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ATU Action Weekly Update
ATU Activists are fanning out across the country to help elect transit and labor friendly candidates on November 7th. Members are volunteering for neighborhood canvasses and phone banks, helping with local union mailings, registering fellow members to vote, and attending candidate meetings and rallies. In addition to publishing accounts of their activities in this weekly newsletter, the ATU has launched an ATU Activist website with pictures of ATU members in action. Check it out at: http://www.atu.org/docs/political_legislative/political_ATU%20Activists-2.htm. Currently featured on the website are officers and members from the following locals:
To make sure the contributions of you and other ATU members in your area are recognized, please email us details of your activities and photos to include on the website.
PA Candidates Seek Support of ATU Members in Early Morning Hours At 5:00 am on Friday, September 8th, Pennsylvania State Representative Frank Gormandy (D) and U.S. Congressional Candidate Jason Altmire (D) braved the dark and the cold to greet more than 200 ATU Local 85 members as they showed up to work at the Harmar Garage in Pittsburgh, PA. The candidates individually introduced themselves to each member and pledged their support for increased transit funding and other working family issues. Local President/Business Agent Pat McMahon and Financial Secretary Sam Dinardo, along with other local board members and activists, joined the candidates and provided members with information about the Senate and Gubernatorial races in the state. Despite the early hours, members were receptive to the candidates and the information provided by the local. Several members expressed concern about the record of U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R) and commited to voting for the union-endorsed candidate, Bob Casey (D), on election day.
ATU Members Working Full-Time to Elect ATU-Endorsed Candidates Several ATU members have been assigned by their locals to work full-time with the AFL-CIO Labor 2006 efforts in their states through November 7th. Labor 2006 is an internal political education program aimed solely at union members and their families. These members will be working long hours, seven days a week for the next two months to help elect union-endorsed candidates. The work can be tedious and often physically exhausting - with activities ranging from assisting with local union mailings, to leafletting worksites, knocking on union member doors, recruiting volunteers, and organizing rallies and other events. The ATU would like to thank these members and their locals for their commitment to this great cause:
ATU-Endorsed Candidate Wins Democratic Nomination for FL Governor With the help of ATU Local 1593 in Tampa, Florida, and Local 1596 in Orlando, Florida, Congressman Jim Davis (D) won the Democratic nomination for Governor in last Tuesday's primary. ATU officers and members from these locals participated in phone banks and walked precincts on behalf of Congressman Davis. Several members also volunteered to be poll watchers on election day. Davis will now go on to face Republican candidate Charlie Crist on November 7th. After years of anti-labor policies under Jeb Bush's administration, the ATU Locals in the state are commitment to turning the tide by electing a Democrat to the Governor's seat. Recent polls have Davis trailing Crist 41% - 49%. |
