CWA 2008 Political Structure and
COPE: Building A Political
Movement
2008 CWA Legislative Political Conference
CWA Political Department Presentation
April 6th – 9th, 2008
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Alfonso Pollard- CWA Political Director
Building a CWA Political Structure
Agenda
• Building a Political Movement
• Establishing a Winning Plan
• Victory in 2007
• How We Won
• CWA National Issues
• CWA Political Plan for the Future
Agenda (Cont’d)
• Political Targeting
- Moving the Political Mountain in 2008
Our Role Together
- Leadership
- Membership
Grass Roots Political Organizing
• 2008 Legislative Political Conference and 2008
Human and Civil Rights Conference
The future of our union depends on
strong Community/Political and
Legislative Action.
The CWA Triangle
Building A Political Structure
Starts With Solid Internal
Union Strategic Planning,
Policies, and Goals
2008 CWA Political Plan
• Building a Political Structure- A National Matrix/Roadmap
• Forging New Political Partnerships- The Alliance
− United Steelworkers Joint Political Action
− United Auto Workers Future Joint Political Action
− International Federation of Professional and Technical
Engineers (IFPTE)
• Issue Based Politics
− Employee Free Choice Act
− Healthcare for All
− Jobs/Fair Trade
− Retirement Security
• Stewards Army- CWA SIF Congressional District Coordinators
• Target Races
− Federal
− State
− Local
Campaign Overviews
Measuring Victory
*Started in 2006: Election Statistics
• House Results:
232 Democrats- 201 Republicans
• Senate Results:
49 Democrats- 49 Republicans- 2
Independents (VT and CT)
• Gubernatorial Results:
28 Democrats- 22 Republicans
Victory in 2007
A Sampling: Virginia and Kentucky- CWA Took the
Lead!
CAMPAIGN 2007:
HOW WE DID IT!
Two Case Studies
More Than 22,000 CWA Members Trained for
Workplace, Legislative and Political Action,
and Strategic Industry Fund Support
Member Contact: The Core of Our
Program
Mail
Walks
Phones
Worksite
Leaflets
In Virginia
• 3 CWA Staff Released
• 150 CWA Volunteers
• 1250 Calls from Headquarters Staff
• Over 2000 Calls From AFL-CIO HQ
• Over 1000 Calls from Local 2222
• CWA Worksite Leaflets
• Saturday Walks
In Kentucky
• 5 CWA Staff Released
• 200 Volunteers
• CLC Leadership
• Saturday Walks
• Hundreds of Local Phone Calls
• Over 1000 Calls to CWA Members from AFL-CIO
Headquarters in Washington, DC
• Thousands of CWA Worksite Leaflets Distributed
2007 Innovations
• Daily labor leader e-mail updates
• Union Spotlights in electronic and print media
• Substantial Political Training
− Local Union Coordinator-Based Training (VA, KY)
− Union candidate training (NJ)
− Joint AFL-CIO Staff Training (OH, PA)
• New Media
− Bloggs
− YouTube
− Flickr
− Facebook
Showcasing Our Program on YouTube
AFL-CIO Highlights CWA Local 2222 President Stacy Adams
The Impact of 2007 Victories!
Expanded grass
roots CWA union
member
participation and
created a
winning formula
for VICTORY in
2008
CWA
National Issues
2008
CWA ISSUES:
The Employee Free Choice Act
Card Check Recognition
First Contract Arbitration
Employer Penalties
CWA Issues:
Healthcare for All
Campaign Purpose and
Highlights
• To build a political movement to bring
about real healthcare reform in America
• Provides a policy framework for
universal coverage, with the goal of
enacting health care legislation by 2010
and having a new system to be in place
by 2012.
• Targeting 121 US Congressional
Districts
• 140 Local Activists/Stewards Army
Participants trained and mobilized
• The core strategy of the program took
into account appropriate House
committees of each United States
Congressional Representative, how many
CWA members and retirees were in their
districts, whether a targeted
Representatives’ state is a political
battleground state, along with feedback
on the list from CWA district and sector
leaders.
