John S. Rendleman, democratic candidate for state representative in the 115 district, will be endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations during the primary race, a labor official says.

Chathrine Shannon, political director, said based on Rendleman’s questionnaire and a recommendation from the Committee on Political Education, the AFL-CIO will endorse him as the best candidate for labor.

Rendleman said that he is pleased the AFL-CIO is backing him, and he said he will be the voice for labor.

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Republicans have ignored labor and shut them out of the bill-writing process in Springfield, he said.

Rendleman also said he was disturbed to hear that Gov. Jim Edgar had said early in January that the executive had not heard from downstate legislators regarding the possible elimination of the Chicago to Carbondale Amtrak route.

Amtrak is a labor issue. If the subsidy is not received, 350 people could lose their jobs, he said. I think it is important that the issue not be ignored.

State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, the incumbent Rendleman will face at the polls if he wins the primary, said the issue was not being ignored.

That is not what he (Edgar) said. He said he had not heard from enough districts, Bost said. I had been working on this three-and-a-half months before the governor had said that, and just last week I introduced legislation to continue the funding.

The other democratic candidates for State Representative for the 115 district, Elsie Speck and Karl Maple, were shocked to learn the AFL-CIO had chosen Rendleman.

I am somewhat surprised to learn this, Speck said. His law capacity has not been for the working people but for big business. (Don Johnson, president of the AFL-CIO) is looking for the candidate with well-oiled connections. I don’t have money from Chicago Democrats. I have grassroots money.

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Maple said he is surprised and dismayed the AFL-CIO chose Rendleman. Maple said he has helped labor more than Rendleman.

I am from a union family. I helped organize the faculty union at John A. Logan College (where Maple is a professor) and was the first chair, Maple said. I helped negotiate the first contract under that. Rendleman has no union record.

All of the candidates said they agree the endorsement does not guarantee labor votes at the primary March 19.

Rendleman is an attorney representing management. This is not the choice for the rank and file, Maple said.

This happened in 1994 when I ran, but the local unions supported me because I am for labor, Bost said.

Rendleman said he is the candidate for labor.

Part of my campaign is to build an infrastructure in Southern Illinois with school and road improvements, meaning jobs.