The conference, held Thursday and Friday in Bloomington, brought together representatives of dozens of AFL-CIO-affiliated unions, from public employees and construction workers to rail and industrial workers.
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| Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron opened the conference. |
At the opening session, they took time to bask in the glory of last year\'s results, including election of 85 pro-worker candidates to the state Legislature and wins by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and First District Congressman Tim Walz. The only place labor\'s effort fell short was the governor\'s race, where incumbent Tim Pawlenty was re-elected by a razor-thin margin.
While it\'s fun to celebrate, the work is not done, said Mike Noonan, strategic planning and technology director for the national AFL-CIO\'s Political Department.
"That (2006) was the prelude to the big game," he told the Minnesota unionists. "The big game is next year when we take back the government for working people."
In addition to the U.S. presidential race, key goals include defeating incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman and incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, re-electing Walz and taking the open seat being vacated by Republican Congressman Jim Ramstad.
Unions also would like to get a majority in the Minnesota House that could override Pawlenty\'s vetoes on transportation and other issues.
"We face a daunting task in 2008, but I think we\'re up for the task . . ." said Noonan.
Polls indicate 75 percent of Americans disapprove of President Bush\'s handling of the Iraq War and increasing numbers of Americans are worried about their financial futures. The number of people who lack health insurance and retirement security continues to grow. These are issues where the labor movement can take the lead, union officials said.
"As we head into 2008, the wind is at our back," said Brandon Rettke, political action specialist for Education Minnesota, the union representing teachers and other educators.
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| Rank-and-file members of IBEW Local 292 reviewed conference materials during a break. From left are Samuel Cross, David Malecha, Geary Olson and Rick Ramberg. |
The 2006 wins were the result of a broad strategy in which unions used multiple vehicles to reach members, from newsletters, newspapers and websites to worksite fliers and conversations with workers at their homes. The campaign focused first on issues that concern workers, then shifted to examining where candidates stand on those issues.
Finally, the labor movement engaged in an intense get-out-the-vote effort that led to a much higher voting percentage among union members than among the public at large.
Participants in the conference said they plan to build on this formula to succeed in the 2008 elections that take place a little more than a year from now.
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The conference, held Thursday and Friday in Bloomington, brought together representatives of dozens of AFL-CIO-affiliated unions, from public employees and construction workers to rail and industrial workers.
|
| Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron opened the conference. |
At the opening session, they took time to bask in the glory of last year\’s results, including election of 85 pro-worker candidates to the state Legislature and wins by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and First District Congressman Tim Walz. The only place labor\’s effort fell short was the governor\’s race, where incumbent Tim Pawlenty was re-elected by a razor-thin margin.
While it\’s fun to celebrate, the work is not done, said Mike Noonan, strategic planning and technology director for the national AFL-CIO\’s Political Department.
"That (2006) was the prelude to the big game," he told the Minnesota unionists. "The big game is next year when we take back the government for working people."
In addition to the U.S. presidential race, key goals include defeating incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman and incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, re-electing Walz and taking the open seat being vacated by Republican Congressman Jim Ramstad.
Unions also would like to get a majority in the Minnesota House that could override Pawlenty\’s vetoes on transportation and other issues.
"We face a daunting task in 2008, but I think we\’re up for the task . . ." said Noonan.
Polls indicate 75 percent of Americans disapprove of President Bush\’s handling of the Iraq War and increasing numbers of Americans are worried about their financial futures. The number of people who lack health insurance and retirement security continues to grow. These are issues where the labor movement can take the lead, union officials said.
"As we head into 2008, the wind is at our back," said Brandon Rettke, political action specialist for Education Minnesota, the union representing teachers and other educators.
|
| Rank-and-file members of IBEW Local 292 reviewed conference materials during a break. From left are Samuel Cross, David Malecha, Geary Olson and Rick Ramberg. |
The 2006 wins were the result of a broad strategy in which unions used multiple vehicles to reach members, from newsletters, newspapers and websites to worksite fliers and conversations with workers at their homes. The campaign focused first on issues that concern workers, then shifted to examining where candidates stand on those issues.
Finally, the labor movement engaged in an intense get-out-the-vote effort that led to a much higher voting percentage among union members than among the public at large.
Participants in the conference said they plan to build on this formula to succeed in the 2008 elections that take place a little more than a year from now.