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Washington, D.C.—The nation’s largest independent union of federal workers—the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)—today strongly endorsed the candidacy of Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts to be president of the United States.

In announcing the endorsement, NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said that throughout his political career, and in particular during his more than 20 years in the Senate, Sen. Kerry has supported the efforts, interests and needs of working men and women, and has been especially supportive of federal employees.

“Senator Kerry has earned this endorsement by his steadfast support of all federal employees who work, each and every day, on behalf of this country and all its citizens,” President Kelley said. NTEU made the endorsement after consultation with its chapter leaders from around the country. As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents some 150,000 employees in 29 agencies and departments. Its members serve the public in every state in the nation, and work in posts of duty in other countries and territories, as well.

NTEU Endorses Kerry for President

The NTEU leader noted Sen. Kerry’s 100 percent record of support for federal employee issues in each of the last three sessions of Congress.

“Over the years,” Kelley said, “there have been occasions where federal workers and the important jobs they perform have been disrespected and undervalued by our political leaders, but the current administration has taken attacks on the federal workforce to a new and dangerous level that threaten the ability of federal workers to perform the jobs the American public expects and deserves.”

These threats include demands to send as many as one out of every two federal jobs to the private sector; recurring administration-proposed pay increases that aren’t remotely competitive with the private sector; refusal to provide federal agencies with sufficient funding to allow employees to do their jobs effectively; continuing assaults on employee collective bargaining rights; and much more.

“It is critical that federal employees work to elect a president that understands and values the work they perform,” President Kelley said. “NTEU believe Sen. Kerry is the candidate who will do that.”

The NTEU leader pointed to Sen. Kerry’s consistent votes in support of federal employees, including votes for a fair and competitive pay raise, votes to halt wholesale contracting out of federal work to an unaccountable private sector, votes to stop efforts to strip overtime from millions of American workers—including federal employees, and votes to increase funding for federal agencies that have been starved for adequate funds over the past few years.

“Across the country, NTEU’s thousands of members will actively work in each of their cities and towns to help put Sen. Kerry in the White House,” Kelley said.

For more information, visit the NTEU web site at www.nteu.org