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26 Days and Counting to Change Our World

United MEC Government Affairs Committee Update

Author: Debbie Golombek, Committee Chairperson

The November 7th Midterm Elections are less than four weeks away and for the first time in years we have an opportunity to help elect a Flight Attendant, worker-friendly US House and Senate. 

This Election is not about politics – it is about:

• rising health care costs,
• plummeting wages,
• the erosion of retirement security,
• increased commuting costs,
• the skyrocketing cost of higher education,
• the undermining of our collective bargaining rights, and
• a government which is only interested in increasing the bottom-line of corporate America.

This Election is about changing the direction of our country so Flight Attendants do not have to work two jobs just to make ends meet.  This election will have consequences or opportunities for all of us, citizens and non-citizens alike.  It will impact the rules and regulations that affect our workplace, our safety, health and security and our rights as Union members.  We are not helpless; our future is not out of our control.  We can make a difference, if we vote.

Our Local Council Government Affairs Committee members have been conducting voter registration drives around the system.  As the deadline for registering to vote approaches in most states, our focus shifts to ensuring that Flight Attendants have the necessary information to participate in the Midterm Elections by voting early, voting absentee or voting at their polling place Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2006.  Absentee voting is a voting method that involves voting earlier than actual Election Day either by in-person early voting or voting by mail.

All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 33 US Senator seats are up for election.  There are also key Governor and local and state races around the country.

This will be a very close election in dozens of races.  Union turnout will be key.  Traditionally in Midterm Elections, voter turnout is reduced because there is not a high profile Presidential race.  However, this year, according to a poll by CNN, the interest of American voters is at an all time high.  This means every vote we cast is extremely important. 

We all have an opportunity to help change the direction of the United States Congress.  It’s important that we help Democrats gain the majority since the Congressional leadership sets the agenda for what Congress can debate and move for a vote.  Just imagine if we had some of our AFA-CWA Heroes in leadership positions:

• Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) is the Democrat next in line to chair the House Aviation Subcommittee.  The House Aviation Subcommittee has jurisdiction over aviation safety, labor relations of airlines and their employees as well as the programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, the government agency which issues all the rules and regulations which affect Flight Attendants’ safety, health and workplace.  With Rep. DeFazio at the helm of this subcommittee, AFA-CWA would have the opportunity to have many of our issues heard in committee. 
• Representative George Miller (D-CA) is the Democrat next in line to chair the House Education and Workforce Committee.  This all-important committee has jurisdiction over most matters pertaining to labor, pensions, health and other employee benefits, including the Family and Medical Leave Act.

There are many ways we can all help from now until Election Day. 

• Participate in Labor 2006 precinct walks, phone banks and rallies;
• Speak to your families, your neighbors and your community about the importance of the election;
• At our International Councils remind US citizens to return their absentee ballots or to vote absentee if they travel home before Nov. 7th;
• Read “AFA Rates Congress” posted on our website.
• Look for a list of targeted Congressional races where AFA members volunteers are especially needed to help our candidate get elected.  This will be posted on our website soon. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at legislative@unitedafa.org.

Let’s all take control of our future and work for victory on November 7th!

CNN's Lou Dobbs recently said:

“Our country's middle class is not just collateral damage in what has become all-out class warfare. Political, business and academic elites are waging an outright war on working men and women and their families, and there is no chance the American middle class will survive this assault if the dominant forces unleashed over the past five years continue unchecked.

“They've accomplished this through large campaign contributions, armies of lobbyists that have swamped Washington, and control of political and economic think tanks and media. Lobbyists, in fact, are the arms dealers in the war on the middle class, brokering money, influence and information between their clients our elected officials...Our middle class has suffered in silence for far too long, and it cannot afford to suffer or be silent much longer. Hardworking Americans have not spoken out about their increasingly marginalized role in this society, and as a consequence they've all but lost their voice.

“Without that strong, clear and vibrant voice, all the major decisions about America and our future will be made by the elites of government, big business and the dominant special interests. Those elites treasure your silence, as it enables them to claim America's future for their own.”