Todd Thacker, has been a union member for over 24 years, and has served as the Business Manager and Financial secretary of IBEW Local 725 for over 4 years. But one of his proudest accomplishments is his recent graduation from the George Meeney Center for Labor Studies, where he earned his degree in union administration and leadership and was given the Distinguished Paper Award for his work on responsible bidder ordinances. Brother Thacker said that he decided to go back to school because of his two sons. "Education is extremely important, and I wanted make sure that I set a good example for my boys." For Thacker, as with many union activists, a strong education is not only a critical asset at the bargaining table, but also a necessary component of any political campaign. That's why this election cycle he's is making sure that his fellow members know all the facts when it comes to important issues that affect their pocket books, like Right-to-Work for less.
"Hoosiers are facing dangerous Right-to-Work legislation in our statehouse. One only has to look at other states that have already adopted these laws to see just how adversely they would affect wages and benefits not only for our members, but for the all workers. We have to make sure that when it comes to the November elections, all of our members know which candidates will stand up for their livelihoods and oppose Right-to-Work for less."
He's also focusing his attention on the presidential and gubernatorial races, where the stakes are just as high,
"With our national economy in so burdened by the poor policies of the Bush adminstration, we know that its time for a president who strongly supports working men and women as well as labor unions to get elected and turn things around. And unfortunately here in Indiana, we've faced a similar challenge with the present Governor Mitch Daniels, who has proven time and time again through privitization efforts and stripping the rights of state workings to collectively bargain that he is not a friend of working families or the middle class. With the rising cost of everything from gas, to health care, to food, to college, we're making sure our members know that both Jill Long Thompson and Barack Obama are the candidates who will protect their pocket books. And that's an education our members can't afford not to have."
Brother Thacker says the best way to get the message out is through member-to-member outreach,
"We find that if we talk one on one to our members, and reach out to them through the mail and at the work-sites, our members really respond. Because we all work together, live in the same neighborhoods, deal with the same issues, our message is one that gets through. We've already ordered hundreds of fliers off of the working families toolkit, for statehouse candidates who oppose Right-to-Work, and also for Jill Long Thompson and Senator Barack Obama. We know that we don't have to tell our member how to vote, we just have to educate them on how the candidates stand and they'll make the right decisions on election day!"
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