Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president despite disagreeing with her on several major issues
December 3, 2015
Clinton Endorsed By Labor Secretary Whose Policies She Opposes
Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president:
Labor Secretary Tom Perez endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in a statement on Thursday, according to multiple reports. Perez will make his formal endorsement in Iowa on Friday.
Perez also supports the SEIU’s “Fight for $15” campaign:
Perez told the workers he supported their cause, the union-backed Fight for 15 campaign, which is agitating for a $15 minimum wage and union recognition in the fast-food industry.
However, Clinton only supports a $12 minimum wage:
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday at two campaign stops in Iowa that she would like to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour from the current $7.25.
SEIU union bosses also endorsed Clinton even though she doesn’t support the policies pushed by SEIU members, like the Fight for $15. SEIU bosses faced a backlash from their own members, and some SEIU members fought back by endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT):
New Hampshire’s largest public employee labor union is backing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary, bucking its national affiliate’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton. The State Employees’ Association/SEIU Local 1984 represents 11,500 workers across New Hampshire. President Richard Gulla says the chapter is backing Sanders because of his support for maintaining retirement benefits, lowering college costs, better wages for workers and his willingness to take on Wall Street.