Cal Anderson will discuss how new alliances between groups and resulting new ideas can be translated into a legislative strategy for real change. We encourage readers to respond to these perspectives, and to contribute their own ideas for creating a positive agenda. F or organized labor, revitalizing politics means that we must re-energize our members to become active politically. Union members who are already politically active lead the way for other members who are apathetic or at least non-involved in politics. Many local unions already have vital, active political action programs that take part in both elections and legislative battles.
Some unions have a non-political culture.
They focus exclusively on their individual contract, wages and working conditions. At the Washington State Labor Council, we are constantly trying to speak to our members who are not yet involved. We need all our members to understand that if they win a good benefit in their local contract, they could lose that same benefit with the stroke of a pen in the Legislature. If the lawmakers that support such benefits for workers don't win their elections, laws hostile to workers and their unions will be enacted. The current debate over health care reform is a case in point.