Steelworkers and Ironworkers Build Support for Obama in Indiana

John Long and Steve Dunn of USW Local 1066 walk in Valparaiso, Ind.

Ken Zeller of the Indiana AFL-CIO reports on door-to-door walks in this competitive state.

Last week in Valparaiso, Ind., members of Iron Workers Local 395, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1066 and USW Local 9231 knocked on more than 300 doors in one afternoon to discuss with their union brothers and sisters the reasons why Sen. Barack Obama and gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson are the best candidates for Indiana working families.

Members of the group, like Jeff Chidester, financial secretary of Iron Workers Local 395, gathered around the back of a pickup truck to distribute walk packets and discuss the game plan for the day. As the group paired up and got ready to head out, Chidester explained the importance of getting out and spreading the word to union members.

Working families in Indiana have been hit hard by this economic crisis. We’ve had record high job loss with plants closing down all over the state. By taking away tax breaks for companies that go overseas, Sen. Obama’s plan would help keep jobs here. And with Jill Long Thompson as governor, we can count on her to put an end to privatization schemes that allow good Hoosier jobs to be outsourced. We already know who the good guys are, and today we’re going to make sure all union members get the facts.

A first-time walker, Mike Piazzo of Iron Workers Local 395, says he’s enthusiastic to take part and plans to keep walking up until the election.

It was my first labor walk, and it was a really good experience. We visited homes of members from AFT, Iron Workers, Painters, and many more unions. Once people realized we were from a union, they warmed up—we had some really good conversations.

Paul Raush of USW Local 9231, who facilitated the labor walk, is scheduling walks throughout northwest Indiana up until the election.

We’re hosting labor walks, phone banks, we’re sending local union mail—we’re making sure our members have every opportunity to get the information they need to protect their jobs and their livelihoods in November.

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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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