AFL-CIO Pennsylvania Labor 2008 Blog

Spotlight on AFSCME

 "Though the volunteer numbers across the state are just phenomenal and we are extremely pleased with the number of GOTV volunteers we have, we haven't lost sight of the fact that this isn't over yet," Dave Fillman, AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director. "As we enter these final days I just urge every one to keep up the great work."

"We've been phone banking and participating in labor walks. We sent out local union mail pieces to all our members and leafleted at the worksites where we are able. We made sure to contact all our members in person one way or another to let them know that Barack Obama is the candidate for working families."

"As we enter the finals days before the election McCain continues to give us motivation and to remind us that he is the wrong person to be in the white house, overseeing the United States and any labor issues that might come to his desk. He continues to state the fact that he is opposed to the Employee Free Choice Act and it only serves to motivate our members to get out and vote on November 4th."

"I think the Labor 2008 program is so effective in educating our members and getting them out to vote because all we are doing is offering information about our core issues," said Rich Caponi, AFSCME District Council 84 Director. "We have a relationship as union members and the things we talk about at the workplace, over the phone at member phone banks and on labor walks get to the core of why we exist. We talk about collective bargaining, health care and pensions and how this election is going to impact the future of working families and their unions."

"People feel a sense of ownership when it comes to their union and they want to hear from their fellow union members. We all have something at stake in this election and together we will all come out on November 4th to elect Barack Obama and protect our shared future as working families in America."

For video of Dave Fillman, AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director discussing the Labor 2008 program CLICK HERE. For video of Mary Schwanger, AFSCME District Council 90 Director CLICK HERE. To
view photos of AFSCME Local 1199c worksite leafling CLICK HERE. To view video of Dave Antle, AFSCME District Council 87 Director discussing why Barack Obama is for working families CLICK HERE.  To view AFSCME President Gerald McEntee discussing the importance of the Labor 2008 program CLICK HERE.

President Pat Eiding Discusses the Power of the Union Vote

"We are participating in the labor walks and talking to members at union meetings to try to really get the message across to the rank and file," said President Pat Eiding, Philadelphia Central Labor Council. "This election isn't one where a talking head or a rally isn't going to be enough."

"We need to have that member-to-member contact and when we do get across to our members just how important this election is for our future they always want to come out and work. The labor movement is going to carry this election here in Pennsylvania."

 "We always talk about the power of the union vote in Pennsylvania but this year we will make the difference. We are reaching not only union members but their families as well. If folks are able to see clearly what we have then we are going to win this."

"I've been on the labor walks and I've seen that when you talk to our members in person they get the message. They understand what we are dealing with and know that we need to come together to support Barack Obama."

"We are not there yet and there is still a lot of hard work to do. Anything worth having takes hard work. And now I am talking about more than just the election because once we elect Barack Obama we'll still have hard work to do. The Employee Free Choice Act is a top priority and we'll have to get to work to make sure we get that passed after the election."

"But we are doing that hard work now and we are going to get our members out to vote. If we all come out to vote then we'll be celebrating together on November 5th."

Spotlight on IAM

"Brothers and sisters, you want to be able to tell your children and your grandchildren that on November 4th, 2008, the day we changed the country for the better, the day we changed the world for the better: 'I was there. I made that happen" said Tom Buffenbarger, IAM International President at a rally in Erie yesterday afternoon.

"We all need to ask ourselves today if we are doing every thing we can to make sure that happens. Are you talking to your brothers and sisters on labor walks? Are you leafleting at your work place and participating in member phone banks? We can turn America around and make it a better place for working families."

"We are leafleting at the worksites, we are talking to members at the meetings, and we are participating in member phone banks and labor walks," said Tom Santone, IAM District Lodge 98
Business Representative. "A lot of our members thank us for knocking on their door or pulling them aside at the workplace to talk about the election. Face-to-face conversations have a huge impact on union members. They appreciate you taking the time to talk with them and the fact that they can trust the information you give them."

"Getting out and talking to the members is a top priority," said President Dave Lolly, IAM Local 1044. "We know that our fellow union members appreciate hearing from us. We are all concerned about the future of working families in this country and it is clear that Barack Obama is the right choice for us. Making sure all of our brothers and sisters know that and come out to vote on November 4th should be everyone's focus right now."

 For video of IAM Local 1968 President Harry Ross discussing the importance of worksite leafleting CLICK HERE. For video of IAM Local 1716 President Dave Jenkins worksite leafleting with AFL-CIO President John Sweeney CLICK HERE. 

