Unions Hit Campaign Trail

All over Texas, union members are pushing for our members' interests through political campaigns. Union members build yard signs, plant them in yards, walk precincts, phone bank, and do minor clerical work. We work to get labor-endorsed candidates elected, to make sure that candidates and officials know our members' interests, and to increase union clout in the critical political sphere.

It is fundamental knowledge among UAW members that everything we win at negotiating tables can be taken away at ballot boxes; consequently, UAW members are among the most active and most expert campaign workers in the state.

Here in North Texas, Local 848's Co-Editor Jay Dunn is always one of the first people called to work during elections.

 

Local 848's retirees swing into action during election campaigns. With pensions, Social Security, and retiree health care under attack, retirees are particularly sensitive to what goes on and federal and state capitols.

Katy Hubener addressed Local 848's retirees at their luncheon on February 9. She warned that low turnout at the District 106 special election on February 28 would be bad for retiree interests. The Dallas AFL-CIO has called for all unionists to come to our hall at 9 AM on Saturday, February 18, to help with efforts to get out the vote.

The retiree group also heard from Will Pryor, who is running for U.S. Congress in District 32, which includes our union hall. "Money does not win elections. Hard work does," he said.

President James Splawn gave the retirees a quick rundown on his political efforts to keep work at Vought. He had just returned from the UAW-CAP conference in Washington DC, where he talked to UAW people from all over the nation about keeping work at Vought. Splawn and other UAW members then lobbied congresspersons. Our president said he intended to go back in the near future to accomplish even more in Washington on behalf of our members.

UAW members may lead in the "hard work" department, but we are also aware of the tremendous importance that money plays in U.S. elections. UAW Region 5, of which we are an enthusiastic part, led the entire international union in fund raising during the past period.

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