40,000 AFSCME Members Mobilizing For Final Get Out The Vote Effort (60 Million $)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/40000-afscme-members-mobilizing-final/story.aspx?guid={9DFC57F2-E6D2-495B-9343-F0FCD67374AF}&dist=hppr

Last update: 11:52 a.m. EDT Oct. 27, 2008
WASHINGTON, Oct 27, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- President McEntee says: "This is the most aggressive political effort in our union's history."

Weeklong push in Ohio will begin Monday in Columbus

Gerald W. McEntee, International President of the 1.6-million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, today announced that 40,000 AFSCME members across the country are mobilizing for the final days of the historic 2008 campaign. "We've been beaten, battered and bruised for eight years now," McEntee said. "Enough is enough. We're going to fight like hell to win this election."

McEntee will be crisscrossing the battleground state of Ohio during the final week of the election to meet with union members, visit phone banks, knock on doors and participate in Get Out The Vote Rallies.

AFSCME has ground operations in more than 20 states with more than 250 professional staff. "We've got an army of 40,000 active and retiree members who are knocking on doors, making phone calls and contacting more of their co-workers and neighbors than in any previous election year," McEntee said. "We're turning out our vote for a stronger, better America."

The union is fighting to win the presidency, increase worker-friendly majorities in the U.S. Senate and House, and influence key state and local races and initiatives to advance the cause of working families throughout the country. AFSCME has devoted $60 million for political activities this year, including $13 million in political action committee funds.

AFSCME is widely recognized as one of the most effective forces in American politics. 'Our members are a powerful grassroots army of volunteers and opinion leaders who make the difference in close elections," McEntee pointed out. "This year, we identified and have been systematically contacting key blocs of undecided and swing voters in presidential battleground states, plus priority congressional and other important races."

AFSCME - and Labor - have played a decisive role in the most competitive political campaigns over the last several election cycles. In 2006, for example, union households made up one-quarter of the electorate and gave Democratic candidates a 30-point advantage in the most hotly contested elections for the House of Representatives, while the general public was split evenly between the parties.

AFSCME 2008: A Look At Our Political Program

In 2008, AFSCME is spending a record $60 million and mobilizing an unprecedented 40,000 members on the most aggressive political effort in our union's history. Along with more than 250 professional staff, AFSCME members are knocking on doors, making phone calls and contacting more of their co-workers and neighbors than in any previous election year. Our goals are to win the presidency, increase our majorities in the U.S. Senate and House, and influence key state and local races and initiatives to advance the cause of working families throughout the country.

FULL story at link.

[justgamma]

1. I love these people!

We had 2 members of the Illinois AFSCME come to our office to help GOTV this weekend. They came in singing "Happy Days Are Here Again". We're all pretty tired, but their energy lifted us up. Wonderful people!