CD 5 Race Is Now In Play Thanks To You!

With an open seat in Pennsylvania's 5th District and a very close race, Mark McCracken's, AFL-CIO endorsed candidate for Congressman, recent surge in the polls is a testament to the labor movement's successful hard work and the Labor 2008 program.

"We've been phone banking and participating in labor walks," said Dave Bielski, Northwest Area Labor Federation Secretary Treasurer. "It is so important that union members get behind Mark McCracken and vote for him on November 4th."

"I come from a labor family and I understand the trust that union members have for each other," said McCracken. "I need union members to continue to do what they are already doing. I need you participating in phone banks and labor walks, and I need you to talk to your fellow union members at the workplace."

"I stand one hundred percent behind the labor movement and behind the Employee Free Choice Act. In order to get to work for the labor movement I need you to first continue to work to get me elected. The union vote will make the difference on November 4th."

"McCracken supports workers and their unions," said President Jeff Miller, Clearfield/Elk/Cameron/Jefferson Central Labor Council. "He supports the Employee Free Choice Act. Union members have an understanding. When it comes down to it we all share the same concerns about our jobs and our families. We need to keep talking to each other about the candidates that support us and really be the difference on November 4th."

Spotlight on BCTGM

"We see the cost of health care going up and we see our jobs being shipped over seas because of unfair trade agreements," said Dennis Bomberger, BCTGM Local 464 Business Manager. "McCain is proposing to tax employer paid health care and he supports unfair trade agreements. Barack Obama supports working families and that is why it is so important to make sure our members get that message. One candidate is for working people and one will only hurt our future."

"We have been getting that message out to our members as much as possible. We leaflet at all our plants and are doing a final round of leafletings this week. We moved our union meeting a week earlier this month to make sure we could talk to members directly then, too. And we've done a number of local union mailings. We are doing a four page mailing this week and emphasizing how important it is for union members to get out and vote."

"It is so important for the future of our union, and of all unions, that we get someone in the white house who is a friend of labor. In addition to supporting fair trade agreements, Barack Obama also supports the Employee Free Choice Act. The stronger our numbers are the strong we are as a movement. That is why we need to elect Barack Obama and that is why I am doing all I can to make sure my members understand that and get out to
vote on November 4th."

For video of Dennis Bomberger, BCTGM Local 464 Business Manager discussing the Labor 2008 program CLICK HERE.  For video of BCTGM Local 464 members worksite leafleting CLICK HERE. For an article about BCTGM members getting ready to support the UAW at the Rally in Atlantic City CLICK HERE.

Working America Gets Out The Vote

On Saturday Working America will begin its Final Four program, doubling its staff the last four days before the election and hitting a projected 10,000 doors a day in a massive effort to get out the vote. Complimenting the Labor 2008 labor walks and phone banks that continue to reach out to union households and members, Working America's cavassers are hitting union households and Working America households, sometimes twice, in critical areas around the state.

With a membership that includes non-union members who wish they could join a union and who are concerned about working family issues, Working America doubles the AFL-CIO universe, allowing the labor movement's political program to reach a maximum number of working families.

"We were out knocking on doors in Arnold on a second pass and I spoke to a woman who was previously undecided," said John Sharwarko, Working America Canvasser. "When I asked who she is
voting for she very quickly told me Obama. And then, before I even had a chance to ask her why she told me that she was voting for him because of the conversation she had with the last Working America canvasser who had knocked on her door."

Quadirah Taylor, another canvasser with Working America, had a similar story to tell. "We were in Ellwood City and it was the second time we had knocked on doors in that area in two weeks. I spoke to a woman who said that she had been undecided until she talked to one of our canvassers the week before. After discussing education and healthcare, the woman decided she was going to vote for Obama."

Between Labor Day and October 31st Working America canvassers will knock on 200,000 doors. In the four days before the election they will knock on 40,000 doors. These conversations, and the conversations between union members on the member-to-member labor walks, will help determine the outcome of the election on November 4th.

CNA Bus Visits Pittsburgh

Making the rounds through Pennsylvania yesterday, the California Nurses Association (CNA) bus stopped in Pennsylvania for a rally with Working America focused on health care issues.  President Geri Jenkins and President Deborah Berger spoke to a crowd of upwards of fifty people about the importance of supporting Barack Obama and his health care plan.

"We fought for years to get legislation in California that keeps the ratio of patients to nurses at no more than five to one," said President Berger.  "But it's not enough to stop there.  We have patients who are turned away because they can't afford treatment and we have patients that are losing their lives because they can't get the care they need."

