What’s the Word on the Street? Working America Can Tell You

by Mike Hall, Oct 5, 2007

Working America, the AFL-CIO’s 1.8 million-member community affiliate for people who don’t have a union on the job but want a voice in shaping the national agenda, has just launched a new blog—Word on the Street—where you can read the latest doorstop news from the group’s canvassers who are talking to working families every night across America.

These activist men and women are going into neighborhoods and communities and talking to people face to face about the issues vital to working families—health care, good jobs, education, retirement security. The hundreds of canvassers in eight states do more than talk. They give people an opportunity to make themselves heard on these issues by joining Working America, the nation’s fastest growing organization for working families. Some 20,000 new activists a week are joining Working America.

From Pennsylvania, canvasser Rachel Colyer blogs:

When I walked up to the door of this home, I found a list of autism facts posted on the front door. The woman who opened the door was nice, and very agreeable to our issues, especially about health care. As she was signing on as a member, we had a short discussion about the health care industry and autism. She told me a member of her family has autism and that health insurance companies don’t cover autism itself, only related health issues are covered.

In Ohio, Jonathan Middleton spoke to a man who already was active in his community but saw a greater opportunity for change through Working America.

He was interested in getting the truth about big money lobbyists and the crooked politicians in Washington, D.C. Now, he wants to get active through Working America as part of his efforts to get the truth out!

Tom Lewandowski was knocking on doors at a trailer park in Indiana.

I signed up a guy in a neatly decorated trailer and then talked to his visiting buddy standing a few feet away leaning on his car. I started into my rap, which he and his 12 year old step-daughter had partially overheard. He was interested but then his daughter looked up at him and said, “Dad, I think you ought to join.” She then explained her recent civics class lessons. He smiled and signed up for both of them.

In Kentucky, Working America canvassers also are getting out the vote for gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear (D), who, with the backing of the state’s union movement, is trying to unseat anti-worker incumbent Ernie Fletcher in November. Carissa Lovelace relates this encounter:

This evening I spoke to a woman who was about to turn 81 years old, but looked more like she was about to turn 55. When asked her most important issue, she responded, “Health care.” She went on to say that, as an 81-year-old, she felt lucky to be in such perfect health. She added that she was apprehensive about the day she would need expensive prescription drugs….I responded that prescription drug costs were one of the biggest concerns of…Beshear, and that he had vowed to not only assist the elderly community, but would ensure that every child in Kentucky was insured as well. After hearing this, she seemed convinced Beshear was the right choice because of our endorsement.

Click here to read more and be sure to check back regularly for the latest Word on the Street.

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (1)