KANSAS CITY, KS, Feb. 20, 2017 — Newton B. Jones, President of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, AFL-CIO/CLC, today issued the following statement supporting the candidacy of Tom Perez for Chairman of the Democratic Party.
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, AFL-CIO/CLC supports Tom Perez for Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
The 2016 election made clear the need for new leadership and a new direction for the Democratic Party. Too many American workers, both union and nonunion, believed their concerns were not heard. The priority for these voters was, and always will be, jobs. Unfortunately, the Democratic Party failed to deliver a coherent and positive message that addressed job creation and job security.
Tom Perez has a unique opportunity to rebuild the party that, historically, has had a strong tradition of supporting the American middle class. As Secretary of Labor, he fought hard to ensure safe working conditions, to protect the rights of workers to join unions and collectively bargain, and to enforce the nation’s wage and hour laws. His tenure at DOL demonstrated a true understanding of the problems that working men and women face every day.
We feel confident that Tom Perez, with his many years of public service at the Department of Justice and at the Department of Labor, will bring the right mix of leadership, values and vision as well as the administrative skills necessary to reconnect the Democratic Party with middle-class Americans, who deserve a strong voice both in the workplace and in the political arena.
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, AFL-CIO/CLC is a diverse union representing workers throughout the United States and Canada. Boilermakers are employed in field construction, shipbuilding, manufacturing, railroads, cement, mining, and related industries.
