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Washington — US Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, who has been vying with challenger Bernie Sanders for the support of organised labour, scored a win on Saturday with an endorsement from the National Education Association, a huge teachers’ union.

The move makes the NEA, the largest US labour union with 3 million members, the latest in a string of unions to support Clinton, including the American Federation of Teachers and the machinists’ union.

Clinton’s lead in opinion polls has been narrowing against Sanders, a Vermont senator who has rallied progressives with his pledges to tackle income inequality and rein in Wall Street.

NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia praised Clinton as a strong leader who would work for students, teachers and families “because she understands the road to a stronger US economy starts in America’s public schools”.

Clinton issued a statement saying she was honoured to get the NEA endorsement.

“I’ve stood with educators throughout my career . . .,” she said. “As president, I’ll fight to defend workers’ right to organise and unions’ right to bargain collectively, and I’ll ensure that teachers always have a voice and a seat at the table in making decisions that impact their work.”

Clinton is trying to win over labour – often a key source of volunteers and funds for Democrats – in the effort to build a broad coalition within her party and avoid a potentially damaging, drawn-out primary fight.

The winner of the primary contest will face the Republican nominee in the November 2016 election.

Clinton’s campaign has struggled recently following a steady stream of news about her use of a private e-mail server and e-mail address while secretary of state.

A rolling five-day poll by Reuters/Ipsos dated September 29 found Clinton’s support within her party at 44 percent, compared to 28 percent for Sanders. As recently as August she had 56 percent support for the party’s nomination.

Labour leaders around the country are pressing Clinton on issues ranging from the minimum wage to international trade. One flashpoint is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free-trade agreement backed by President Barack Obama but opposed by unions, which see it as bad for US jobs and wages.

Clinton has remained neutral on the deal, saying a final agreement must protect American workers.

She was secretary of state during Obama’s first term and was part of the administration’s push to strengthen ties with Asia.

Meanwhile, former US President Bill Clinton likened the controversy over his wife Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email account while secretary of state to the same Republican and media tactics to stir controversy during his presidency, according to an interview made public on Saturday.

Hillary, who was the Democratic frontrunner when she announced her bid for the White House in April, has faced increasing scrutiny over her email use, including a personal computer server set up at her home in New York, and faces several inquiries in the Republican-controlled Congress.

“It always happens. We’re seeing history repeat itself,” her husband, who served two terms from 1992 to 2000, told CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” programme.

“The other party doesn’t want to run against her. And if they do, they’d like her as mangled up as possible,” Bill Clinton said in excerpts of the interview. “I’ve never seen so much expended on so little,” he added.

Hillary Clinton has apologised over the email issue and has said she had turned over all her work emails from her time as the nation’s top diplomat for the State Department to review and make public, which it is doing in batches.

In the latest twist, on Friday, the State Department said Defence Department officials found emails that she did not give to the State Department.

Although Hillary Clinton held a substantial lead in early public opinion polls, her rivals, including US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, have gained on her in recent weeks. While first lady, her husband faced several political scandals, including efforts by US lawmakers to impeach him and the real estate controversy known as Whitewater. — AFP