AFL-CIO president campaigns for Dayton at steel plant

National AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka was in St. Paul this morning, campaigning outside a steel plant for DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

Trumka, who is in Minnesota for another labor gathering, spent about an hour visiting with local members of the United Steelworkers union. He talked to workers as they drove into the plant for the day shift at Gerdau Ameristeel, which recycles scrap steel.

"I'm here to talk to the building trades convention. I spent some time with them last night and I'll be talking to them again today," Trumka said. "And then we came out to talk to Mark. He's our candidate for governor and help us get jobs created in this state, help us get the economy moving and help us get some friends on the ground in the various states. He's an important cog and this is an important state."

The AFL-CIO endorsed Dayton earlier this week, after sitting out the DFL primary race.

Member unions were divided among the leading candidates. Trumka didn't say what other support his union might offer Dayton in his race against Republican Tom Emmer and IP candidate Tom Horner.

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