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Health & Fitness

Ironworkers Local 7 Endorses Katherine Clark for Congress

MALDEN -- Ironworkers Local 7 has endorsed State Sen. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, as she campaigns to become the next congressman from the Fifth Congressional District. The Ironworkers are the third major labor union to back Katherine in a week as momentum is building around her candidacy.

The labor union, which represents 3,000 members working across Massachusetts, supports Katherine as she pledges to change the conversation in Washington away from battles to turn back the clock on women's health toward standing up for middle class workers, who struggle every day with covering health care costs, saving for retirement and paying for college educations.

"Katherine has always been a champion of working families," said Local 7 Business Agent Stephen Williams. "She understands that our economy needs to grow from the middle out, not the top down. That's why we want to send her to Congress, because we know she will fight for increasing the minimum wage, improving workplace safety, and investing in infrastructure." 

The endorsement shows Katherine's growing support from organized labor. Last week, she picked up endorsements from the NAGE/IBPO/SEIU Local 5000, representing 22,000 workers, and the Teamsters Local 25, representing over 11,000 workers, showing that she's the best candidate for creating an equitable tax code and fighting special interests.

"I've always fought for the values of working people and I'm honored to gain the endorsement of the Ironworkers Local 7," Clark said. "I'm going to Washington to stand up to extremist Republicans and fight for good jobs and fair wages so that the American Dream remains in reach for working families."

Katherine has already been endorsed in her race for Congress by the Women’s Campaign Fund and has been placed “On The List” by EMILY’s List. 

Katherine was sworn in for her second term as a Massachusetts State Senator representing Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winchester on January 2, 2013. She was first elected in March 2008 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Senator Clark serves as the Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. She also serves on the Joint Committees on Public Health and Public Safety and Homeland Security. Senator Clark is a member of the Advisory Council for the Department of Early Education and Care. In 2011, Senator Clark was appointed to the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy Advisory Board at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

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