"And we can't just go away once this campaign is over," continued President Berger.  "Once we elect Barack Obama we got to stick around and hold his feet to the fire to make sure we get the health care we need in this country."

"We are traveling around to make sure our members, and all union members, are educated and fired up about the election," said President Jenkins.  "We need to take care of our nurses and our patients and we need to elect Barack Obama on November 4th."

"Along our tour we are leafleting at worksites, participating in rallies, and just talking to our union members and making sure they know they issues," said Cheryl Costello, CNA/NNOC. 

"We've been all over because we know how important this election is to our members," said Lea Neider, CNA/NNOC.  "We need to elect Barack Obama and we hope to use this bus tour as a way to motivate members and get them out to vote on the 4th."

Spotlight on APWU

"I know that there are a wide variety of sources for union members to get information about the candidates and their policies," said President Charles Pugar, APWU Pittsburgh Metro Area Local.  "I feel that my responsibility is to make sure that my fellow union members are getting the information that most directly concerns their working conditions and daily life."

"I educate my members a number of ways.  We have a legislative director who works with members and with the Labor 2008 program to get union members out to the phone banks and labor walks.  We also have a union newsletter that goes out regularly with relevant information and I send out local mailings."

"There is no doubt about it that the most effective way to educate members and get them out to the polls is through member-to-member contact.  The word of mouth is the most powerful tool that the labor movement had in any campaign or election."

"We have a common denominator as union members with our job, our community and our families.  Union members trust each other and listen carefully to what their fellow union members say.  That word of mouth is the most important and binding thing you can have going into an election and that is why the Labor 2008 program is so important.

To view video of APWU Lehigh Valley Area Local release staff Ron Ennis discussing labor walks CLICK HERE.  For video of Philadelphia APWU Local 89 release staff Lisa Powell CLICK HERE.  For video of Charles Pugar, APWU Pittsburgh Metro Area Local CLICK HERE.

AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee on Labor 2008

 "I most recently saw some polls that described the voting for this, what we consider to be the most important election we have ever lived through for working families, and it shows that labor movement members are voting in larger percentages than any other folks," said President Gerald McEntee, AFSCME.

"I believe it is because of the Labor 2008 program. I believe it is because of the shop stewards talking to their members and union leaders talking to their shop stewards and members. That is the most significant contact and way to educate union members what this election is going to be all about: it's going to be about them."

"So I couldn't express it any more urgently that it is so important for members to get out and worksite leaflet, participate in labor walks, participate in phone banks, do the local union mailings. Only with that kind of effort, and it has to be a great effort, are we going to win this election and turn America around for working people."

Spotlight on USW

"The more we are going around and the more we are talking to our members the better it is looking out there," said John DeFazio, USW District 10 Director. "As we continue to talk about the issues and focus on the economy our fellow union members are recognizing that Barack Obama is the only candidate for working families."

"We've been participating in labor walks and member phone banks regularly. We are leafleting at the plants and we?ve got the Steel Blitz tour. We get great crowds for the tour and it only adds to the momentum that the program is already building."

"We are leafleting at worksites every day," said Keli Vereb, USW Local 1408 and USW release staff. "We are phone banking every day and we are sending out mailings from all our locals. We know that union members want to hear about the election from people they trust and respect. That is why we want to make sure that the local unions are talking to their members."

"The one thing I'd like to say to our fellow union brothers and sisters is this: it is very important to pay attention to what is going on and to talk to your fellow union members about the election," continued DeFazio. "The more we talk to our people the better. And the more we focus on our own issues the more clear it becomes that there is only one candidate for us, Barack Obama."

"This election comes down to the hard work of union members like all of you," said Leo Gerard, USW International President. "Knocking on doors on labor walks, participating in phone banks, leafleting at the worksite, and sending local mailings are the most important things you can do to make sure that we get the vote out for Barack Obama on November 4th."

For video of President Leo Gerard, USW discussing member-to-member contact CLICK HERE. For video of USW Local 9305 leafleting with Congressman Altmire CLICK HERE. For video of USW National Political Director Chuck Rocha and the USW predictive dialer system CLICK HERE. For video of John DeFazio, USW District 10 Director CLICK HERE. For video of USW release staff Keli Vereb CLICK HERE.
For video of USW release staff Bill Herbert CLICK HERE. For video of USW Local 1660 worksite leafleting CLICK HERE.