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New Mexico: IATSE Hosts Successful Phone Bank |
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Don Manning, Labor 2008 state director for New Mexico, reports on ongoing member-to-member phone banking in this key battleground state.
Zone Three of the New Mexico Federation of Labor and Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 480 put on a creative and incredibly successful “Phone Bank with the Stars” night last Thursday. More than 60 people crammed into the IATSE office in Santa Fe—so many that some had to make calls from the kitchen.
Morty Simon and Carol Oppenheimer, co-coordinators for Zone Three, says IATSE leaders Jon Hendry and Deborah Cohen deserve thanks for making the event happen.
Jon Hendry, the business agent for IATSE Local 480, says the turnout showed genuine enthusiasm among members for turning around the country and electing competent leaders like Sen. Barack Obama.
We’re going to need a bigger office for the next phone bank. IATSE is fired up and ready to roll.
Mayor David Coss of Santa Fe, former president of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7076, also came out to the phone bank, as did Ben Ray Lujan, candidate for the U.S. House seat in the open 3rd District. At one point, when a caller came across a union member who was not familiar with Lujan and his record, the caller handed the phone to Lujan himself and he spoke with the union member about the importance of fighting for working families.
Lujan says the efforts of union members are energizing his campaign.
When you attend a phone banking and you see so many people volunteering their time, it’s inspiring. It motivates me to continue walking doors and calling from morning until night.
Film and television producer Tony Mark, a member of IATSE, also came out to phone bank.
There wouldn’t be anything I could do with my time tonight better than to try and get Barack Obama elected president. I’ve had it with the policies of the last eight years, which have gone against everything I stand for.
Tonight, when I come here and I see that this hall is full of union members who have all decided to go out and give their evening to try and get other union members and other people in this state to support these candidates, it made me feel like there’s a lot better shot.
In light of the recent economic meltdown, union members were motivated more than ever to reach out to other working families.
Jerry Fuentes, a member of IATSE Local 480, says the economy is the key factor for him this election year.
I am phone banking to get the message out to people about where this country is going and what we need to do to avoid further chaos left by the current administration.
Joaquin Casaus, a member of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 3279, says union volunteering is the best way to make sure workers have a voice in the election.
It is important to be involved in the behind the scenes actions of electing the candidates who will become our voice.
The union members who gave up their Thursday night to come phone bank are the real stars.
Kudos IATSE and Zone Three!
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Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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