AFL-CIO endorses Biden

The AFL-CIO has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden (D) for president.

The labor group announced on Tuesday it will mobilize its members to defeat President Trump in November. It joins a long list of labor unions that have endorsed Biden.

“Working people have responded to COVID-19 with passion and dedication, even as our federal government falls down on the job,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a press release. “Just imagine what we can accomplish with an ally in the White House.”

The labor group announced its support following a vote of the organization’s general board, The Washington Post first reported on Tuesday. 

The organization plans on “playing hard” in battleground states, Trumka told the Post, adding that it will urge its members to vote for Biden.

The AFL-CIO, which includes 55 unions and represents 12.5 million workers, endorsed former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in June 2016. Trumka plans on mobilizing members for Biden in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and Arizona — states Trump won in 2016 — as well as Minnesota and New Mexico.

“Joe Biden is a lifelong supporter of workers and has fought his entire career for living wages, health care, retirement security and civil rights,” Trumka said. “Our members know Joe has done everything he could to create a fairer process for forming and joining a union, and he is ready to fight with us to restore faith in America and improve the lives of all working people.”

He told the Post the group will be encouraging its members to vote by mail.

The United Steelworkers endorsed the former vice president last week, and he also has endorsements from the American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees, the Amalgamated Transit Union and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), among others. 

Updated at 3:30 p.m.