NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. postal workers union announced on Thursday it was endorsing Bernie Sanders for president in 2016, in a boost to the Vermont senator's campaign against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
The American Postal Workers Union, which represents more than 200,000 postal service workers and retirees, praised Sanders as a champion for workers. The endorsement comes days before the second Democratic presidential debate in which Sanders and Clinton will face off against one another.
Sanders is Clinton’s chief rival for the Democratic nomination and the two candidates are fighting for the support of organized labor, a key Democratic constituency.
The postal workers union endorsement marks the second union endorsement for Sanders at the national level. National Nurses United, which represents about 185,00 members, endorsed him in August.
"Politics as usual has not worked. It's time for a political revolution," said Mark Dimondstein, president of the postal workers union. Dimondstein called Sanders "a true champion" of workers.
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Clinton has received endorsements from large national unions such as AFSCME, the public employees union, and the American Federation of Teachers, as well as from bricklayers and aerospace workers.
Larry Cohen, a liaison between the Sanders campaign and organized labor, welcomed the endorsement in a statement by saying postal workers are "at the top when it comes to member involvement and union democracy.”
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By Luciana Lopez and Amanda Becker
