No Republican Photo Op at This Steelworkers Plant

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/10/17/no-republican-photo-op-at-this-steelworkers-plan/

No Republican Photo Op at This Steelworkers Plant

by Mike Hall, Oct 17, 2006

AFL-CIO blogger Mike Hall sends us another dispatch from Green Bay, Wis., where he is working with union staff and volunteers getting out the vote among working families.

Talk about Rapid Response. Last week in Green Bay, the big chiefs at the Georgia-Pacific paper plant thought they had the picture perfect photo op for Republican 8th Congressional District candidate John Gard—a plant tour where he could mingle with a bunch of happy workers.

After all, anybody who might spot the photo wouldn’t know that the 500-plus United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9 members at the plant are strongly and actively backing Gard’s opponent Steve Kagen. The long-held Republican seat is up for grabs and could be one of the 15 turn-around races that will end Republican House rule.

Well you gotta get up pretty early to pull a fast one on educated union members.

Dan Vandenbush, USW District 2 staff rep, says he received a phone tip about two hours before the scheduled visit.

We got out a whole bunch of Kagen stickers out to everybody. Jeff (USW Local 9 president Jeff Welhouse) ran across town for signs. When Gard got there, there were about two dozen people with Kagen signs to greet him and when he got into the plant almost everybody was stickered up. I don’t think they wanted a picture of their guy surrounded by Steelworkers covered in Kagen stickers. What could they do, put black bars across them or fuzz them out?

Welhouse knows how important this election is for working families—this fall and down the road.

FULL story at link above.

[joneschick]

1. well done!

wisconsin used to be a strong union kind of place, but so many of those jobs have gone away. this is a great story. thanks for posting. :hi:

[Kixel]

2. Thank you for posting this!

You made my night!

[theHandpuppet]

3. Good on ya, mates!

Well done, brothers and sisters!

:yourock:

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Excellent job! Sorry too late to rec. nt