"He is an honest leader who always advocates on behalf of everyday men and women, not special interests," said Ronald E. Powell, president of UFCW Local 881. "Gov. Quinn has consistently stood strong in his position that every Illinois worker has a right to earn a living wage."
According to union materials, Local 881 represents 34,000 members who work in retail food and drug stores throughout Illinois and northwest Indiana. Quinn was a member of the union in high school, when he worked nights at a Hi-Lo supermarket.
"I know firsthand that members of this union work hard every day," Quinn said. "We don't want hardworking families having to suffer."
The choice of venue and timing of the endorsement announcement seemed purposefully tied to the upcoming holiday.
Quinn and union members stood outside a Dominick's supermarket on South Canal Street, a few blocks down from West Roosevelt Road. He said workers at the grocery store were going to be "very busy" in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
Quinn even wore a yellow and blue tie that matched the union's colors. He said yellow "represents our harvest."
"UFCW workers are on the front line in making sure that we feed the hungry," Quinn said.
Georjean Hilko has worked at Jewel-Osco for 38 years. A checker at the supermarket chain's store in Franklin Park, she said she was "very impressed" with Quinn's handling of the state's fiscal crisis.
Earlier this year, Quinn dealt in heated negotiations about the state's budget, mostly revolving around how to cope with an estimated $9 billion deficit without cutting what he views as essential human services.
"He took over a horrific situation," Hilko said. "He is doing everything possible to pull us out of this situation."
The UFCW endorsement is the most recent addition to a sizable list of union supporters for Quinn.
Last week, the United Auto Workers endorsed him, praising his work on passing a state capital program that will involve a lot of manufacturing work.
Unite Here, which represents about 15,000 Chicago-area workers in hotels and other service industries, endorsed him in September. Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents about 22,000 workers, also supports his campaign.
Other backers include the Teamsters Joint Council 25 and the Service Employees International Union's Illinois Council.
While Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes has some support from labor, unions may be pulling back from his campaign now that Quinn appears to be running toward a primary win. Earlier this year, however, several unions betrayed doubts that Quinn could effectively manage the state's job shortage.
In endorsing Quinn rival Dan Hynes, the Illinois comptroller, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers State Conference Chairman Ken Lambert recalled how Quinn tried to tie his support of a public-works bill to an income-tax hike.
"When Gov. Quinn had the opportunity to create jobs, he showed he'd rather play politics, and people's livelihoods suffered for it," Lambert said in October.
The pipe trades and the Operating Engineers Local 399 have endorsed Hynes as well.
Windy Citizen 