CWA Healthcare Strategic
Industry Fund Campaign
Training led by CWA District
7 Vice President Annie Hill
and CWA Director of
Research Louise Novotny
CWA Healthcare/EFCA
Minimum HC/EFCA Program Goals
• Locals are asked to organize mobilization efforts
by:
• Leaflet every worksite with 100 or more workers at
least twice before November
• Post two mailings to Local members
• At least one phone bank calling each Local
member once
Senate Pick Ups on EFCA
• Colorado
• Kentucky
• Louisiana- Defend
• Maine
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• Oregon
• Virginia
CWA Issues:
Jobs and Trade
CWA President Larry Cohen Stands Firm on
Trade
January 22, 2008
Via Fax
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
United States House of Representatives
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
CWA joins with USW President Leo Gerard in urging that you continue to resist
White House pressure to bring the U.S. Colombia Free Trade Agreement to a
vote in light of the continuing, horrific record of violence against trade
unionists in that country and the role of the Colombian armed forces in
spreading fear and suppressing workers' rights.
The AFL-CIO has documented the murder of 38 unionists last year and an
additional 201 death threats against union leaders and activists for the purpose
of intimidating workers from organizing, striking or criticizing the government.
Most recently, the murder on December 29 of Sinaltrainal member and activist
Sigifredo Higuera Ramirez by the Columbian armed forces shows that the
campaign of official terror against trade unions and collective bargaining
continues with impunity.
Certainly this is not the time to signal U.S. indifference to such brutality and to
reward the Colombian government with a trade deal.
Sincerely,
Larry Cohen
President
CWA Issues:
Retirement Security
AFL-CIO affiliates advocate a plan that ensures retirement security
based on these principles:
•
Retirement security should be based on mutual responsibility,
with financing and risk allocated equitably among government,
employers and workers;
•
Every full-career worker should have the opportunity to retire
at 65 with at least 70 percent of his or her pre-retirement income;
•
Retirement benefits should be portable;
•
Defined-contribution plans should be structured to serve the
interest of workers, not those of their employers or Wall Street;
•
Retirement plan participants should be represented in the
governance of their plans;
•
As the foundation of America's retirement security, Social
Security must be strengthened, not damaged by privatization
schemes.
CWA Political Program for the Future
• CWA Healthcare/EFCA Strategic Political Program
• Build New Political Partnerships
− Steelworkers, UAW, IFPTE
− Joint Political Organizing in Virginia, Indiana, and
Minnesota
• Implement Ready for the Future Goals
• Raise Additional $2 Million
• Identify New COPE Leaders Among Membership Develop
Political “Stewards Army”
• Develop Closer Working Relationship Between CWA Political,
Legislative, Civil and Human Rights Departments
CWA Executive Board Endorsement
Process
• Candidate Questionnaire:
EFCA, Healthcare, Jobs/Fair Trade
• Board Uses Site as Driver for Member Polling
• Online Member Survey Ended November 9, 2007
• CWA Political Website www.cwavotes.org
CWA Member E-Poll:
The
Members
Decided!
NO NATIONAL
PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT
• Based on the CWA Member E-Poll, a majority of
participants voted for no endorsement
• Locals and CWA Councils are free to work
together to make endorsements of presidential
candidates
• CWA Local Presidents and Council officers should
begin to look for contacts from Presidential
Campaigns
• CWA Political Office is providing contact
information for campaigns that request the
information
Americans Prefer a Democrat for President
Putting aside for a moment the question of who each party's nominee might be,
what is your preference for the outcome of the 2008 presidential election––that a
Democrat be elected president, that a Republican be elected president, or that
an independent candidate be elected president?
Republican
30%
Democrat
48%
Source: MSNBC/McClatchey 1/23/08
But Against McCain, the Picture Ain’t As
Pretty
Republican
McCain
30%
(Avg)
49.5%
Clinton or
Obama
Democrat
(Avg)
48%
50.5%
Source: Real Clear Politics Average, February 2008
McCain = Bad News for Working
Families
• John McCain Voted:
− For Bills That Would Export American Jobs
− Against Extending Unemployment Benefits
− For Privatization of Federal Jobs
− Against Raising the Minimum Wage
− Against Protection of Overtime Rights
− Against Allowing Vote on EFCA
− Against SCHIP
− For a national Right to Work for Less law
“I’m not going to bring back a lot of these jobs. I can't because with a
global economy they're headed the other way”
– John McCain, 12/4/07
McCain’s
Not-So-Straight
Talk
“We should
reform our job training
and education programs
to more effectively help
displaced American
workers.”
