33 Days Out, CWA Activists Are Ramping Up for Election

With the Nov. 4 election just 33 days away, CWA local activists across the country have been ramping up their already considerable efforts to elect Barack Obama and worker-friendly candidates in Congress.

In the battleground state of Ohio, labor walks and phone banking are being conducted daily, according to Local 4302 Secretary Peggy Griffith, who coordinates CWA's "Labor 2008" activities in the state. "It's amazing how locals are stepping up to the challenge," she said. "I've worked numerous campaigns in years past, but we're now seeing members getting involved who have not participated before. The enthusiasm is just great," said Griffith.

This week in the Akron/Canton area, Local 4302 is leafleting at high school football games. In Cincinnati, Locals 4400 and 4401 are conducting one-on-ones with members in the workplace. Early voting began in Ohio this week, as it has in 23 other states, so activists are encouraging workers to get out to vote.

To stress the urgency of supporting Obama and the issues that are at stake – especially passage of the Employee Free Choice Act –  District 4 Vice President Seth Rosen has been visiting locals throughout the district since early summer to encourage activism at all levels.

In the battleground states of Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington, District 7 locals are going into high gear. In Colorado, the focus is on electing Obama, Mark Udall to the U.S. Senate, and defeating constitutional amendments on the ballot that would hurt working people. Locals there have increased weekly leaflet distributions and conversations to 100 worksites covering 5,000 members, according to District 7 Vice President Louise Caddell.  Wednesday evenings are CWA phone-bank nights at the state AFL-CIO. At Denver International Airport, AFA-CWA  local activists are talking to flight attendants in crew lounges.

In Missouri, another battleground state, CWA President Larry Cohen joined with District 6 staff and more than 50 CWA local union activists last week in a labor walk through neighborhoods in St. Louis.