NASHVILLE - Tennessee union leaders enthusiastically endorsed Harold Ford Jr. in the 2006 U.S. Senate race Tuesday, but some were decidedly cool toward embracing the re-election of Gov. Phil Bredesen.
"I knocked on doors for Bredesen last time. I'll stay at the house on this one," said Jim Bass, president of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Area Central Labor Council.
In contrast to Ford's appearance, the delegates were cautioned against negative outbursts toward Bredesen prior to the governor's speech to the convention on Tuesday.
"I think he's done the working class people of Tennessee wrong," said Bass, one of about 200 delegates to the Tennessee AFL-CIO convention. "He's gutted workers' comp. He's gutted TennCare."
State Rep. Mike Turner, D-Nashville, who appeared on a panel discussion at the convention, said afterward that many union members feel "taken for granted" by Democrats.
"We have supported candidates who then didn't support us," Turner said.
Asked if Bredesen fell into that category, Turner said the governor "has an opportunity in the next legislative session to help working people."
"Hopefully, I can vote for him," said Turner.
Democrats Bredesen Tennessee Election 2006 AFL-CIO
