North Carolina union members who are military veterans or family members of those currently serving will come together for a roundtable Tuesday to discuss issues important to them in the 2008 elections, and to form the first-ever statewide union veterans council.

They will discuss plans to elect leaders who are champions of working families and pass legislation that will help veterans and all working people.

More than a dozen union veterans from the Fayetteville area will attend the roundtable, including Greater Sandhills Central Labor Council President Tony McKinnon and veterans from unions including AFGE, UFCWU, APWU, IBT, and USW.  They will be joined by Greater Sandhills Central Labor Council Vice President Dee Rucker-Ash, and USW Local 959 President Darryl Jackson.

The formation of the North Carolina union veterans council coincides with the formation of a national AFL-CIO union veterans council, which was announced July 10. Across the country, close to a dozen states are forming councils dedicated to ensuring that working people’s and veterans’ concerns are front and center.

“Like all working people, veterans are worried about our future and our children’s future. Our country is headed in the wrong direction,” said Greater Sandhills Central Labor Council President President Tony McKinnon.  “The first-ever union veterans council will bring union veterans together across North Carolina on the issues that matter most. And we’re starting by working to elect leaders who will put working people’s concerns first.”

The roundtable will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the USW Local 959 Hall, 280 McCloskey Rd., Fayetteville.