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Locals in ‘Super Tuesday’ States Rev Up Political Efforts
CWA locals have put hundreds of volunteers in the field, working with AFL-CIO central labor bodies, to get out the vote for presidential candidate Al Gore and state and local candidates who put working families high on their agenda.
Some of the most intense activity recently was in New York, California and Ohio — three of the biggest states among the 16 holding primaries or caucuses March 7, “Super Tuesday.” Those contests go a long way toward establishing the frontrunners of both major political parties.
Locals across New York and in two New England states mobilized in February to support Gore. In New York, CWA worked closely with the state’s AFL-CIO in a massive workplace distribution of literature that focused on issues important to union members, CWA Research Economist Bob Master said, reporting for District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino.
Beginning in February, a series of leaflets was handed out on the job, identifying the most important issues in the campaign, explaining Gore’s positions and contrasting them with those of former Sen. Bill Bradley. The program culminated with the distribution of a GOTV (Get Out the Vote) flyer in the days before the primary.
A similar program was carried out by Local 1298 in Connecticut, which represents 6,000 members at Southern New England Telephone, and by Local 1365 in Andover, Mass., which represents 4,000 workers at the Lucent factory there. Massachusetts and Connecticut also hold primaries March 7.
In New York, seven local union activists came off the job on a part-time basis to help coordinate the distribution of literature throughout the state’s 70 CWA locals. Activists also set up phone banks in late February to contact any CWA members who were undecided about whom to vote for as Election Day neared.
“If you give the members the information about where Gore stands on the issues, and why CWA and the AFL-CIO have endorsed him, we have no problems persuading members to vote for the Vice President,” said Local 1120 Shop Steward John O’Malley, who was coordinating CWA’s efforts in the Hudson Valley.
In other developments, the CWA New York State Legislative and Political Action Committee met Feb. 17 in New York City to interview U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. After a lively discussion of issues ranging from health care to labor law reform to the need for expanded funding of education, the committee voted unanimously to endorse Clinton. The New York Senate race is shaping up as one of the tightest, costliest, and most closely watched in the nation. CWA and other unions will work to elect Clinton in the fall.
In California, CWA Representative Nancy Biagini reported strong turnouts from CWA Local 9423 and the San Jose Newspaper Guild-CWA. CWA locals in that area have been participating in phone banks coordinated by the South Bay Labor Council.
In spite of pouring rain Saturday, Feb. 12, Biagini said, “hundreds of union people turned out to walk precincts” during the California State Democratic Convention in San Jose.
Locals affiliated with the San Mateo and Alameda labor councils made similar efforts. Additionally, Biagini said District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler assigned staff to work with locals in the Los Angeles area on political activities.
Seth Rosen, assistant to District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, said CWA activists provided the core of volunteers to phone banks, precinct walks and other get-out-the-vote activities organized by the AFL-CIO.
“In Cleveland, activists from Locals 4309 and 4340 played key roles in getting out the vote for Gore,” Rosen said. “Locals in Columbus, including 4310 and 4320 also participated in AFL-CIO organized GOTV activities.”
In Michigan, CWA locals across the state helped to mobilize support for Gore in the March 11 Democratic caucuses. Rechenbach has set up an e-mail outreach urging members to vote by mail, which is allowed in Michigan.
Some of the most intense activity recently was in New York, California and Ohio — three of the biggest states among the 16 holding primaries or caucuses March 7, “Super Tuesday.” Those contests go a long way toward establishing the frontrunners of both major political parties.
Locals across New York and in two New England states mobilized in February to support Gore. In New York, CWA worked closely with the state’s AFL-CIO in a massive workplace distribution of literature that focused on issues important to union members, CWA Research Economist Bob Master said, reporting for District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino.
Beginning in February, a series of leaflets was handed out on the job, identifying the most important issues in the campaign, explaining Gore’s positions and contrasting them with those of former Sen. Bill Bradley. The program culminated with the distribution of a GOTV (Get Out the Vote) flyer in the days before the primary.
A similar program was carried out by Local 1298 in Connecticut, which represents 6,000 members at Southern New England Telephone, and by Local 1365 in Andover, Mass., which represents 4,000 workers at the Lucent factory there. Massachusetts and Connecticut also hold primaries March 7.
In New York, seven local union activists came off the job on a part-time basis to help coordinate the distribution of literature throughout the state’s 70 CWA locals. Activists also set up phone banks in late February to contact any CWA members who were undecided about whom to vote for as Election Day neared.
“If you give the members the information about where Gore stands on the issues, and why CWA and the AFL-CIO have endorsed him, we have no problems persuading members to vote for the Vice President,” said Local 1120 Shop Steward John O’Malley, who was coordinating CWA’s efforts in the Hudson Valley.
In other developments, the CWA New York State Legislative and Political Action Committee met Feb. 17 in New York City to interview U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. After a lively discussion of issues ranging from health care to labor law reform to the need for expanded funding of education, the committee voted unanimously to endorse Clinton. The New York Senate race is shaping up as one of the tightest, costliest, and most closely watched in the nation. CWA and other unions will work to elect Clinton in the fall.
In California, CWA Representative Nancy Biagini reported strong turnouts from CWA Local 9423 and the San Jose Newspaper Guild-CWA. CWA locals in that area have been participating in phone banks coordinated by the South Bay Labor Council.
In spite of pouring rain Saturday, Feb. 12, Biagini said, “hundreds of union people turned out to walk precincts” during the California State Democratic Convention in San Jose.
Locals affiliated with the San Mateo and Alameda labor councils made similar efforts. Additionally, Biagini said District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler assigned staff to work with locals in the Los Angeles area on political activities.
Seth Rosen, assistant to District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, said CWA activists provided the core of volunteers to phone banks, precinct walks and other get-out-the-vote activities organized by the AFL-CIO.
“In Cleveland, activists from Locals 4309 and 4340 played key roles in getting out the vote for Gore,” Rosen said. “Locals in Columbus, including 4310 and 4320 also participated in AFL-CIO organized GOTV activities.”
In Michigan, CWA locals across the state helped to mobilize support for Gore in the March 11 Democratic caucuses. Rechenbach has set up an e-mail outreach urging members to vote by mail, which is allowed in Michigan.