CWA LPATs Gear Up for 2012 Election

CWA LPATs gather for a three-day political action training session.

Below: CWA LPATs work on state plans and goals.

Gearing up for the 2012 presidential election, CWA LPAT activists from around the country gathered last week for three days of political action training.

"If we're going to make change as a community, we in the community have to start fighting," said Anita Andrews of CWA Local 4322.

Huddling in suburban Maryland, they reviewed their strategic election targets and LPAT responsibilities, and then circled up with their respective districts to hammer out state plans and goals. CWA President Larry Cohen met with participants one evening, kicking off a discussion of their personal "I am the 99%" stories. CWA National Political Director Rafael Navar led workshops on skill building, such as how to sign up volunteers and approach members about donating to CWA's political action fund. Participants learned about the Labor Action Network, or LAN, and the importance of tracking and reporting data.

They also heard from the AFL-CIO about an unprecedented move to give members more say over how the union will spend its campaign war chest. By taking part in campaign activities — phone banking, knocking on doors, signing up volunteers — participants can earn currency in Workers' Voice, the Super PAC arm of the AFL-CIO. That currency, in turn, can be allocated to voter registration for the participants' local candidate of choice, online ads or other issues.

While the training stressed the importance of 2012, it laid out a long-term plan to sustain that election-year energy through coalition building. Throughout the weekend, members shared tactics and war stories from their recent legislative victories.

"We've been able to heal a huge rift between labor and the progressive movement that's existed in Oklahoma for two decades," Dave Ratcliff of CWA Local 6012. "Now we're working together like never before. Now it's like we're one. Unfortunately, it took what the Republicans have been doing to get us to this point. We're playing a lot of defense. But we're playing with a much better team."