CWA Political Department Presentation

April 6th – 9th, 2008

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Alfonso Pollard- CWA Political Director

CWA 2008 Political Structure and COPE: Building A Political

Movement2008 CWA Legislative Political

Conference

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 OverviewsMeasuring 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 2007A 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

Walks

Mail

PhonesWorksiteLeaflets

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

CWANational Issues

2008

CWA ISSUES:

The Employee Free Choice Act

Card Check RecognitionFirst Contract Arbitration

Employer Penalties

CWA Issues:

Healthcare for All

CWA Healthcare Strategic Industry Fund Campaign

Training led by CWA District 7 Vice President Annie Hill and

CWA Director of Research Louise Novotny

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/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 FaxThe Honorable Nancy PelosiUnited States House of RepresentativesOffice of the SpeakerH-232, US CapitolWashington, 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 CohenPresident

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 NATIONALPRESIDENTIAL 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

Source: MSNBC/McClatchey 1/23/08

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?

Republican30%

Democrat48%

Republican30%

Democrat48%

Clinton or Obama (Avg)50.5%

McCain (Avg)49.5%

But Against McCain, the Picture Ain’t As Pretty

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

GOTV

Define Candidates/Massive Mobilization/Voter Protection

Calendar

January February March April May June July August September October

Define Issues

8 in ‘088 in ‘088 in ‘088 in ‘08

Build Activist Corps

Defining the IssuesIncrease 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

Employee Free Choice Act

Restoring the Freedom to Bargain for a Better Life

Union Density is Declining…

AFL-CIO

68 Dem Sens295 Dem Reps- Medicare- Civil Rights- Great Society- Voting Rights- Public education

National Union Density, 1964 = 29% of workforce

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

0% to 9%

10% to 20%21% to 30%31% +

…and Declining…

AFL-CIO

National Union Density, 1984 = 19% of workforce

53 Dem Sens253 Dem Reps- Kemp-Roth tax cuts- “Free” trade- Deregulation- S & L collapse- Trickle down economics

0% to 9%

10% to 20%21% to 30%31% +

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

…and Declining

AFL-CIO

45 Dem Sens202 Dem Reps­ Tax cuts­ Corruption ­ Medicaid cuts­ Global warming­ Defund programs­ “Right to Work”­ Bankruptcy­ Tort reform­ and on, and on

National Union Density, 2004 = 13% of workforce

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

0% to 9%

10% to 20%21% to 30%31% +

Defining the Candidates/GOTV

MOVINGTHE 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

AFL-CIO

17 Presidential Target States in 2008

AFL-CIO

Plus 13 Competitive Senate Seats

Democratic Senate SeatsUp 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

AFL-CIO

Plus 3 Competitive Governors’ Races

3 Governor Races

• Washington- Christine Gregoire (D)

• Missouri- Matt Blunt (R)

• Indiana- Mitch Daniels (R)

AFL-CIO

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

24 States in Play68 House Races

200+ State Leg. Races

16 Battleground States

The Playing Field Has Expanded2004 2008

The 2008 National Outlook

2008 Presidential CandidatesAs 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 RacesRed 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

• Mike Arcuri NY-24

• John Barrow GA-12

• Melissa Bean IL-8

• Leonard Boswell IA-3

• Chris Carney PA 10

• Andre Carson IN-7

• Joe Cortney CT-2

• Joe Donnelly IN-2

• Chet Edwards TX-17

• Brad Ellsworth IN-8

• Bill Foster IL-14

• Gabrielle Giffords AZ-8

• Kristen Gillibrand NY-20

• John Hall NY-19

• Baron Hill IN-9

• Paul Hodes NH-2

• Steven Kagen WI-8

• Ron Klein FL-22

• Nick Lampson TX-22

• Tim Mahoney FL-16

• 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

CWACOPE

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

•COPE Card Check-Off Program- Payroll AuthorizationCOPE Card Check-Off Program- Payroll AuthorizationWeekly contribution program requiring cooperation Weekly contribution program requiring cooperation

from employersfrom employers

•The COPE Incentive Gift ProgramThe COPE Incentive Gift ProgramA Local/District program designed to motivate A Local/District program designed to motivate

contributorscontributors

•The COPE Awards ProgramThe COPE Awards ProgramAnnual award program geared to reward Local and Annual award program geared to reward Local and

District excellenceDistrict excellence

•Direct Debit ProgramDirect Debit ProgramDirect withdrawals from savings and checking Direct withdrawals from savings and checking

accountsaccounts

•COPE Local Officer Recruitment ProgramCOPE Local Officer Recruitment ProgramElected officer leadership programElected officer leadership program

Raising COPE Dollars:Raising COPE Dollars:Existing ProgramsExisting Programs

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

Member Contact

Labor 2008- How We Are Going To Do It

Voter Protection

Technological Innovations

Member Education

Defining Candidates

GOTV

Defining the

Issues

Targeting and

Tracking

Staffing

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 AFL-CIO 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 SecurityPrimary Political Focuses:− Integrating CWA Political Work− Presidential Campaign 2008− Implementing CWA National Policy Strategic Industry Fund

Initiatives− Expanding the Stewards ArmyCWA COPE:- $8 for ’08