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Labor's Impact Felt Nationwide: Union Mobilization Brings Gains in House and Senate
With the presidential election in double overtime and some U.S. House and Senate races still too close to call on Nov. 8, at least one thing was clear the day after Election 2000: Labor’s impassioned fight for working families and workers’ rights had a thunderous impact.
“Union members make up 13 percent of the workforce but we cast 26 percent of the ballots on Nov. 7th,” CWA President Morton Bahr said. “That’s something to be extremely proud of. We made the difference for working-family candidates in races across the country. We didn’t win every one, but we made it harder for our opponents than they ever expected.”
Significantly, 63 percent of union household votes went for Gore-Lieberman, according to exit polls.
But whether Al Gore and Joe Lieberman would take the White House was up in the air as the CWA News went to press. Votes were still being counted in Florida and a recount was underway as well.
Gore was leading nationwide in the popular vote by more than 200,000 ballots, but the decision was hanging on Florida’s count and whether he or Texas Gov. George W. Bush would get the state’s 25 Electoral College votes.
Although Democrats didn’t regain control of either the House or the Senate, they did pick up seats, thanks to heavy turnout and campaigning by union members.
The most famous new senator is First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose union support helped her handily beat Republican opponent Rick Lazio in New York. “In Hillary, working families in New York and across the nation have a real champion in the Senate,” CWA District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino said.
In District 6, union members helped secure an unprecedented upset: the late Gov. Mel Carnahan of Missouri was elected to the U.S. Senate, ousting incumbent John Ashcroft. Carnahan died in a plane crash in October. His widow, Jean, is expected to be appointed to his seat.
Democrats also picked up Senate seats in Delaware, Florida, Michigan and Minnesota, with a seat in Washington state too close to call. The Senate may end up with a 50-50 split, the first time that’s happened in more than a century. If not, the Republicans will have 51 seats, the Democrats, 49. Democrats picked up at least two seats in the House of Representatives, but Republicans have at least 220 seats, a five-seat majority.
At the state level, Democrats won eight of 11 governor’s races nationwide and union members defeated several threatening ballot initiatives. In Michigan, a ballot measure to allow use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers for private schools was also defeated. Another school voucher measure went down in California. In Oregon, two payroll deduction measures that would have effectively cut union members out of the political process went down.
CWA Grassroots Action
CWA officers and staff across the country who coordinated campaigns said members threw themselves into the process, understanding how much was at stake.
They set up lawn signs and knocked on fellow union members’ doors. They handed out leaflets at work and in their communities. They made phone calls until their voices hurt. They sponsored rallies for congressional candidates and showed up to cheer when Gore or Lieberman visited their towns.
In District 2, the most-watched race was in Virginia, the U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Chuck Robb and former Gov. George Allen. In spite of union members’ best efforts to get out the vote for Robb, he was defeated.
In District 13, Pennsylvania was a must-win state for the Gore-Lieberman ticket, and union efforts helped the Democrats take the state’s 23 Electoral College votes. Members staffed phone banks, handed out flyers and conducted a door-to-door campaign. Over the course of the effort, handbills were distributed at every CWA workplace across the state, including a last-minute blitz at Verizon operations.
The activities across the country were similar to what members have done in past campaigns. But it all happened in high gear this time, CWA leaders said.
“Everybody was doing all the campaign stuff they’ve always done, but more of it than anybody has seen in their lifetime,” said Louise Caddell, administrative assistant to District 7 Vice President John Thompson. “More material got to members, there were more phone banks, more rallies. The activity went on at a frenzied pace.”
The AFL-CIO estimates that 100,000 union members volunteered on campaigns. “It’s clear that union members exercised the unmatched power we hold as a united political force in this nation,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said. “We’ve reunited our ranks and re-sparked the soul of our movement. We’re building a solidarity and culture of mobilization that will last, and we’re going to build it even more. It will serve working families well for many years and on many fronts.”
Mobilization Model
In District 4, Mary Jo Avery, vice president of CWA Local 4603 in Milwaukee, used CWA’s mobilization program as the model for getting the message to members.
Mobilization squads and CWA volunteers circulated leaflets to more than 3,000 workers at Ameritech’s Milwaukee operation. Newly hired workers were able to register to vote on site, where they also learned about the benefits of CWA membership at informal and one-on-one meetings.
Avery also coordinated a big effort among African American workers. “We wanted to make sure we touched all the bases and covered everything we might come up against,” she said. “The response from our members has been great. Their enthusiasm is high, and this takes you to another level. When I listen to our members and the commitments they make, I get a good feeling.”
