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WASHINGTON (July 13) -- Vice President Al Gore told a crowd of more than 2,000 United Transportation Union (UTU) members and their families Monday evening at the Hyatt Regency Hotel that he has had a "long-standing, warm and supportive relationship" for 25 years with North America’s top rail and transportation union.
"I will never forget the role that you played for President Clinton and me, and I will never forget what you did," Gore said. "I’m here to tell you that I’m going to work just as hard to earn your endorsement on my own, and I’ll tell you why. I believe very deeply in the UTU. I’m proud that a recent report called the American rail worker the most productive worker in the entire world. I believe in you."
Gore spoke Monday evening at the UTU’s Regional Meeting here, which is the largest in the union’s history. Today, Minority Leader Richard Gephardt is scheduled to address the union.
Gore wished UTU International President Charles L. Little a "speedy recovery" from recent surgery for colon cancer at the Cleveland Clinic. Little is recuperating in Cleveland and has been declared "cancer free" by his doctors.
UTU Assistant President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., introduced the Vice President.
"We know that Bill Clinton and Al Gore are the best friends labor could possibly have in the White House," said Boyd. "We know that it is our job to make sure our friends stay in the White House. Al Gore’s life-long commitment to organized labor is deeply rooted in his soul because he learned it at his father’s knee... I’m not going to beat around the Bush, we need Al Gore in the White House."
Boyd said, "We need Al Gore to continue to champion the rights of working men and women in the 21st Century. We need Al Gore to champion rail and mass transportation in the 21st Century. We need to stand up for Al Gore because he has stood up for us. Mr. Vice President, as you may know, the UTU was the first union to stand behind Bill Clinton when he ran for president. We want you to know that the UTU stands behind you in your race for the presidency."
Gore’s 20-minute speech was animated and passionate. It was a far cry from the stereotyped "wooden politician " the Washington press corps has unfairly labeled him.
"I believe that our country does better when organized labor is treated with respect and has real power and the ability to negotiate," Gore said.
Gore praised the UTU’s political power and it’s ability to get its candidates elected.
"Ninety-eight percent of the candidates that this union endorsed won their elections," Gore said. "Now, Byron, I want to get you and Jim Brunkenhoefer together on the phone with President Little and me after this gathering. I’ve got a few things I’d like to talk with you about this election."
Gore continued: "We’ve come a long way together. We are building a powerful and inclusive prosperity. Instead of quadrupling our national debt, we tripled the stock market. Instead of the biggest deficit, we now have the biggest surplus. We have raised the minimum wage, and railroads are on the rebound. Railroads are hauling more freight than ever. Hiring is up, wages are beginning to rise. Railroads have carried our recovery, and you deserve to share in our recovery."
Gore said that it was time to "go much, much further."
"I believe it’s time for common-sense increase in the minimum wage, a dollar or more per hour," he said to loud cheers. "And for all the families here, I want to reaffirm this simple principle: It’s time we had an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work.
Gore said he would continue the fight for labor rights when he is elected President.
"When it comes to labor rights, we have a fight on our hands," he said.
"Because you know, as I do, that when the Reagan-Bush bunch came in, they tried to remove the stigma from union busting. They tried to rewrite the regulations - and did -- and put in a lot of tricky loopholes. They tried to change the laws - and they did - and they made it so that people who wanted to organize were really in an uphill battle.
"The Reagan-Bush crowd tried to do away with that stigma. They tried to make out like it was good for our country to bust unions. Well, I’m kind of sick and tired of that attitude. I think we need to level the playing field and get rid of those tricky loopholes."
Gore then said that the principle of "checks-and-balances" that are part of the government should also extend to labor.
"We have a principle inscribed in our Constitution called ‘checks-and-balances’," he said. "That’s one of the things that’s protected our country. I believe that same principle of checks-and-balances should be present in our workplace. And if employers have so much power to bust unions and hire replacement workers and pretend that collective bargaining isn’t a right that every American ought to have, then it’s unhealthy. I think it’s time to put the checks-and-balances back into the workplace, and have fair labor laws, and stand up for the rights of workers.
"I’m proud that in the six-and-a-half years that President Clinton and I have been in the White House, President Clinton has vetoed every single anti-labor bill that has come across his desk. And if those anti-labor forces keep trying that in the year 2000, with your help, I’ll stop them!"
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Last modified: May 25, 2000
