
Minnesota’s Building Trades excel at getting out the vote to their members on the worksites. The union member-to-member program has a unique opportunity to make valuable contact at work. Worksite leaflets are one of the most effective ways that union members can communicate and get out the vote to their co-workers and fellow union members.
LIUNA’s Alejandro Garcia (pictured below) caught several workers on their way in to the jobsite saying “Hey Brothers – have some stickers and vote for Barack Obama!” He said, “We need to get his name out there as much as possible.”
Tony McGarvey – IUPAT Release Staff – said, “I wasn’t always on-board with these worksite leaflets until I came across a table of workers on their lunch break talking about the flyer distribution and talking about the flyer. It really does get them talking and it’s actually very effective.” McGarvey and fellow Release Staffer Don Mullin have been out the past several Friday mornings.
IUPAT’s Don Mullin said, “We really need at least 6 contacts with our union members on these election issues. This is just one of the ways we do it.” He also said, “I think that Fridays are good days for these leaflets because workers are thinking about their paychecks and our economic message hits them harder.”
Heat and Frost Insulators Local 34’s Rudy Martinez said, “not only are you getting the members information, but you are having face -to-face conversations. We don’t just hand out leaflets, we talk with them too.”
The Minnesota Building Trades excel in local union mailings. This year, most of these unions adopted the Minneapolis hard hat sticker program, where local unions mailed hard hat stickers with political messages along with worksite flyers or local union mail to members. The hard hat sticker program is an effective way to get workers talking on the jobsite.
Duluth Building Trades President Craig Olson stresses the “one-on-one, member-to-member contacts." Bob O’Connor, Business Rep. with IBEW 242 said, “It was real close last time, and it will be this time – that’s why we have to work so hard right now.”
The Minnesota Building Trades’ dedicated activism is sure to pay off this year – thanks guys!