SEIU Endorses California's Prop 19

[MedicalNeed]

SEIU's California State Council — arguably the leaders of the state's most powerful union — announced the union's support of California's Proposition 19 for marijuana legalization. SEIU has 700,000 members in California.

A ballot measure to make California the first state to legalize the sale and use of marijuana has won the support of one of the state's most powerful union, officials said Monday, offering the proposition a shot of mainstream legitimacy as well as a potential financial and organizational lift.

The decision by the executive board of the Service Employees International Union of California will be announced in the next few days, according to officials who have been briefed about it but were not allowed to speak publicly before it was announced. [...]

The measure is quickly emerging as one of the top – and most contentious – ballot issues in the nation this November. Polls show that it has the support of a slight majority of voters. But political analysts said that this kind of measure, given the social stigma that comes with illicit drug use, could prove difficult to poll.

At the very least, the support by the S.E.I.U., which claims over 700,000 members in the state, could make it easier for other groups to rally around the measure. More practically, it means access to the union's considerable campaign apparatus, which could finance mailings, telephone calls and leaflets.

This is huge, particularly the part I bolded. Not only does SEIU's endorsement bring much needed political mainstream legitimacy, but as the Times notes, it also brings SEIU's campaign infrastructure to Prop 19's campaign. A union field organizing effort, particularly from SEIU, is a gift from above for the underfunded Prop 19 campaign.

CA SEIU joins other Western unions in supporting Prop 19, including the Northern California ILWU, UFCW's Western Council, and UFCW Local 5.


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Work in Progress
Author: Michael Whitney
Contact: Tips | Work in Progress
Copyright: 2010 firedoglake.com
Website:SEIU Endorses California's Prop 19 | Work in Progress

 

[DrProfessor]

Yes very BIG deal here folks continue to push donate if you can and most importantly VOTE yes on Prop19!
The Feds could never stop it once we have our foot in the door keep the momentum moving forward. Once the general public really sees cannabis for what it is (A miracle if there is such a thing) probably even later in one form or another as a good treatment for cancer.

If we continue to fear and say what if, fight each other and repeat lies maybe we can't handle it anyway. I don't want to believe that but we need to come off the bullshit excuses about how prop19 is worse than the current status. Educate yourselves about the pros and cons and you will see this is more than a foot in the door. We just need to get in and then real change can happen!!