(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The National AFL-CIO prepared for this year’s election for months, identifying the top Unions in every Congressional District in the country to get them to mobilize Members “and make sure people are being reached” with political issue messages, the Labor Federation’s President Liz Shuler says.

Talking with reporters after her second annual State of the Unions address, Shuler said the Federation and its Unions will send tens of thousands of volunteers, plus paid Staffers, into the field prior to the voting.

That includes 200 Staffers from United Steelworkers (USW) Headquarters already sent, with more, plus volunteers to follow, says Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, a Steelworker.

Two Independent Unions, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the National Education Association (NEA), will be out there, too.

“Everything is absolutely on the line,” in this vote, including all Worker Rights, Shuler stated.

Many Staffers have been out there for up to a year, talking issues, comparing Pro-Worker and Anti-Worker positions, and taking notes for further use, she added.

And they’ll stay there after November to keep contact with Members and voters, listen to concerns, report back, and act upon them.

The National AFL-CIO is in the midst of gauging whether its political effort is succeeding.

“Our baseline poll went out Friday,” Shuler said after her August 27th pre-Labor Day address. “(Then) we’ll learn if we’re breaking through.”

The AFL-CIO, Shuler added, is particularly enthusiastic about how it’s breaking through to younger voters who, in turn, became excited by the Democratic Party’s nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris for President.

The enthusiasm ran through the Democratic Convention the week before, Shuler said, but she also sees it wherever she goes.

“We love (President) Joe Biden,” for his Pro-Worker and Pro-Union actions, said Shuler, but young Workers thought he was too old and losing his edge.

Incumbent President Biden stepped out of the race amid declining polls and rising doubts from big Democratic donations that he could win this fall.

Biden endorsed Harris.

Besides, Shuler noted, “Harris has a track record” of being both down-to-earth and Pro-Worker, both from her service as a U.S. Senator from California and as Vice President.

In that chair, she cast deciding votes for Pro-Worker Legislation in the evenly split Senate.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Labor’s election plans laid out at State of the Unions meeting – People's World (peoplesworld.org)

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