Voted:
•For NAFTA, fast track,
and every bad trade
deal
•Against funding
unemployment
insurance
•To Privatize Federal
Jobs
Calendar
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
8 in ‘08
Define Issues
Define Candidates/Massive
Mobilization/Voter Protection
GOTV
Build Activist Corps
Defining the Issues
Increase Union and Public Education
• Integrate Core Campaigns
− Economy That Works For All
− Employee Free Choice Act
− Health care
• Training
− Local Union Coordinators
− Zone Leads
− Local Union Newsletter
− Communications
− Data
Restoring the Freedom to Bargain for a Better Life
Employee Free Choice
Act
Union Density is Declining…
National Union Density, 1964 = 29% of workforce
68 Dem Sens
295 Dem Reps
- Medicare
- Civil Rights
- Great Society
- Voting Rights
- Public education
0% to 9%
10% to 20%
21% to 30%
31% +
AFL-CIO
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
…and Declining…
National Union Density, 1984 = 19% of workforce
53 Dem Sens
253 Dem
Reps
- Kemp-Roth
tax cuts
- “Free” trade
Deregulation
-S&L
collapse
- Trickle
down
economics
AFL-CIO
0% to 9%
10% to 20%
21% to 30%
31% +
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
…and Declining
National Union Density, 2004 = 13% of workforce
45 Dem Sens
202 Dem Reps
- Tax cuts
- Corruption
- Medicaid cuts
- Global warming
- Defund programs
- “Right to Work”
- Bankruptcy
- Tort reform
- and on, and on
0% to 9%
10% to 20%
21% to 30%
31% +
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
AFL-CIO
Defining the Candidates/GOTV
MOVING
THE 2008
POLITICAL
MOUNTAIN
Moving the Political Mountain in 2008
• 16 Targeted Presidential States in 2004
• 17 Presidential Target States in 2008
• Plus 13 Competitive Senate Races
• 3 Competitive Governors’ Races
• 4 Right to Work, Paycheck “Deception” Fights
• 24 States In Play
• 68 Plus House Seats in 30 States
• 200 State Legislative Races
• For 2008! The Playing Field as Expanded
16 Targeted Presidential States in 2004
AFL-CIO
17 Presidential Target States in 2008
AFL-CIO
Plus 13 Competitive Senate Seats
AFL-CIO
Democratic Senate Seats
Up for Re-Election
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Max Baucus- MT
Joe Biden- DE
Dick Durbin- IL
Tom Harkin- IA
Tim Johnson- SD
John Kerry- MA
Mary Landrieu- LA
Frank Lautenberg- NJ
Carl Levin- MI
Mark Prior- AR
Jack Reed- RI
Jay Rockefeller- WV
Plus 3 Competitive Governors’ Races
AFL-CIO
3 Governor Races
• Washington- Christine Gregoire (D)
• Missouri- Matt Blunt (R)
• Indiana- Mitch Daniels (R)
Plus at Least 4 RTW, Paycheck Deception
Fights
AFL-CIO
24 States in Play in 2008
AFL-CIO
Plus at least 68 House Seats in 30 States
AFL-CIO
Plus over 200 State Legislative Races
AFL-CIO
The Playing Field Has Expanded
2004
16
Battleground
States
AFL-CIO
2008
24 States in Play
68 House Races
200+ State Leg. Races
The 2008 National Outlook
2008 Presidential Candidates
As of April 6, 2007
• Senator Barack Obama- D-IL
• Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton- D-NY
• Senator John McCain- R-AZ
•Remaining 2008 Presidential Primaries
and Caucuses
Democratic:
• 4/22- Pennsylvania Primary
• 5/3- Guam Caucus
• 5/6- Indiana, North Carolina
Primary
• 5/13- Nebraska, West Virginia
Primaries
• 5/20- Kentucky, Oregon
Primaries
• 5/27- Idaho Primary
• 6/1- Puerto Rico Primary
• 6/3- Montana, South Dakota
Primaries
Republican
• 4/5 Virgin Islands Caucus
• 4/22- Pennsylvania Primary
• 5/6- Indiana, North Carolina
Primaries
• 5/13- Nebraska, West Virginia
Primaries
• 5/20- Kentucky, Oregon
Primaries
• 5/27- Idaho Primary
• 6/3- Montana, South Dakota,
New Mexico Primaries
2008 House Priority House Races
Red to Blue Candidates
Open Seats:
• John Adler (NJ-03)
• John Boccieri (OH-16)
• Charlie Brown (CA-04)
• Debbie Halvorson (IL-11)
• Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)