In District 9, Local 9400 members fought to send Democrats to Congress, concentrating on three races in Los Angeles. They won two of them — electing Jane Harman in District 36 and Adam Schiff in District 27 — and a third was too close to call at press time. But Democratic contender Gerrie Schipske is closer to defeating District 38 incumbent Steve Horn than any other candidate has come, said Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, the local’s political coordinator and a member of its executive board.
“I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done here,” she said. “Even when we don’t win, what we’ve done is good for us. We learn how to get out there and work harder and mobilize and organize."
In District 7, where it was feared that Pacific Northwest votes for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader could cost Al Gore the election, union members turned out to campaign like never before. “This is the best effort we’ve ever had in the entire history of our local,” said Local 7901 President Madeline Elder. “We’re really pushing ourselves.”
The strategy in Oregon was different than in any other state in the country. That’s because every ballot in Oregon is now cast by mail. Ballots went out three weeks before the election and had to be returned by 8 p.m. Nov. 7. Union members were able to find out from county election offices who had cast ballots and who hadn’t as the election drew closer.
“That’s the advantage of vote by mail,” Elder said. “We called members who hadn’t voted to make sure they would get their ballots to the drop off site.”
Effort Began “Super Tuesday”
In New York, CWA locals started working with the AFL-CIO before the March 7 “Super Tuesday” primaries, distributing literature for Gore and Clinton.
In February, Clinton attended a meeting in New York City of CWA’s State Legislative and Political Action Committee. In July, she met in Buffalo with CWA nurses to hear about problems with health care financing and how cutting costs and cutting staff have affected nurses and patient care. And during the recent Verizon strike, she joined members and their families in Albany on the picket line.
The New York Times took note of labor’s important role in Clinton’s campaign. “She pledged her allegiance to the state's powerful labor unions from the moment she arrived in the state, building an alliance with, in particular, the health care and the teachers’ unions,” the paper said Nov. 8. “The evidence of that could be found on the streets of New York yesterday, where on corner after corner, labor union members dressed in hats, jackets, and wearing buttons reading ‘Gore-Lieberman-Hillary’ handed out literature urging voters to make their way to the polls.”
In upstate New York, where Clinton’s candidacy was a tougher sell, locals participated in similar get-out-the-vote activities and talked up Clinton’s integrity in the face of Lazio’s bizarre claims that her campaign contributions from a Muslim-American group amounted to money from terrorists. Lazio’s behavior drew sharp criticism from many camps.
In Florida, members knew their state’s 25 Electoral College votes could make the difference in the presidential campaign and worked hard to target their message to the state’s diverse population.
They talked to older residents about Social Security and prescription drugs, and talked to younger crowds about the impact a Bush presidency could have on the balance of the Supreme Court.
Despite uncertainty over the presidential contest, Florida members were breathing a sigh of relief Nov. 8 over one race — they fought successfully to send Democrat Bill Nelson to the U.S. Senate. Nelson beat Republican Bill McCollum, running for the seat long held by incumbent Republican Sen. Connie Mack.
There were celebrations in New Jersey, too, where Democrat Jon Corzine won a tight race over Republican Bob Franks. The New Jersey Star-Ledger said labor played a pivotal role: Exit polls showed that 61 percent of voters who identified themselves as union members voted for Corzine.
Much of the credit has to go to CWA members in New Jersey who were organized, mobilized and eager to work to get out the vote. “We created an army of 172 Workplace Political Activists, WPAs, through bulletins with tear-off-and-return cards, worksite meetings and steward meetings,” said CWA Representative Don Rice, describing just one of many strategies the union employed.
New Congressional Breakdown
Democrats picked up five seats in the Senate, and could pick up a sixth, splitting the Senate 50-50. Washington state’s race between Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican incumbent Slade Gorton remained too close to call on Wednesday.
Among Democrat gains in the Senate: Tom Carper ousted Republican Bill Roth in Delaware; Debbie Stabenow beat incumbent Spencer Abraham in Michigan; and Mark Dayton ousted Rod Grams in Minnesota.
In the House, Democrats have picked up at least two seats, but the Republicans still maintain the majority, with at least 220 seats. Here’s a roundup of Democratic upsets:
“Because of what they did for the Gore campaign, the value of one vote by one citizen will not soon be forgotten in this country," Mancino said.
“Union members make up 13 percent of the workforce but we cast 26 percent of the ballots on Nov. 7th,” CWA President Morton Bahr said. “That’s something to be extremely proud of. We made the difference for working-family candidates in races across the country. We didn’t win every one, but we made it harder for our opponents than they ever expected.”
