The political arm of the Illinois AFL-CIO voted in Springfield this morning to endorse Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate and Gov. Pat Quinn for governor. During the winter, the labor organization backed the state treasurer as he sought his party's nomination while remaining neutral in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. The AFL-CIO's statement strongly suggests that some unions, particularly those representing public employees, remain unhappy with the governor for signing into law pension cuts and failing to aggressively campaign for a responsible budget solution:

“It was a long, heated debate leading up to today’s endorsements,” said Michael T. Carrigan, president of the State Labor Federation. “We have affiliates who are angry with many of our elected officials who they feel have not kept their promises to stand up for working families in this state. Our delegates carefully considered the options and made each endorsement in a democratic way. Now the Illinois AFL-CIO will move forward and support these endorsed candidates in the November election. That doesn’t mean that all of our affiliates will participate. Some will not. And that is their prerogative.”

The AFL-CIO also endorsed David Miller and Robin Kelly in their respective bids for state comptroller and treasurer.