L.A.-Area Members Help Send Pro-Worker Candidate to Congress

Los Angeles-area CWA members joined in a major campaign push in the final days of Janice Hahn's campaign, helping send the pro-worker city councilwoman to Congress in a special election.

Making phone calls and going door to door, CWA Legislative Political Action Team activists in southern California helped seal last Tuesday's victory for Democrat Janice Hahn in a special election to fill an open seat in the U.S. House.

Hahn, a Los Angeles City Councilwoman, won the seat held until earlier this year by Democrat Jane Harman, who resigned to take a private sector job. Personal outreach from union members and other progressive supporters helped Hahn overcome an especially vicious opposition campaign.

CWAers, including activists from Locals 9586, 9505, 9510 and AFA-CWA 29012, turned out in force for Get Out the Vote activities. They called CWA families, knocked on doors, left door-hangers the final night reminding people to vote and went back to the neighborhoods throughout Election Day.

"We know we made a difference," said LPAT activist Taren Conforti of Local 9586. She encouraged other CWA members not to be shy about canvassing, saying people are generally friendly. "Some people are glad you stopped by. They'll say, 'Oh my God, is that today? I forgot' or they didn't know where their polling place was," she said.

On the L.A. City Council, Hahn had a strong pro-worker record, and has often rallied and marched with private and public-sector unions.