AFL-CIO Launches Union Veterans Council to Fight for Benefits

Fighting for the health and education benefits of America's veterans, including the 2.1 million who are union members, the AFL-CIO has launched the Union Veterans Council.

The council will bring together veterans and members of military families to hold U.S. leaders accountable on issues that include a fully funded Department of Veterans Affairs and the recently passed 21st Century GI Bill – a critical piece of veterans' legislation that was aggressively opposed by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.  Union veterans will launch their own state-level councils and discuss how to elect pro-working family leaders who will support veterans.

The AFL-CIO has also produced a TV ad featuring Jim Wasser, a Vietnam-era veteran and retired IBEW member. While he notes McCain's honorable record of military service, Wasser says McCain's Senate record on bills supporting veterans and their families is dismal.

The Union Veterans Council website, which includes a video of Wasser's ad, is at http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/unionveterans2008.cfm.