Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine Joins Union Members in Voter Mobilization

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/22/virginia-gov-tim-kaine-joins-union-members-in-voter-mobilization/

by Tula Connell, Oct 22, 2007



Photo credit: Vanessa Covington
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) joined union volunteers in Norfolk on Saturday for a get-out-the-vote rally.


It’s great to see grassroots momentum building in Virginia, where the state legislature has a good chance of becoming far more working family-friendly after the Nov. 6 elections. Hundreds of union volunteers have turned out in Northern Virginia over the past few weekends to get out the vote among union members and their families, and the union movement picked up more steam this past weekend when Gov. Tim Kaine (D) joined union members in Norfolk.

Speaking to union members at the Iron Workers Local 79 hall, Kaine said, “Politics needs still to be about person-to-person contact.”

And about that kind of ground effort of neighbor convincing neighbor and friend convincing friend. We should never lose that.

Back up in Northern Virginia, Tony Perez, government affairs coordinator for United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400, is psyched about the possibilities of this election and urges everyone in the area to come out and join the walks over the next two weekends before the elections (see video). Says Perez:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12IQUJr46SE

We have a real opportunity to make change here. We’re going to be out here every Saturday for the next three weeks, walking, knocking on doors, talking to our members, making a change. It really does make a difference. I’ve had great experiences talking to our members, going door to door. One member came out and…wanted to talk to me for 10 minutes because they were so excited to have labor out here and taking these elections very seriously.

You have to ask people to volunteer. If you’re doing it, then talk to your friends. All it takes is one asking another to make a change….If we’re going to change the labor movement in Virginia and keep moving forward, we have to get involved.