of nurses, endorsed Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders for the 2016 presidential race, a blow to Hillary Clinton as the Democratic front-runner seeks to court key labor voters. The nurses’ union opposes the deal because they say it would empower the pharmaceutical industry and increase drug costs for patients.

The endorsement is significant because it is Sanders’ first sizable union endorsement in his quest for the Democratic nomination and comes after Sanders and other Democratic candidates pitched themselves to the AFL-CIO, a group that includes the nurses union, last month.

Sanders said in Oakland that the nurses’ endorsement was an important milestone for his campaign and lauded the group’s members as the “backbone of our health care system”. “We have to change the health care system in America and we have to change boldly and fundamentally the priorities of this nation, so that every American can experience the right to live with dignity and so that not all of our wealth is going to the top 1 percent“.

Sanders “aligns completely with the nurses’ values”, said RoseAnn DeMoro, the group’s executive director, citing issues such as healthcare and trade.

Labor is a key source of funds and manpower for political campaigns.

“It’s so easy to be critical of an agreement which is not flawless”, Sanders said.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen.

But Clinton has been reluctant to come out against the TPP; she was secretary of state in Obama’s first term and an influential player in the administration’s effort to build stronger ties with Asia.

On a questionnaire sent to the candidates, she added, “he scored perfectly”.

There were no issues involving Black Lives Matter protesters, as had been the case in Seattle Saturday where protesters took over a microphone, forcing Sanders to abandon an afternoon speech.

Asked Monday how he feels about such protest tactics, Sanders replied only that “the goals of the Black Lives Movement are absolutely right” and repeated his pledges to end institutional racism, reform the criminal justice system to reduce incarceration, and create economic opportunity for all Americans. After Monday’s Oakland event, he was headed for a rally Monday night at the 17,000-seat Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Josh Richman covers politics.