Significantly, 63 percent of union household votes went for Gore-Lieberman, according to exit polls.
But whether Al Gore and Joe Lieberman would take the White House was up in the air as the CWA News went to press. Votes were still being counted in Florida and a recount was underway as well.
Gore was leading nationwide in the popular vote by more than 200,000 ballots, but the decision was hanging on Florida’s count and whether he or Texas Gov. George W. Bush would get the state’s 25 Electoral College votes.
Although Democrats didn’t regain control of either the House or the Senate, they did pick up seats, thanks to heavy turnout and campaigning by union members.
The most famous new senator is First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose union support helped her handily beat Republican opponent Rick Lazio in New York. “In Hillary, working families in New York and across the nation have a real champion in the Senate,” CWA District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino said.
In District 6, union members helped secure an unprecedented upset: the late Gov. Mel Carnahan of Missouri was elected to the U.S. Senate, ousting incumbent John Ashcroft. Carnahan died in a plane crash in October. His widow, Jean, is expected to be appointed to his seat.
Democrats also picked up Senate seats in Delaware, Florida, Michigan and Minnesota, with a seat in Washington state too close to call. The Senate may end up with a 50-50 split, the first time that’s happened in more than a century. If not, the Republicans will have 51 seats, the Democrats, 49. Democrats picked up at least two seats in the House of Representatives, but Republicans have at least 220 seats, a five-seat majority.
At the state level, Democrats won eight of 11 governor’s races nationwide and union members defeated several threatening ballot initiatives. In Michigan, a ballot measure to allow use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers for private schools was also defeated. Another school voucher measure went down in California. In Oregon, two payroll deduction measures that would have effectively cut union members out of the political process went down.
CWA Grassroots Action
CWA officers and staff across the country who coordinated campaigns said members threw themselves into the process, understanding how much was at stake.
They set up lawn signs and knocked on fellow union members’ doors. They handed out leaflets at work and in their communities. They made phone calls until their voices hurt. They sponsored rallies for congressional candidates and showed up to cheer when Gore or Lieberman visited their towns.
In District 2, the most-watched race was in Virginia, the U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Chuck Robb and former Gov. George Allen. In spite of union members’ best efforts to get out the vote for Robb, he was defeated.
In District 13, Pennsylvania was a must-win state for the Gore-Lieberman ticket, and union efforts helped the Democrats take the state’s 23 Electoral College votes. Members staffed phone banks, handed out flyers and conducted a door-to-door campaign. Over the course of the effort, handbills were distributed at every CWA workplace across the state, including a last-minute blitz at Verizon operations.
The activities across the country were similar to what members have done in past campaigns. But it all happened in high gear this time, CWA leaders said.
“Everybody was doing all the campaign stuff they’ve always done, but more of it than anybody has seen in their lifetime,” said Louise Caddell, administrative assistant to District 7 Vice President John Thompson. “More material got to members, there were more phone banks, more rallies. The activity went on at a frenzied pace.”
The AFL-CIO estimates that 100,000 union members volunteered on campaigns. “It’s clear that union members exercised the unmatched power we hold as a united political force in this nation,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said. “We’ve reunited our ranks and re-sparked the soul of our movement. We’re building a solidarity and culture of mobilization that will last, and we’re going to build it even more. It will serve working families well for many years and on many fronts.”
Mobilization Model
In District 4, Mary Jo Avery, vice president of CWA Local 4603 in Milwaukee, used CWA’s mobilization program as the model for getting the message to members.
Mobilization squads and CWA volunteers circulated leaflets to more than 3,000 workers at Ameritech’s Milwaukee operation. Newly hired workers were able to register to vote on site, where they also learned about the benefits of CWA membership at informal and one-on-one meetings.
Avery also coordinated a big effort among African American workers. “We wanted to make sure we touched all the bases and covered everything we might come up against,” she said. “The response from our members has been great. Their enthusiasm is high, and this takes you to another level. When I listen to our members and the commitments they make, I get a good feeling.”
In District 9, Local 9400 members fought to send Democrats to Congress, concentrating on three races in Los Angeles. They won two of them — electing Jane Harman in District 36 and Adam Schiff in District 27 — and a third was too close to call at press time. But Democratic contender Gerrie Schipske is closer to defeating District 38 incumbent Steve Horn than any other candidate has come, said Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, the local’s political coordinator and a member of its executive board.
“I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done here,” she said. “Even when we don’t win, what we’ve done is good for us. We learn how to get out there and work harder and mobilize and organize."
