Saturday Labor Walks and Much, Much Moore

"It’s a pleasure to talk to fellow union members about common political and economic goals,” declares Mark Culotta, Union Representative for UFCW Local 1473 in Racine.  “I grew up in this area, so when I Labor Walk, I feel like I’m helping my friends and family stand up and be heard.”  

Culotta was one of about 200 union volunteers in six locations around Wisconsin who conducted member to member walks on Saturday in support of Sen. Russ Feingold and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett.  

“Each week, more and more people are getting out there to volunteer.  It’s exciting to be a part of it,” shares Scott Hanson of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin in Madison.  “It is critical that we elect a governor who supports healthcare and the well-being of working people.” 

Congresswoman Gwen Moore was on hand in Milwaukee to thank union members for volunteering with Labor 2010.

“Rep. Moore really energized the participants.  She reminded us that big changes are never quick and easy, but we are making progress on issues like healthcare and job creation because union members are engaged in politics,” says Penny Amos-Sikora, Legislative Director for ATU Local 998.  “Even when the pace of improvements is frustrating, we have to hang onto and strengthen working family majorities, not just in the federal government, but in state and local government too.”

“This election is about JOBS!  We need to create jobs here rather than sending them overseas,” according to Steve Meyer, President of USW Local 2-224.  Meyer is also a release staffer with the Labor 2010 campaign in north central Wisconsin and took part in the member to member walk in Stevens Point on Saturday.  “We have been going the wrong way on employment and trade issues in this country for decades, and it is going to take more than a few months or even a few years to turn things around.  We can’t let anti-worker candidates regain power just as we’ve begun to right the ship.”
 
“Family-wage public sector jobs are on the line in this election,” according to AFT Local 2398 retiree Linda Danzinger.  “Our communities can’t afford more outsourcing and privatization; we’ve been there already and it is bad for students, patients and anyone else who relies on public services.”    

Danzinger is an experienced Labor Walk volunteer, and over the weekend in Eau Claire she hit the doors with first-time volunteer and fellow AFT Local 2398 retiree Marlene Johnson.

“I was hesitant at first, but this turned out to be a very positive experience,” reports Johnson.  “Perhaps because we were all union members, people were receptive to what we had to say.  Now that I know that they are listening, I think it is important that we repeat our message so that it sticks when it comes time to vote.”

“I have actually been thanked for information at the doors,” says Tracy Miller, an AFSCME Take Back America Organizer who participated in the Oshkosh labor walk on Saturday.  “Member to member communication is widely trusted.  We are looking out for working people, and it shows.” 

Miller is planning to spend her Tuesday evening on a member to member walk in the Neenah area.

If you have yet to take part in a Labor Walk, there are still opportunities to do so before the end of the month.  Click here for the August Labor Walk Schedule. 

VOLUNTEER BREAKDOWN BY LOCATION

All of the Labor Walks listed below took place on Saturday, August 21.

In Eau Claire, members of AFSCME Local 1240, AFSCME Local 1914, AFT Local 2398, DALU Local 24111, LIUNA Local 268, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, and UA Local 434 spoke to union households about Sen. Feingold, Tom Barrett for Governor, and Julie Lassa for Congress.

In Madison, volunteers from AFSCME Local 1, AFSCME Local 52, AFSCME Local 705, AFSCME Local 720, AFT Local 3220, AFT-Wisconsin, IBEW Local 159, SEIU Local 1199, and SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin encouraged fellow union members to support Feingold and Barrett.

In Milwaukee,  participants from AFGE Local 777, AFSCME Council 11, AFSCME Council 24, AFSCME Council 48, AFSCME DC 48 Subchapter 36, AFSCME Local 24A, AFSCME Local 47, AFSCME Local 82, AFSCME Local 91, AFSCME Local 104, AFSCME Local 194, AFSCME Local 423, AFSCME Local 426, AFSCME Local 567, AFSCME Local 645, AFSCME Local 758, AFSCME Local 882, AFSCME Local 1654, AFSCME Local 1954, AFT-TAUWP, AFT-WFNHP Local 5001, AFT-Wisconsin, AFT Local 212, AFT Local 2169, AFT Local 4822, ATU Local 998, CWA Local 4603, DALU Local 34111, IAMAW Lodge 66, IBEW, IBT-GCIU Local 577M, IUOE Local 139, IUPAT District Council 7, IUPAT Local 781, IUPAT Local 1204, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, LIUNA Local 113, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, OPEIU Local 9, SEIU Local 1, SEIU Local 150, SEIU Local 1099, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, SEIU Statewide Council, UA Local 75, UAW Local 9, UAW Local 438, UAW Local 439, UAW Local 486, UFCW Local 1473, and the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans enjoyed breakfast with Rep. Gwen Moore before hitting the doors in support of Sen. Feingold and Tom Barrett.

In Oshkosh, Labor 2010 enthusiasts from AFSCME, AFT-WI, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, USW District 2, USW Local 2-144, and USW Local 1279 encouraged members of union households to support Rep. Steve Kagen, Sen. Russ Feingold and  Tom Barrett for Governor.

In Racine, supporters from AFSCME Local 67, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, and UFCW Local 1473 talked to union members about the endorsed candidates.

And in Stevens Point,  volunteers from AFSCME Council 24, IBEW Local 388, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, UA Local 434, and USW Local 2-224 spoke to union members in support of Rep. Feingold, Tom Barrett, as well as hometown favorite and congressional candidate Julie Lassa.

(Top Photo: Rep. Gwen Moore speaks to Milwaukee area Labor 2010 volunteers before their member to member walk on Saturday.  Photo Credit: Karen Hickey.  Top Right Photo: Rep. Moore with AFT members.  Photo Credit: Karen Hickey.  Middle Right Photo: AFSCME Local 67 members at the Racine Labor Walk.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Top Left Photo: AFT Local 2398 retiree Linda Danzinger talks to a member of UFCW about Sen. Feingold in Eau Claire.  Photo Credit: Andy Thompson.  Bottom Right Photo:  Brice Smith of AFT Local 2169 leaves literature for a union household in Milwaukee.  Photo Credit: Karen Hickey.  Bottom Right Photo: Jason Sidener of AFSCME Local 720, Kevin Gundlach of AFSCME Local 702, Jason Tatum of AFT Local 3220, Peter Rickman of AFT Local 3220, and Scott Hanson of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin at the Madison Labor Walk.  Photo Credit: Greg Neil.  For more photos from Labor 2010 member to member walks, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/collections/72157624464005331/.)

Comments

[Outsourcing Philippines]

There's always ways in solving the unemployment issues. What we need is to understand and do and focus on the positive things to resolve any issues. We don't have to blame anyone for this, but focus on what we can do for the better to all us.