Political luminaries such as Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore will turn out — physically or by satellite — this week as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union representing 1.6 million American public employees, convenes at Moscone Center.

AFSCME’s top concerns include government deficits in most states across the United States Union leaders hope to drum up political and member support for a $40 million national health-care reform initiative, and turn leaders’ attention to municipal budget problems, spokesman Ethan Rome said.

Other politicos expected to turn out this week include U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and George Miller, D-Martinez, as well as Karen Bass, speaker of the California Assembly.