AFL-CIO political writer Shant Mesrobian has been working in Kentucky with union members to help get out the vote for the state’s critical gubernatorial elections. Steve Beshear (D) is challenging Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R), who has canceled bargaining rights for state employees, privatized Kentucky’s Medicaid program and taken other anti-worker stands.

On a cool, crisp Saturday morning, the Kentucky labor movement was on fire!

While polls across the state show the governor race pretty much over (largely due a 47-point lead for Beshear among union voters) labor leaders in Kentucky are saying: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet—You’re Next, Mitch [McConnell]!”

Across the state in Paducah, Owensboro, Louisville, Florence, Ashland, Lexington and Pikeville, an incredible 447 union volunteers turned out to go door to door for the final Saturday labor walk of 2007. In energizing the Kentucky labor movement this year, we are setting a tone for all of America for 2008.

“Ditch Mitch” is not a slogan, it is a vision. In the past couple months, and today, we’ve recognized each other’s work in the record number of walkers, phone bankers and worksites visited—but it is clear that the rest of America is starting to see our work. On Saturday, one of the largest daily newspapers in America, The Cincinnati Enquirer, ran a full-feature article on our unified efforts here.

Highlights from Saturday’s walks include a tele-visit from Beshear to more than 200 union members gathered in Florence. Calling in via telephone, Beshear thanked walkers for their efforts. Over in Louisville, Rep. John Yarmuth received a “hard hat” from the Greater Louisville Building and Construction Trades Council’s Joe Wise and thanked more than 75 walkers for their participation.

Unions whose members took part in this weekend’s walks included: AFGE, AFSCME, AFT, BCTGM, Carpenters, CWA, KEA, IAFF, IAM, IBB, IBEW, IBT, IUE-CWA, Iron Workers, IUOE, IUPAT, LIUNA, SEIU, SMWIA, OPEIU, UA, UAW, USW, UTU, UMWA and more.

The walks on Saturday followed a dynamite rally at the IBEW Local 369 union hall in Louisville, where we kicked off the “Final Four” get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort in the last days before the Nov. 6 election. Beshear set the rally crowd on fire. “It is time for a change in Frankfurt and it is time to set our government on the right path again,” he told a cheering crowd.

As long as Steve Beshear is governor, Kentucky will never be a “right to work” for less state again. As long as Steve Beshear is governor, we will protect our prevailing wage laws so that we can work for a living wage. And when Steve Beshear becomes governor, we are going to take the Labor Department and put it back up to a Labor Cabinet with a secretary who is a card-carrying union member!

Joining Beshear: AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, IUPAT President James Williams, Kentucky State AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan and hundreds of Kentucky union volunteers.

McEntee got the crowd equally charged up, telling cheering union activists that this was “our time.” McEntee also provided the rally with perhaps its proudest moment when he invited onto the stage nurses who are among 900 others currently on strike against their employer, Appalachian Regional Healthcare. The nurses, members of the United American Nurses, are seeking great staffing levels to ensure quality patient care at more than nine hospitals. Union members clapped and cheered as McEntee, in a heartfelt show of solidarity, handed them a $10,000 check on behalf of AFSCME.

Finally, Williams, cheered on by a strong showing of Kentucky’s IUPAT members, urged all volunteers in attendance to “walk the walk” and turn out for what will be “the most important election for Kentucky in our lifetimes.” Noting that the entire country will watch the results of this election, Williams made clear the responsibilities of all of Kentucky’s union members.

It’s our time!

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Paid for by AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Treasury Fund.

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