Unions Remain Divided On Pick Among Democratic Contenders

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ibd/20071015/bs_ibd_ibd/20071015general

The power of unions lies in uniting workers to achieve common goals. But Big Labor hasn't united behind a single presidential candidate, setting off a scramble among top Democratic contenders.

Ex-Sen. John Edwards won the endorsement Monday from Iowa's branch of the Service Employees International Union. He also got the support of SEIU chapters in California -- which boasts 650,000 members alone -- and eight other states.

These are crucial wins for Edwards, who needs a victory or strong showing in Iowa to keep his candidacy viable.

He wanted the support of the full SEIU, which boasts 1.9 million members. But in an unusual move, the union decided last week not to make a national endorsement.

Unions Divided, Delay

SEIU's nondecision illustrates how Big Labor's support remains up for grabs. Some unions have made a choice, but they've spread the wealth among several Democrats. Several of the biggest have held off endorsements, forcing candidates to aggressively woo them.

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