Quinn for Illinois

LaGRANGE – Adding their praise for Governor Pat Quinn’s vision of economic development and his effective leadership in passing Illinois’ first comprehensive capital program in more than a decade, United Auto Workers Region 4 on Thursday announced its endorsement of Governor Quinn.

“Governor Quinn took office earlier this year under very tough circumstances,” said Dennis Williams, Director of United Auto Workers Region 4, who joined union members at the Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc., plant in LaGrange to announce the endorsement. "Amid all the state's problems, Governor Quinn has stayed focused on keeping and adding to manufacturing jobs in Illinois. Manufacturing is the basis of the middle class, and we in the UAW appreciate his efforts."

“Today, there are 80 new jobs at this plant, where hard-working men and women are manufacturing locomotive engines that use less fuel and run more cleanly,” Governor Quinn said. “Under my Jobs and Growth for Illinois economic plan, Illinois will become a national leader in high-speed rail, creating solid manufacturing jobs while helping to reduce pollution and conserve energy. I am honored by the endorsement of UAW Region 4, whose members are building the cars, trucks, locomotives and agricultural equipment of the 21^st century.”

In his remarks to the UAW Region 4 members, Governor Quinn also thanked them for their effective, powerful support of his Illinois Jobs Now! public works program.  Over the next six years, Illinois Jobs Now! will create and retain more than 439,000 jobs, helping to revive Illinois’ economy.

UAW Region 4, based in Lincolnshire, Ill., represents 55,000 active and 78,000 retired members in nine north-central states. UAW Region 4 is the latest in a long string of major Illinois unions that have endorsed Governor Quinn.  UNITE HERE and Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers have endorsed Governor Quinn, and the Teamsters Joint Council 25 and the Service Employees International Union's Illinois Council announced plans to work together to support Governor Quinn’s 2010 campaign.