NATCA Stepping Up Election Campaign Efforts in Key Areas
Thursday, October 21, 2010

NATCA's political efforts as part of the AFL-CIO's Labor 2010 campaign are continuing in earnest before the important election day Nov. 2.

Last Saturday, Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert joined NATCA members from Eugene, Ore., at the AFSCME office for a rally, followed by door to door canvassing on behalf of Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio, a longtime passionate supporter of NATCA, aviation safety and working families.

This weekend, both Trish and NATCA President Paul Rinaldi will be in Minneapolis to participate in a labor breakfast and a precinct walk. Their goal is to throw intense NATCA support behind House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman and champion of NATCA and labor James Oberstar, who finds himself in a very competitive race.

Elsewhere:

-- In Washington State, local NATCAvists put in time phone-banking for Congressman Reichert and Senator Murray.

-- In Alaska, our NATCAvists worked on Senator Murkowski’s campaign, assembling and distributing yard signs.

-- In Indiana, NATCA members have put in time on the Senate campaign of Brad Ellsworth in addition to time spent on Trent Van Haaften’s campaign in Indiana’s 8th Congressional district.

-- Activists in Minnesota’s 1st district are spending time working to get Congressman Walz re-elected.

-- Ohio NATCA members have volunteered on the Senate campaign of Lee Fisher through the Democratic Party headquarters. NATCA members are also volunteering for Betty Sutton in the Ohio 1st, Mary Jo Kilroy in the Ohio 15th, John Boccieri in the Ohio 16th, and Zach Space in the Ohio 18th.

 -- New Hampshire NATCA members have been busy. Members participated in a labor walk this past week. We have members diligently working on Paul Hodes's Senate campaign, and we are increasing our efforts to help re-elect Congresswoman Shea-Porter.

-- In Colorado, our members have participated in walks in Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. And a large rally and get-out-the-vote walk is being planned for October 30 in Longmont. Gilbert will be in attendance. We are hoping to have over 50 members in the Denver area participate.

Additionally, our members have appeared in campaign commercials in Wisconsin, Colorado and California. And, on the October 17 edition of the CBS Evening News, a story ran about the Patty Murray Senate campaign in Washington state. The story ran a clip of Sen. Murray speaking at an event. Our members could be seen, proudly wearing their blue NATCA t-shirts, right in the front row.

Our members are out every day around the country, making a difference in these elections. We have a little over two weeks to go and there is still an incredible amount of work to be done. It’s never too late to volunteer a few hours. Talk to your FacRep, talk to your NLC member  – they will tell you the best way to get involved.

Says Gilbert: "We have achieved a great deal in the last two elections. We cannot let what we have gained slip away now because didn’t work hard enough."

For more information about the overall AFL-CIO election effort, Labor 2010, please click here:
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/labor2010/index.cfm


View pictures from NATCA's efforts in Oregon below:

 
Above: NATCA EVP Trish Gilbert

 

 Below: Congressman Peter DeFazio 
 

 

Above: (From left to right) Lyle Clingman (EUG FacRep), Rick Olson (EUG),
Dan Potts (EUG) and Ron Moen (EUG) with Trish Gilbert (front).

 

 

Above: Rick Olson

Below: Campaign signs stand in the front yard of the Olson's home in
Eugene, Ore.