Labor-to-Neighbor Volunteers Needed to Power Campaigns, Candidates to Victory

Download the September 2008 issue in PDF format

By Evan McLaughlin, Political Director 

This November will bring a slew of new voters out to the polls on Election Day, many of which will be tempted to vote for Barack Obama without finishing the rest of their ballot.

The presidential race may get most voters’ attention, but voting for Obama is just the start of electing worker-friendly candidates.

While nearly every TV and radio talking head continues to discuss every minute detail of Senators Obama and John McCain, the Labor Council has focused its energy on several extremely important local races.

As you may recall, the June elections resulted in several labor-endorsed candidates advancing to November 4 runoffs.  

San Diego Community College District Board President Marty Block narrowly won the Democratic Party’s primary in the race for the 78th Assembly District.  A win in November will send Block and his 30 years of experience to Sacramento so he can protect our classrooms.

In San Diego, we are fighting to maintain a pro-working family majority on City Council.
Consumer advocate and labor-endorsed candidate Marti Emerald squares off against downtown insider April Boling for the District 7 council seat.

Just 402 votes separated the two candidates in June, so the November contest is expected to be a nail-bitter.

In support of Marti, the Labor Council will be phone-banking and precinct walking on her behalf starting early September.

Across town in District 1, the Labor Council has endorsed Sherri Lightner for San Diego City Council.
Lightner made a strong showing in June, garnering 36.5 percent of the vote for a first place finish. 
Her community planning experience will result in the development of good jobs and improved infrastructure for our region.

The upcoming political season will also feature a ballot initiative to build a deck on top of the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal that would allow for development on top of the region’s working waterfront.  If passed, Proposition B would threaten the jobs of longshoremen, warehouse workers, Teamsters truck drivers, machinists and shipyard workers.

The Labor Council has already officially opposed the proposition.

The Port of San Diego has filed a lawsuit against the private developers to force the issue off the November ballot.  Even organizations such as the San Diego County Taxpayers and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce have come out against the land grab.

If Prop B does pass, it sets a precedent that any developer can force a project without public input by spending millions to place it on a ballot.

In addition to these races, residents of cities throughout the county will be voting on new city council members. 

Keep your eyes out for the Labor Council Voting Guide in your mailbox this October.
With all these important races coming up, the Labor Council is going to need help from as many union members as possible. 

As we’ve seen in the past, every member can contribute.  Call the Labor Council to find out how you can write a letter, walk a neighborhood or talk to fellow union members on the phone.  If needed, the Labor Council can help recruit other members from your local.

For volunteer opportunities, contact Ryan Mims at (619) 228-8101, ext. 4 or rmims@unionyes.org.