Twenty-four hours. That's the volunteer time commitment that the Minnesota Labor 2006 effort will be asking union members to make available to help elect labor-friendly candidates next year. And no, you won't be asked to do it all at once. Consider three eight-hour shifts. Or six four-hour shifts. The important thing: get involved.

The "24 hours to protect my paycheck" pledge was just part of the strategy discussed Sept. 29-30 at the Minnesota AFL-CIO's "Get in Gear" conference. Although the 2006 elections were still more than one year away, more than 200 Minnesota labor leaders and activists took time to begin making plans to mobilize union members for the 2006 campaign.

The conference included nuts and bolt training about campaign work as well as regional strategy meetings.

The stakes are high, speakers said. In 2006, the entire Minnesota Legislature will be up for election, plus the governor's office and other state constitutional offices, plus U.S. Congress and Mark Dayton's U.S. Senate seat.

"I hear union members say it doesn't make a difference who gets elected," said Steve Hunter, secretary-treasurer of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. "It drives me absolutely angry and mad when I hear people say those things."

He cited a list of the gains for working families ? such as an increase in the state's minimum wage ? because union members got engaged in politics and helped elect labor-friendly House candidates in 2004.

As in 2004, grassroots mobilization of union members statewide will be the key to success. "We need you to go back to your local unions and spread the word and get more volunteers," said Ray Waldron, Minnesota AFL-CIO president.

John Williams will direct Labor 2006
The conference introduced the director for the state's Labor 2006 political effort, John Williams. Williams, Elk River, currently is a national representative for the American Federation of Teachers. He previously has worked as an international organizer for the Teamsters and as business representative for Teamsters Local 221.

Beginning in December, Williams will phase into his political work for the Minnesota AFL-CIO and will be working full-time by February.

"The biggest challenge is to mobilize the members of the various locals in a non-presidential year," Williams said. "This is an important election coming up."