• Dan Maffei (NY-25)
• Linda Stender (NJ-07)
• Gary Trauner (WY-AL)
Special Elections:
LA-06 Primary Winner
Red to Blue “Candidates for Change”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Kay Barnes (MO-06)
Anne Barth (WV-02)
Darcy Burner (WA-08)
Robert Daskas (NV-03)
Steve Driehaus (OH-01)
Jim Himes (CT-04)
Christine Jennings (FL-13)
Larry Kissell (NC-08)
•
•
•
•
•
Luzanne Kosmas (FL-24)
Eric Massa (NY-29)
Gary Peters (MI-09)
Mark Schauer (MI-07)
Dan Seals (IL-10)
DCCC Frontline Candidates
• Jason Atlmire PA-4
• Bill Foster IL-14
• Mike Arcuri NY-24
• Gabrielle Giffords AZ-8
• John Barrow GA-12
• Kristen Gillibrand NY-20
• Melissa Bean IL-8
• John Hall NY-19
• Leonard Boswell IA-3
• Baron Hill IN-9
• Chris Carney PA 10
• Paul Hodes NH-2
• Andre Carson IN-7
• Steven Kagen WI-8
• Joe Cortney CT-2
• Ron Klein FL-22
• Joe Donnelly IN-2
• Nick Lampson TX-22
• Chet Edwards TX-17
• Tim Mahoney FL-16
• Brad Ellsworth IN-8
• Jim Marshall GA-8
DCCC Frontline Candidates
• Jerry McNerney CA-11
• Harry Mitchell AZ-5
• Christopher Murphy CT-5
• Patrick Murphy PA 8
• Ciro Rodriguez TX-23
• Heath Shuler NC-11
• Zachary Space OH-18
• Tim Walz MN-1
• John Yarmuth KY-3
CWA
COPE
OUR PRINCIPAL 2008
COPE INITIATIVE
CWA COPE
• Starting a Local COPE Program- Leadership Driven
• Hosting a COPE Drive
• Cooperative COPE Recruiting with Healthcare/EFCA organizers
Tools:
• Administrative Guidelines
• Incentive Program
• $8 for ’08
• Ready for the Future Goals
Officer Participation
Increased membership
COPE Tools
Raising COPE Dollars:
Existing Programs
•COPE Card Check-Off Program- Payroll Authorization
Weekly contribution program requiring cooperation
from employers
•The COPE Incentive Gift Program
A Local/District program designed to motivate
contributors
•The COPE Awards Program
Annual award program geared to reward Local and
District excellence
•Direct Debit Program
Direct withdrawals from savings and checking
accounts
•COPE Local Officer Recruitment Program
Elected officer leadership program
For a copy of Local Ordering Guidelines, Please contact
Laura Archer at Larcher@cwa-union.org
For a copy of Local Ordering Guidelines, Please contact Laura
Archer at Larcher@cwa-union.org
Labor 2008- How We Are Going To Do It
Voter
Protection
Staffing
Technological
Innovations
Targeting
and
Tracking
Defining
the
Issues
Member
Contact
Member
Education
Defining
Candidates
GOTV
Your Role As CWA Local Officers and
Leadership
• Prepare to Receive and Support CWA
Healthcare/EFCA Strategic Industry Fund
Organizers
• Engage Members of Your Local on Political
Matters. Invite Healthcare/EFCA Campaign
Coordinators to Local executive board and
membership meetings
• Recruit Minority Members into the Stewards Army
• Recruit Members for the CWA 2008 Political Field
Program
• Assist or Establish a COPE Program and Recruit
New Contributors
Member Participation in the Process
• Educate your members- Access and use the AFLCIO Working Family Toolkit
• Increase worksite participation in political action
• Invite Members of Congress, new candidates
and/or their staff to union meetings
• Promote CWA Legislative initiatives with EVERY
political candidate
• Encourage your members to actively participate
in CWA Labor 2008
• Use CWA COPE tools to make the connection
between our issues and political giving
CWA Legislative-Political Conference
• Sunday April 6, 2008 to Wednesday April 9, 2008
• Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Primary Legislative Conference Focuses:
− Employee Free Choice Act
− Healthcare
− Jobs/Fair Trade
− Retirement Security
Primary Political Focuses:
− Integrating CWA Political Work
− Presidential Campaign 2008
− Implementing CWA National Policy Strategic Industry Fund
Initiatives
− Expanding the Stewards Army
CWA COPE:
- $8 for ’08