CWA Members Get Head Start on Critical Political Season

The speakers from Capitol Hill who enlivened the mornings at CWA's annual Legislative-Political Conference in Washington, D.C., this week were far from the only politicians in the ballroom.

Among the 500-plus leaders and activists from CWA locals across the country were members elected to or running for school boards and town councils, county commissions and state offices.

In doing so, they're putting the rights of workers and needs of working families at the forefront of decisions, whether they're made in a tiny school district or a bustling state legislature.

"We've been successful so far in getting members elected to the state House and have just elected another CWA member to the Tulsa City council, with another just winning a primary for the council," Local 6012 President David Ratcliff said. "If that member wins, we'll have one-third of the six-person council."

Even losses can be victories in the long run, said Larry DeAngelis, a CWA representative in District 1 who has twice been the Working Families candidate for a seat long held by conservatives on the Nassau County Legislature in New York.

The massive outreach by CWA and other unions has brought labor within a few percentage points — far closer than years past. "We ran to get the ideals of working families out in the public, and we've been very successful with that," DeAngelis said. "We're going to win that seat eventually."

Whether running for office themselves or supporting pro-worker candidates, participants at the annual legislative conference are committed to progressive change in the November midterm elections, from Congress to "red-state" governors and state legislatures.

"Walking and talking to members is key," said Sandra Carter, legislative chair for Local 9417 in Stockton, Calif., where they've been fighting Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar's anti-worker agenda and will work to defeat him this fall. "We learned that 11 different contacts are needed in order to get someone to vote. That's 11 contacts — brochures, handouts, phone calls, more phone calls, and you have to do it. Then you still have to go back to members to get them to turn out to vote. We learned that last minute contacts alone don't work."

That's something made clear by lawmakers and a pollster addressing the legislative conference: nothing is more important than getting pro-worker voters to the polls in November.

Widely respected pollster Celinda Lake said that no matter how much surveys today show public dissatisfaction with Republican leadership in Congress, there is no guarantee that it will translate into votes later.

A recent survey by her firm showed that more than 80 percent of people considered part of the Republican base said they would definitely cast ballots, while less than 60 percent of minorities and young people considered strong parts of the Democratic base said they were likely to vote. "We have to have record turnout in 2006, and we're already in trouble," Lake cautioned.

One way CWA leaders are preparing for the fight is through the expansion of state councils, bringing together locals to work on state issues and fight for candidates who support labor's issues. Five activists involved in state councils spoke about building and using them effectively: Local 2004 Vice President David Fox of West Virginia, Council President Tim Lovaasen of Minnesota, retiree Dally Willis of Texas, Local 4671 Vice President Ann McNeary of Wisconsin and Local 3212 Executive Vice President David Pilgrem of Georgia.

"Together we've pooled our resources," said Lovaasen, whose Minnesota council includes locals from all CWA sectors. "In 2004, we had a tremendous impact."

Willis said the council is so active in his state that "there's not a single lawmaker in Texas that doesn't know about CWA."

Participants spent much of their time in Washington on Capitol Hill meeting with House and Senate members and their staffs about issues important to CWA and all working families, from health care reform to building and reaffirming support for the Employee Free Choice Act to give workers a better chance to organize unions.

Speaking with a group of CWA members from Michigan in her Senate Hart Building office, Sen. Debbie Stabenow pledged her continued support, saying the EFCA "is a fight for our way of life."

Speakers at the conference itself included a surprise guest at Wednesday's farewell breakfast, Sen. John Kerry, who got a rousing standing ovation and offered "the most profound, most heartfelt thank-you I could possibly give you," for the time, money and support CWA members across the country gave to his 2004 campaign.

"I am absolutely convinced — no doubt in my mind — that what we built is going to bear fruit in 2006 and in 2008," Kerry said, denouncing the Republican leaderships' assault on working families and how they've used social wedge issues to persuade workers to vote against their own economic interests. "We've got to take common sense back for America."

The conference's other Capitol Hill speakers issued the same call to action, whether talking about the grossly unfair and unbalanced federal budget, the health care crisis, attacks on workers' rights or other pressing issues. Featured speakers were Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Rep. Arthur Davis (D-Ala.), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.), Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-Ohio) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Kicking off the conference, Maryland Speaker of the House Michael Busch inspired members to follow Maryland's lead in pushing for the nation's first "Fair Share" legislation forcing large companies — i.e., Wal-Mart — to spend a percentage of their payroll to provide health benefits for employees. Launched by the AFL-CIO, Fair Share campaigns are underway in 33 states.

CWA President Larry Cohen said the conference — co-chaired by CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling and Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach — was all about what CWA and its members stand for, as opposed to George W. Bush's ownership society, "which is only about what we own."

"America is at a turning point," Cohen said, "and our work this week can be part of that turning point."