Democratic congressional candidate retired Maj. Gen. Bill Enyart announced Thursday he has earned the support of Southern Illinois unions.

The Illinois AFL-CIO, Teamsters, Laborers, Carpenters, Southwest Illinois Building Trades and United Association of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders and HVAC Service Techs put their support behind the candidate who is running against Republican congressional candidate Jason Plummer for the 12th Congressional District.

Enyart, a Belleville attorney, has said that, if elected, he intends to fight to fix unfair trade policies, invest in manufacturing and stop jobs from leaving Southern Illinois.

"People in Southern Illinois work hard, but the mess in Washington is stacking the deck against our middle class," Enyart stated. "We're losing jobs to other countries and there are too many politicians in Washington who are busy pointing fingers and not solving problems."

Enyart, the son of a Navy firefighter, started his 35-year military career as an enlisted man in the Air Force then later the Illinois National Guard where, as head of that organization, he fought to keep bases and armories open.

"I got my start working next to my father on the line in Caterpillar growing up and I know how important good manufacturing jobs are to Southern Illinois and to keeping our middle class strong," Enyart stated. "Southern Illinois workers and their families deserve an advocate to cut through the partisanship and stand up for our way of life, and I will work every day to continue my service to this community and to creating good jobs that stay where they belong in Illinois."

A union leader said Enyart's support of middle class working families and American workers inspired the endorsements.

"Illinois AFL-CIO is endorsing Enyart because he understands how America's working families are struggling to make ends meet," said Bill Thurston, president of the AFL-CIO Southwest Illinois Labor Council. "We know Gen. Enyart will fight to level the playing field for American workers in Washington, D.C., by standing up against unfair trade deals like NAFTA and ending tax breaks from companies that ship jobs overseas to India and China."

Contact reporter Jennifer A. Bowen at jbowen@bnd.com or 239-2667.