Labors
Political Ground Games Begin
June 18, 2004
This
month thousands of labor union volunteers will put on
their walking shoes in an effort to give George W. Bush
the boot.
Labor-to-labor precinct walks are part of an unprecedented
enthusiasm on behalf of unions do whatever it takes
to convince fellow union members to vote their economic
interests in November. Thousands of union members have
signed up for more than 100 walks in 72 cities. The
neighborhood walks, taking place in 16 states deemed
essential to winning the presidency, follow the rule
that in-person contact is the best way to sway wavering
voters.
"A lot of studies have found that old-fashioned
door-knocking and canvassing is the most effective campaign
technique, more so than television advertisements,"
David Mark, editor of Campaigns and Elections Magazine,
told the Toledo Blade. "People respond better where
there is some kind of personal contact."
Underscoring the importance of the upcoming election,
a walk in York, Pennsylvania on June 12 surprised organizers
with its high volunteer turnout, said Pennsylvania IBEW
Political Coordinator Mike Welsh, who is also a Third
District International Representative. "The message
is getting out early," he said. "We have more
leafleting and more letters from local presidents to
members earlier than ever before. By the time of the
election, I dont think any of our members could say
they havent heard from us."
Organizers are hoping for even bigger turnout on June
26, when thousands of volunteers are expected in Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh, Welsh said. The IBEWs participation
is integral to similar efforts in the rest of the swing
states: Maine, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Missouri,
Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Hampshire, West Virginia,
Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Michigan.
The AFL-CIO-coordinated effort is the largest and earliest
mobilization of working Americans in multiple states
in history. The stakes for this years elections are
so high that canvassing a traditional month or two ahead
of the election day has been moved ahead by several
months.
Walkers are distributing campaign material aimed squarely
at the pocketbooks of union members: a pamphlet titled
"Good Jobs and Affordable Health Care: Whos Fighting
for Working Families" lays out President Bushs
stance as well as the labor-endorsed candidate, Senator
John Kerry (D-Massachusetts). Most walks will take place
on a weekend day and will last between four and six
hours. After a group orientation session, volunteers
are paired up and sent out with detailed maps marking
the targeted homes of local labor union members. Volunteers
joined the AFL-CIO program through their local union
or through the AFL-CIOs online political web site.
The first wave of walks occurred June 12 and 13. In
Ohio, some 326 union members from 20 unions volunteered
to walk precincts for a half day in Cleveland. In Missouri,
800 volunteers600 in St. Louis and 200 in Kansas Citytalked
with thousands of union members about working family
issues. In New Hampshire, more than 300 people turned
out to walk and describe the difference the election
will make on many issues, including Bushs efforts to
take away overtime pay for millions of workers. Kerry
opposes taking away overtime pay from working families
and has a plan to create high-wage jobs in the United
States while providing relief for working families by
making college affordable for all Americans, lowering
health care and energy costs and helping families save.
When Cleveland union members heard that Bush supports
exporting American jobs, they couldn't believe it, says
Jeanne Long, who walked door to door with her husband,
Vernon. Both are retired teachers and American Federation
of Teachers members. "The majority of the people
were very concerned with the issues and there were a
lot of hard feelings against Bush," says Long.
The AFL-CIO anticipates that one in four voters Election
Day will be union members, the same percentage as in
the 2000 election.
"Working people are fed up with seeing good jobs
sent overseas and facing soaring health care costs,"
said AFL-CIO president John Sweeney. "Never have
working people been so energized so early about an election."
|
Related Articles
