Missouri Union Members Get Ready for 2008 Elections

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/25/missouri-union-members-get-ready-for-2008-elections/

by Seth Michaels, Apr 25, 2008

Randy Kiser, director of the Missouri AFL-CIO, reports on Labor 2008 training in St. Louis.

More than 50 local union coordinators from across Missouri and nearly a dozen more from across the country are participating in a two-day political training for Labor 2008, the AFL-CIO union movement’s political program.

The local union coordinator training includes workshops on member-to-member organizing, volunteer recruitment and media training. With the presidential race, a governor’s race, contested congressional races and dozens of state and local races, working families in Missouri are facing high stakes in 2008.


Union members from across Missouri attend political training in St. Louis.


Local union coordinators are crafting worksite leaflets highlighting the economic proposals of John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. They are getting set to send their first member mobilization letter and are being trained on strategies for recruiting activists from their local unions to participate in Labor 2008 walks May 17 and in member-to-member phone banks.

David Tolliver, local union coordinator for Transport Workers (ATU) Local 788, was among the union leaders present.

I think this training was extremely effective. It helped prep me to have important and tough conversations with my co-workers about candidates and their stances on core economic issues.