In District 7, where it was feared that Pacific Northwest votes for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader could cost Al Gore the election, union members turned out to campaign like never before. “This is the best effort we’ve ever had in the entire history of our local,” said Local 7901 President Madeline Elder. “We’re really pushing ourselves.”
The strategy in Oregon was different than in any other state in the country. That’s because every ballot in Oregon is now cast by mail. Ballots went out three weeks before the election and had to be returned by 8 p.m. Nov. 7. Union members were able to find out from county election offices who had cast ballots and who hadn’t as the election drew closer.
“That’s the advantage of vote by mail,” Elder said. “We called members who hadn’t voted to make sure they would get their ballots to the drop off site.”
Effort Began “Super Tuesday”
In New York, CWA locals started working with the AFL-CIO before the March 7 “Super Tuesday” primaries, distributing literature for Gore and Clinton.
In February, Clinton attended a meeting in New York City of CWA’s State Legislative and Political Action Committee. In July, she met in Buffalo with CWA nurses to hear about problems with health care financing and how cutting costs and cutting staff have affected nurses and patient care. And during the recent Verizon strike, she joined members and their families in Albany on the picket line.
The New York Times took note of labor’s important role in Clinton’s campaign. “She pledged her allegiance to the state's powerful labor unions from the moment she arrived in the state, building an alliance with, in particular, the health care and the teachers’ unions,” the paper said Nov. 8. “The evidence of that could be found on the streets of New York yesterday, where on corner after corner, labor union members dressed in hats, jackets, and wearing buttons reading ‘Gore-Lieberman-Hillary’ handed out literature urging voters to make their way to the polls.”
In upstate New York, where Clinton’s candidacy was a tougher sell, locals participated in similar get-out-the-vote activities and talked up Clinton’s integrity in the face of Lazio’s bizarre claims that her campaign contributions from a Muslim-American group amounted to money from terrorists. Lazio’s behavior drew sharp criticism from many camps.
In Florida, members knew their state’s 25 Electoral College votes could make the difference in the presidential campaign and worked hard to target their message to the state’s diverse population.
They talked to older residents about Social Security and prescription drugs, and talked to younger crowds about the impact a Bush presidency could have on the balance of the Supreme Court.
Despite uncertainty over the presidential contest, Florida members were breathing a sigh of relief Nov. 8 over one race — they fought successfully to send Democrat Bill Nelson to the U.S. Senate. Nelson beat Republican Bill McCollum, running for the seat long held by incumbent Republican Sen. Connie Mack.
There were celebrations in New Jersey, too, where Democrat Jon Corzine won a tight race over Republican Bob Franks. The New Jersey Star-Ledger said labor played a pivotal role: Exit polls showed that 61 percent of voters who identified themselves as union members voted for Corzine.
Much of the credit has to go to CWA members in New Jersey who were organized, mobilized and eager to work to get out the vote. “We created an army of 172 Workplace Political Activists, WPAs, through bulletins with tear-off-and-return cards, worksite meetings and steward meetings,” said CWA Representative Don Rice, describing just one of many strategies the union employed.
New Congressional Breakdown
Democrats picked up five seats in the Senate, and could pick up a sixth, splitting the Senate 50-50. Washington state’s race between Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican incumbent Slade Gorton remained too close to call on Wednesday.
Among Democrat gains in the Senate: Tom Carper ousted Republican Bill Roth in Delaware; Debbie Stabenow beat incumbent Spencer Abraham in Michigan; and Mark Dayton ousted Rod Grams in Minnesota.
In the House, Democrats have picked up at least two seats, but the Republicans still maintain the majority, with at least 220 seats. Here’s a roundup of Democratic upsets:
- In California, where CWA members focused unprecedented energy on congressional campaigns, Democrats gained seats in five districts. In addition to Harmon and Schiff in southern California, the winners are Mike Honda in the 15th District, Hilda Solis in the 31st District and Susan Davis in the 49th.
- In New York’s 2nd, Democrat Steve Israel beat Republican Joan Johnson, who was running for Rep. Rick Lazio’s seat.
- In Oklahoma, Democrat Brad Carson won the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Tom Coburn.
- In Utah, Democrat Jim Matheson beat Republican Derek Smith for a seat formerly held by Republican Merrill Cook, who lost in the primary election.
- In Washington, Democrat Rick Larsen won the seat held by retiring Republican Rep. Jack Metcalf.
“Because of what they did for the Gore campaign, the value of one vote by one citizen will not soon be forgotten in this country," Mancino said.