UTLA and NNU endorse Bernie Sanders for President

The UTLA House of Representatives, the elected leadership of the 34,000 member union, endorsed in mid-November Bernie Sanders for President with 80% of the votes cast. The vote capped the most comprehensive member engagement process that the union has ever conducted for a political candidate. Discussions were held in union meetings, area meetings, and schools. Teachers formed a group, Educators for Bernie — which is affiliated with LA Labor for Bernie, and were present and spoke at all these meetings. Alex Caputo-Peral, UTLA President, said, “Sanders is the first viable major candidate in 25 years to stand up against the privatization, the charter billionaires, and high-stakes testing and to stand up for a massive redistribution of wealth to schools and social services.”

National Nurses United, the largest union of registered nurses in the country, endorsed Bernie Sanders for president in November 2019, citing his leadership fight for Medicare for All. Bonnie Castillo, executive director of NNU, said, “Nurses are beyond tired watching our patients suffer and die needlessly, simply due to inability to pay, and we know Bernie Sanders is and has been, leading on Medicare for All through his advocacy and Senate legislation.” LA Labor for Bernie worked with the NNU affiliate, the California Nurses Association, in 2016 on Bernie’s first presidential campaign, and we look forward to deepening our work with CNA/NNU, UTLA, and all unions, in 2020.