Greetings,

 The Latest from MEC Government Affairs

AFA-CWA ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA for PRESIDENT

AFA-CWA Board of Directors unanimously endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States at the July board meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. More on the press release http://www.afanet.org/default.asp?id=1033

In June the 2000 delegates to the Communication Workers of America 70th convention in Las Vegas overwhelmingly endorsed Senator Obama, citing the values that he shares with working families and his support for the critical issues of Employee Free Choice, health care, fair trade and jobs and retirement security.   In a message to the delegates Sen. Obama stated. "change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who create it - it's understanding the struggles facing working families can't be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs."  More on the election, candidates and the issues at http://ww.aflcio.org/issues/politics/ 


What is the Employee Free Choice Act?
There is an attack on collective bargaining in our country and it impacts all of us.  Our ability to preserve our profession depends on our ability to change the rules to increase collective bargaining power and strengthen the unions that benefit all working Americans.  CWA has recently launched a 'Million Member Mobilization' in support of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). EFCA would reset the rules so that free and fair elections could take place. Specifically, it would discourage intimidation of workers during organizing and collective bargaining, and simplify the election process by allowing signed union authorization cards to count as votes in a card check election.
Please sign on to the CWA Million Member Mobilization by visiting www.FreeChoiceAct.org.

Labor/Neighbor 2008: Calling all AFA Members!
Labor-Neighbor is the very successful grassroots member-to-member political education program that works. In past elections AFA-CWA members have joined with other union members in going door-to-door and making phone calls to talk with other union members and households about the issues and why their union supports labor endorsed candidates. In Washington state you can sign up at the Washington State Labor Council site, wslc.org, (also a source of information on candidates and issues in the state.) In SEA you can also contact Bev Bullock, locanora1@aol.com.  In ANC, contact Stephen Couckuyt ancpres@gmail.com, in PDX contact John Cornelius, AFACWAOHRCA@aol.com.

What Will You Be Doing on November 4th?
Are you registered to vote absentee? Have you moved recently? Has your signature changed?  Every state is different, deadlines vary.  Go to www.afanet.org and click on "Register to Vote."  Make a difference. Be a voter.

Next Gov Affairs Training in Washington DC
Shane Larson, AFA-CWA Int'l Government Affairs Director, will be teaching Government Affairs 101, everything you ever wanted to know about government and politics and were afraid to ask. The class will be held Sept. 8 from 1 to 7pm, CWA offices, with a pizza dinner thrown in. Shane will cover government structure basics, AFA legislative issues and lobbying techniques. Newly trained members will then be able to use their new skills the next morning when they head to the hill to lobby members of Congress. For information contact Shane Larson, slarson@afanet.org.

FMLA: Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act
Last spring the House overwhelmingly voted 402 to 9 for passage of HR 2744, the "Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act."  The bill is now on the Senate side (S 2059) and has proved much harder to bring  to a vote. The Dept. of Labor, the ATA (Air Transport Assoc.), and several carriers, including Alaska Airlines, have joined forces to block it's passage. Your Government Affairs committee will keep you posted on our progress in the Senate. We still continue to  lobby Sen. Stevens in Alaska to cosponsor this legislation.  More information on FMLA and how you can help go to www.afanet.org.




For more information on your Government Affairs Committee contact Bev Bullock, Locanora1@aol.com