AFL-CIO Rallies Against Linda McMahon

The labor movement in Connecticut took a big swipe at U.S. Senate Republican candidate Linda McMahon Wednesday, accusing her of standing on the sidelines while jobs are sent overseas. The AFL-CIO has strongly endorsed McMahon’s opponent, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. WNPR’s Harriet Jones reports.

Linda McMahon’s ad campaign for her senate run has emphasized her concern for creating jobs.

“We need experienced job-creators in Washington, and not job-killers..”

The AFL-CIO brought together several union leaders and unemployed workers for a press conference in Hartford, taking issue with McMahon’s credentials. President John Olsen says he believes she’s on the wrong side of issues as diverse as trade, tax policy, safety regulations and wage and hour reform.

“Anywhere you look in any measurement about Linda McMahon, she has never ever stood with the workers of this country.”

Machinists’ union official Wayne McCarthy works at Pratt & Whitney’s Cheshire plant which was recently threatened with closure. He drew a sharp comparison between the two candidates, saying Blumenthal has been there for the union.

“He did what he said he was going to do. He stood with us in a court of law, he provided an amicus brief in support of the workers. And we were successful in our fight to preserve these jobs in court. All this time, Linda McMahon has been silent, on probably the most visible jobs fight in Connecticut that we’ve seen in a decade. She has not picked up the phone to call the workers in Cheshire to ask, what can I do to help.”

The McMahon campaign issued a statement saying the candidate has an enormous amount of support among Pratt & Whitney workers. A McMahon spokesman also re-affirmed her support for expanded global trade agreements.

For WNPR, I'm Harriet Jones.