LA Labor Movement Helped Turn Out the Vote in Key Municipal Races

(Los Angeles) – In an election that included dozens of races throughout Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Labor Movement helped deliver the votes and lead to victory several key targeted candidates. The Labor Movement outreached to a total of 72,992 union voters.

There is no question that union members, whether through their vote or their activism in helping turn out the votes, made the difference for many of these candidates,” said Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

For four weeks, union volunteers completed over 1500 phone bank and precinct walk shifts to get out the votes for Richard Alarcon (LA City Council District 7), Marguerite LaMotte (LAUSD District 3), Yolie Flores-Aguilar (LAUSD District 7) and various other labor endorsed candidates. Over 253,665 pieces of mail were also distributed to help educate union member voters on these and other candidates. Through Strengthening Our Lives (SOL), a coalition of labor and community organizations targeting Latinos, an additional 1500 Latino voters were contacted to turn out the vote for Yolie Flores-Aguilar

As a grocery worker fighting for better healthcare and wages for myself and my community, it’s crucial that I go out there and help elect candidates that are going to fight for issues that impact us as workers,” said Sharlette Villacorta, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 770 member. “I know that this is the only way we can fully ensure that workers have the support they need from decision makers to achieve what is fair.”

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO is the chartered Central Labor Council (CLC) of the AFL-CIO in Los Angeles County. Through its various departments, the Federation represents working men and women in forming coalitions with community partners as well as serving as the coordinating center for labor’s political activity to rebuild the Los Angeles middle class. With over 350 affiliated unions representing over 845,000 workers, the Federation is one of the largest CLC’s in the country.