CWA Statement on 2014 Midterm Elections

For release Nov. 5, 2014

WASHINGTON – The Communications Workers of America (CWA) issued this statement on the 2014 midterm elections:

Working families and progressive activists, determined to get out the vote, made jobs and the economy top priorities at the ballot box. Voters said “yes” to a higher minimum wage in Arkansas, Alaska, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Boosting the minimum wage won big support in Oakland and San Francisco, Calif. In Massachusetts, voters passed a ballot initiative guaranteeing paid sick leave. We demonstrated that boosting our standard of living is an issue that has overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle and around the nation.

CWA members turned out for 12,000 volunteer shifts and spent the weeks leading up to Nov. 4 talking one-on-one with co-workers, staffing phone banks and canvassing neighborhoods. Across 25 states, more than 4,000 CWA activists knocked on doors, leafleted thousands of worksites and made 100,000 phone calls.  

Unfortunately, many of the important issues in the 2014 elections weren’t heard, as the $4 billion spent in this cycle produced a staggering number of attack ads and little debate on the major concerns of everyday Americans.

That’s why, starting today, CWA activists are turning their attention to stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a dangerous trade deal that threatens our jobs, communities and the environment. It could potentially give big business new powers to undermine important laws and regulations created to protect us from them.

Kicking off a week of action next week, CWA will join with millions of environmental, community and human rights activists in fighting against “fast track,” or Trade Promotion Authority, that would finalize the agreement without any debate or amendments. We’ll be demanding that the White House and Congress put its citizens before the corporate and financial interests that already define and dominate the global economy.

We hope that the White House listens to the Democrats in Congress and the populist base. Republicans should also take heed -- their activists also oppose fast track and the TPP.

This negative election cycle has resulted in Republican control of the House and Senate, but it’s clear that the “Party of No” won’t provide the leadership and direction the American people want. We will continue to stand up and fight back as we build the new populism of the 21st century.

Contact: Michael Allen or Kendra Marr Chaikind, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, mallen@cwa-union.org and kchaikind@cwa-union.org.