Bernstein gets union’s support

Friday, May 19, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- More than 300 delegates to the Nevada State AFL-CIO convention voted unanimously Thursday to endorse Democrat Ed Bernstein for the U.S. Senate.

The vote came immediately after Bernstein addressed the convention in Reno.

Danny Thompson, executive director of the labor organization, said Republican John Ensign, when he served in the House of Representatives during the 104th Congress, voted "100 percent against us." He said Ensign sided with former Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., against every issue important to labor.

Ensign was one of the co-sponsors of the "paycheck protection" legislation that would have weakened unions and he voted to slash funds for worker safety programs by 15 percent. Bernstein, according to Thompson, told the convention he would not vote to repeal the prevailing wage law or to weaken the law on protection of workers on the job.

Pete Ernaut, campaign manager for Ensign, said the endorsement was no surprise because Ensign wasn't even invited to the convention. "It's not a 'man bites dog story' when the AFL-CIO endorses a Democrat," he said. "It's only a story when they endorse a Republican."

Ernaut said Ensign disagrees with labor on some issues but that there are a lot of union issue on which he agrees. "There are a lot of different unions that John has a good relationship with and we hope to continue that."

The delegates will make their endorsements of candidates for the Legislature on Friday at their closing session.

They passed a resolution to study the plan by the state teachers union for a 4 percent tax on the profits of businesses in Nevada to increase support of the public schools. There were resolutions offered for and against on both Sen. Joe Neal's tax to boost the tax on major gaming casinos by 80 percent and a proposal to levy the sales tax on services.

Those issues will be voted on today before the close of the convention at the Reno Hilton hotel-casino.