Sign Ups for Million Member Mobilization Hit 37,000

The number of CWAers signing on to the Million Member Mobilization for the Employee Free Choice Act jumped nearly 40 percent since last week – reaching 37,101 as of Aug. 20 - as local unions and member activists gear up for activities centered around the final two months of the 2008 elections.

This week, IUE-CWA Local 83761 sent in the most cards from a single local - over 900. Local union stewards had little trouble in getting the cards signed, which were distributed among members at a threatened GE appliance plant in Louisville. Over 40 percent of the local's members have signed up. "Passage of the Employee Free Choice Act is key to helping us organize and build bargaining strength in our troubled industry," said local President William Spires.

Nationwide, CWA members are signing up to host Aug. 28 viewing parties to watch Senator Barack Obama accept the Democratic presidential nomination and enlist more card signers. Already, 243 CWA locals and members have signed up to host parties. One of the largest is being hosted in St. Paul, Minn., by CWA Minnesota State Council President Tim Lovassen and the other Alliance unions, the United Auto Workers, the Steelworkers, and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.

Among Alliance unions, the goal is 1,000 parties attended by 10,000 participants. To order a CWA party kit with issue handouts, sign-up sheets, and tips for activities, visit www.cwavotes.org/partykit.

Since last week's Newsletter, 26 more CWA locals have met or exceeded their goal of signing up 15 percent or more of their members:  Dist. 1: 1060, 1150, 1170, 81313, Dist. 2: 2010, 2205, 82162, 82167, 82670, Dist. 3: 3104, 3106, 3108, 3115, 3201, 3315, 3406, 3865, Dist. 4: 4250, 4300, 4385, 4390, 4474, 4475, 84725, 84749, 84800, Dist. 6: 6001, 6210, 6215, 6222, 6327, 6350, 6450, 86122, Dist. 7: 7055, 7705, Dist. 9: 9413, 89177, Dist. 13: 13552. Click here, http://www.freechoiceact.org/cwa/localinfo/, for a full listing of locals that have fulfilled their 15 percent pledge.