September 7, 2006

Working Families Claim Victory!

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Mobilizes 1.4 million union households Elect Working Family Candidates at All Levels of Government

On Tuesday, 6,100 union volunteers knocked on over 600,000 doors and called 118,000 people, mobilizing 1.4 million union voters in Pennsylvania in a historic election for Pennsylvania working families. Today, the work of working families is on display as Pennsylvanians elect Representatives who will fight for key issues to working people—good jobs, access to healthcare, and retirement security.

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO led the effort to elect working family candidates at all levels of government, including the US Senate race, key Congressional races, and Pennsylvania State House and Senate races. The largest political mobilization of union voters in over 45 years of mid-term elections helped fuel major Statewide victories tonight for Bob Casey, Jr. for U.S. Senate and in re-electing Governor Edward Rendell. Union household voter turnout exceeded thirty percent and could reach as high as thirty-five percent of the total statewide vote.

“These victories are historic wins and a referendum against the leadership and the direction of the Bush Administration and Congressional leaders like Rick Santorum who have rewarded corporate greed at the expense of hard working Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George said.

“The working people of Pennsylvania have spoken loud and clear by electing leaders like Bob Casey, Jr., and Governor Edward Rendell who are committed to changing the direction of this nation and fighting for their issues and concerns. George declared.

Working America, the AFL-CIO community affiliate, joined the fight for working family candidates by mobilizing working families who don’t have the representation of a union. Pennsylvania Working America has 300,000 members in targeted political areas. Every day since March, Working America canvassers knocked on 2,225 doors to mobilize working people around the issues that matter to all working families.

“Working families and union voters mobilized for candidates who stand with us on the issues that matter the most: increasing the minimum wage, increasing access to health care, protecting social security and fighting corporations that send our jobs out of the country,” he said.

“Today, working families are the real winners. The Labor movement mobilized at every level including International Unions, local union leaders, rank and file member, Central Labor Councils, Area Labor Federations, Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans and Working America in helping secure a resounding victory that workers need and deserve.

“This is just the beginning of the rebuilding of our nation toward a more perfect union that embraces the hopes and aspirations of all citizens,” Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Bloomingdale said. “Working families are energized and engaged from these victories to carry on the fight for good jobs, affordable health care strengthening social security and restoring the middle class for today and tomorrow’s working families,” Bloomingdale concluded.:

• 6,300 union members have canvassed door-to-door for the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO's Labor 2006 member mobilization program, since August.

• There have been 215,000 doors knocked since August 15, 2006.

• Union members have distributed 2.5 million leaflets at worksites across Pennsylvania since June 1st.

• More than 1.3 million local union letters and/or persuasion leaflets have been mailed since June 1st.

• The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Labor 2006 has had 5,900 phone bankers since August 15, 2006.

• 100,000 calls are made weekly with an average of 250 phone bankers daily in 30 phone locations.

• Since June, 720,000 live phone calls have been made.

• An average of 730 union volunteers have walked every week since September 1st, while the month of October has had volunteer walk numbers between 900-1,100 each week.

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