SEIU Hears Candidates, Before Making Endorsements

More than 2000 union members gathered in meeting rooms all connected by video conferencing equipment -- for a virtual town hall meeting -- and all looking to hear from the candidates first hand -- to decide who to endorse.

The two main candidates for Lt. Governor -- Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom -- teleconferenced from San Jose and Oakland respectively, answering questions from union members.

“What would you do to ensure that tax payer money sent accountably, I mean spent accountably, and to ensure responsible contracts at all UC campuses?” asked Keith Ward, SEIU member.

“It's unconscionable what has happened in turn of the increases at CSU and UC, I will fight aggressively against those fee increases, but with pragmatic solutions; not just rhetoric,” said Newsom.

“This recent to balance again the budget of Sacramento on the backs of students or their parents at the worst possible economic time in our history is just flat out wrong,” said Hahn.

Ward had been leaning toward Newsom in the Lt. Governor race -- but says the 2 candidates’ response to his question may have changed his mind.

“I'm still on the fence I am leaning, personally to council woman Hahn. She has a little bit more of a fire, she may want it a little bit more than possibly the mayor,” said Ward.

SEIU members had a chance to see candidates weigh in races from insurance commissioner to superintendent of public education.

And at the end of the day, the main attraction: State Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown.

Union members had a chance to quiz the attorney general on how he would help the members if he's elected to the state's highest office.

“How would you approach and support strengthening collective bargaining in California and giving workers a voice?” asked Yvonne Walker, SEIU representative.

“Collective bargaining allows two very important things: for ordinary working people to be a partner with management, and for working people to organize so you're not an isolated individual with no power,” answered Brown.

Union members say they liked what they heard, but they won't be rubber-stamping anyone with their endorsement.

“There is not a candidate out there that gets the SEIU endorsement without earning it,” said Walker.

Voting is going on Saturday night among SEIU members and the results of that vote and who the union will be endorsing is set to be announced Monday or Tuesday of next week.