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IBEW Gears Up for November Elections With Mobilization 2004

June 2004 IBEW Journal

When a sports team wins a hard-fought game with skill, heart and soul, commentators say: "They left it all on the field." The 2004 presidential campaign is a high stakes contest that will require the skill, heart and soul of thousands of IBEW members.

The IBEW has developed an unprecedented grassroots structure to "leave it all on the field" in the fight to improve the lives of Americas working families this November. The game plan is called Mobilization 2004.

Change in America starts at the top. Americas working families have been deeply hurt by the policies of this administration. The Presidents Council of Economic Advisors actually praises the "outsourcing" and "free trade" agreements that have contributed to the loss of 2.8 million jobs and a $529 billion trade deficit. In April, the administration rejected the AFL-CIOs petition calling for trade sanctions on China for widespread violations of workers rights that have led to the export of U.S. jobs. Elderly Americans, burdened by medical bills, are prevented from importing lower cost pharmaceuticals from Canada.

The administration claims to practice "compassionate conservatism." College grant programs and funds for schools attended by military children are being cut while wealthy Americans receive fat tax breaks. The administration has shown open hostility to labor unions. They are moving to cut overtime compensation to millions of workers and to deny collective bargaining rights to Defense Department workers (under the guise of homeland security). They opposed project labor agreements (PLAs) that have provided major benefits to construction trades until our unions lobbied successfully to stop them in their tracks. There is a longer list of cases where this administration has left working people holding the short end of the stick and you can read it at www.ibew.org. Our members need to pick up the ball if we are truly interested in creating a brighter future for the majority of Americans this November.

A coordinated effort is vital, but a few coordinators and International staff cant get this job done alone. Campaigns are only successful if they are built block by block where most Americans live and work. Years of experience have shown that the best work in a political campaign is the worker-to-worker, on the job, at the ball game, grassroots, brass tacks, "read this flyer, dont forget to vote" approach. Thats what Mobilization 2004 is designed to do.

 

Formula for Victory

The IBEWs online Members Community is already posting hard-hitting campaign materials from the AFL-CIO Working Families Toolkit. This web-based program is producing a steady stream of camera-ready leaflets that can be downloaded, customized and reproduced by members for circulation on the job and in the neighborhood. Cartoons and newsletter articles are also available to help the sharpen member education effort. To get materials on line, go to www.workingfamiliestoolkit.com and click on "New User" registration.

President Hill has appointed Edwin Lopez, a staff member of Local 3 in New York City, as national coordinator for the 2004 campaign.

Statewide coordinators will work directly with Lopez to implement the Mobilization 2004 plan, particularly in the critical battleground states. (See Box"Join the Mobilization 2004 Online") To reach union "swing voters," the IBEW plans to focus on issues, rather than personalities. Members have been approached by phone and mail about issues such as the overtime pay takeaway issue or the outsourcing of U.S. jobs.

The 10 Point AFL-CIO Program has been modified and strengthened for the 2004 campaign. (See Box"The AFL-CIO 10 Point Program")

The IBEW has developed a Grand Slam pin to be awarded to all members who: (1) are registered to vote and have voted in past elections (2) are regular contributors to IBEW-PAC (3) are IBEW e-mail activists (4) participate in Mobilization 2004.


"Our very existence as union members with the ability to work, win good contracts, send our children to decent schools is at stake. Four more years of unaccountability to working people by leaders in Washington, D.C. will put everything that we now enjoy in jeopardy. This election for us as workers is about building a grassroots movement to defend and extend the legacy of the labor movement. Grassroots means our grandmothers, our brothers and sisters, our communities and all working families. Movement means now!"

Edwin D. Hill
IBEW International President


 


[Part 2]

 

The AFL-CIO 10 Point Program

1 Recruit a key contact at each local & worksite.
2 Distribute leaflets at all union worksites.
3 Maximize contact through union publications.
4 Utilize regular mailings from local presidents & business agents.
5 Maximize impact of union phone calls.
6 Update local membership lists.
7 Increase registration by 10 percent.
8 Conduct massive GOTV (Get Out The Vote) for the 2004 elections.
9 Build rapid response networks in the workplace.
10 Link politics to organizing.