Machinists' union endorses Clinton for president in 2016

[August 15, 2015]  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton on Friday won the endorsement of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for the 2016 U.S. presidential election, making it the second national union to give the Democratic front-runner the stamp of approval.

The endorsement could give Clinton a significant boost as she seeks to woo labor, even as her main Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has eroded her edge in opinion polls and has himself landed the endorsement of National Nurses United, the nation's largest organization of nurses.

The union, based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members, according to its website.

Clinton is trying to win over labor - often a key source of volunteers and funds for Democrats - as part of an effort to build a broad coalition within her party and avoid a potentially damaging, drawn-out primary fight. The winner of the primary contest will face the Republican nominee in the November 2016 election.

Clinton has already won the backing of the American Federation of Teachers.

But union leaders nationwide are pressing Clinton on issues ranging from the minimum wage to international trade.

One flashpoint is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free trade agreement backed by President Barack Obama but opposed by unions, which see it as bad for U.S. jobs and wages.

Clinton has remained neutral on the deal, saying that a final agreement must protect American workers.

She was secretary of state during Obama's first term, and was part of the administration's push to strengthen ties with Asia.

(Reporting by Luciana Lopez; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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