IBEW Geared Up for Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes’ Campaign

Don Goodwin says he started phone banking for Atlanta Local 613’s political efforts a few years back as a “family affair,” accompanied by his daughter, Olivia.  She enjoyed helping, says Goodwin, a 37-year journeyman inside wireman. Father and daughter were gratified when the candidate showed up at the union hall.  One of those candidates was Roy Barnes.

In 1999 Barnes was elected governor with strong labor support. Then, in 2003, he was defeated by Sonny Perdue.

Today, Barnes is again running for governor.  Olivia is in college with hopes of attending law school. Goodwin is back on the phones and knocking on doors when he is not working the night shift renovating offices for Precision Electric in Coca-Cola’s massive national headquarters buildings.

Dan Goodwin, member
of Atlanta Local 613 with daughter, Olivia, makes phone calls on behalf of former Gov. Roy Barnes.

Supporting Barnes, he says, should be a “no-brainer” for union members.  Barnes’ opponent, former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deale, he says,  is “shady” and anti-worker, most widely known for using his political influence to gain exclusive treatment for his automobile inspection business.  More importantly, Barnes, who comes from Goodwin’s hometown of Mableton,  has a solid record of accomplishment in bettering the lives of working families.

Says Local 613 Political and Legislative Director Ben Myers:

We’re extremely excited about the Barnes campaign. This is not New York or Connecticut. This is the right-to-work Southeast. But Barnes has made a commitment to support project labor agreements and do what he can to get 10,000 trades back
to work.

During his term of office, Barnes appointed many union members to boards and committees, including Local 613 journeyman wireman Carolyn Williams, who served on the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority before becoming IBEW’s Director of Human Services.

A recent campaign commercial features Barnes with members of the IBEW, the Pipefitters and other unions wearing hard hats. 

Jerome Jackson, an assistant business manager and 30-year Local 613 member, has gotten active in his local’s efforts over the last five or six years. Of Barnes, Jackson says:

He knows how government functions.  As a former state senate majority leader, he learned how to move legislation and get things done.

Inexplicably, Nathan Deal and most Republicans in the state do not see Atlanta as the economic engine of Georgia, says Jackson.  Atlanta is the only city of its size that receives no state funding for mass transit, says Jackson. He adds:

We have lost General Motors and Ford manufacturing plants within 25 miles of Atlanta.  Our members could have been building transit and bullet trains. Roy Barnes is a proactive guy who cares about people and will fight for funding for transportation projects to relieve traffic congestion and revive our economy.

With high unemployment, outside of federal stimulus-funded projects, Jackson hopes that members vote their wallets in November and are not diverted by other issues. Some people believe that Barnes lost the governor’s race last time in part because of a decision to change the state’s flag which at that time included the Confederate battle emblem.  “Roy Barnes knew that it was important to change our flag to give the state a more progressive image and attract more business.  It took courage to do that.,” says Jackson.
Local 613 Business Manager Gene O’Kelly says, “Roy Barnes is the right person at the right time for the right job.”

Sonny Perdue and the Republicans in the Georgia House and Senate have left Georgia’s education and transportation departments in the worst shape in the state’s history, says O’Kelley, “Not to mention the fact that we have over 40 percent unemployment in the building trades and 10 percent statewide with no ideas on job creation in sight.”  He adds:

Roy Barnes has a plan to address education, transportation and jobs in this state as well as the needs of working men and women.  Nathan Deal has no plan except for the “same old-same old.”