Heavy Turnout of Union Voters Helped Fuel Key Victories in Pennsylvania
Labor Desk
May 17, 2006
Union Member Andy Dinniman Wins Historic Race, Bill DeWeese and Mike Veon Wins Buoyed by Massive Labor Mobilization.
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Fueled by a massive member mobilization and education campaign, led by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Labor 2006 program, union member Andy Dinniman as well as key legislative allies Bill DeWeese and Mike Veon, all won critical elections with heavy involvement from working families.
"These victories, such as in Pennsylvania's 19th State Senate District Special Election, are a momentous win for workers and yet another indication that workers are more energized than ever before to take back their state and country," Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George said.
Andy Dinniman, with the backing of the Labor 2006 program and other organizations, including Working America and America Votes, won the seat in a heavily Republican district in large part due to heavy turnout among union voters -- both Democrat and Republican -- who supported his pro-working family campaign.
Union member volunteers made more than 10,000 personal phone calls to union workers in support of Andy Dinniman, a member of the Association of Pennsylvania State College University Faculties (APSCUF), as scores more walked door-to-door and leafleted week-after-week. Registration in Senate District-19 runs two to one Republican to Democrat and union registration favors Republicans. Based on communication with union households, Republican union members voted five to one for Dinniman and Democrats, ten to one.
"I volunteered because I am tired of the Republican games -- from State Politics, to Jim Gerlach, to Rick Santorum, and especially George W. Bush. What I've noticed from other union members I met was that nearly everyone feels that way -- people who've never voted Democrat before -- said it was time for change," says Dave Wickersham, a Sheet Metal worker volunteer who knocked on doors for Andy Dinniman.
Additionally, several hundred union members knocked on thousands of doors in the campaign to assist Bill DeWeese, State House District - 50, and Mike Veon, State House District - 14, win their competitive primary battles.
The effort was part of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO "Labor 2006" mobilization and education program, the largest and most ambitious mid-term mobilization campaign ever to beat back corporate anti-worker policies and elect candidates who stand with workers on the issues that matter.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Copyright © 2006, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2006, InterestAlert
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Fueled by a massive member mobilization and education campaign, led by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Labor 2006 program, union member Andy Dinniman as well as key legislative allies Bill DeWeese and Mike Veon, all won critical elections with heavy involvement from working families.
"These victories, such as in Pennsylvania's 19th State Senate District Special Election, are a momentous win for workers and yet another indication that workers are more energized than ever before to take back their state and country," Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George said.
Andy Dinniman, with the backing of the Labor 2006 program and other organizations, including Working America and America Votes, won the seat in a heavily Republican district in large part due to heavy turnout among union voters -- both Democrat and Republican -- who supported his pro-working family campaign.
Union member volunteers made more than 10,000 personal phone calls to union workers in support of Andy Dinniman, a member of the Association of Pennsylvania State College University Faculties (APSCUF), as scores more walked door-to-door and leafleted week-after-week. Registration in Senate District-19 runs two to one Republican to Democrat and union registration favors Republicans. Based on communication with union households, Republican union members voted five to one for Dinniman and Democrats, ten to one.
"I volunteered because I am tired of the Republican games -- from State Politics, to Jim Gerlach, to Rick Santorum, and especially George W. Bush. What I've noticed from other union members I met was that nearly everyone feels that way -- people who've never voted Democrat before -- said it was time for change," says Dave Wickersham, a Sheet Metal worker volunteer who knocked on doors for Andy Dinniman.
Additionally, several hundred union members knocked on thousands of doors in the campaign to assist Bill DeWeese, State House District - 50, and Mike Veon, State House District - 14, win their competitive primary battles.
The effort was part of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO "Labor 2006" mobilization and education program, the largest and most ambitious mid-term mobilization campaign ever to beat back corporate anti-worker policies and elect candidates who stand with workers on the issues that matter.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Copyright © 2006, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2006, InterestAlert
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