CWA Activists Work to Recall Wisconsin Gov. Walker

Wisconsin CWAers get out the vote.

Below: Denise Williams of CWA Local 4630 volunteers at phone bank in Madison.

With less than a month until Wisconsin's recall election, CWA activists have been working around the clock to get Republican Gov. Scott Walker out of office.

"It's a civil war here," said Lindy McGraw of CWA Local 4630, who devotes 10 hours a week to the recall effort. "I just hope that people see the light."

McGraw and members of her local women's committee have been helping out wherever they're needed, from data entry to educating people about Walker's anti-worker, anti-family budget. Every weekday at noon, they join the Solidarity Sing-Along for a singing protest at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

On "CWA night" at the phone bank, volunteers reached thousands of union households between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. last week, said Mark Frey of CWA Local 4630. On May 16, CWA will partner with Madison Teachers, Inc. for another round of outreach to union families around the state, reminding them of Walker's successful effort last year to strip public sector employees of their bargaining rights.

"We're telling union households to get out the vote and educating members about the legislative climate," Frey said. "It's a very powerful tool."

In 2010, 26 percent of all Wisconsin voters were in union households, compared to 17 percent of voters nationwide.

The recall election — scheduled for June 5 — will be a rematch between Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who won Tuesday's primary to become the Democratic Party's nominee. Polls show the race is currently tied. During the last face off, voters in union households made up roughly one third of Barrett's total vote in the election, according to the exit polls.