Labor
During the General Election |
|
"Biggest, Most Unified Labor
Program Ever"
The AFL-CIO put together
what it described as “biggest, most unified labor program
ever” for the 2004 campaign. The federation's political
budget for the cycle was about $45 million. AFL-CIO's Labor 2004 program placed a heavy emphasis on
member
to member contacts such as workplace flyers, home visits, and
calls.
In terms of organized labor's activity, AFL-CIO's Labor 2004 was just the tip of the iceberg; a number of individual unions made substantial efforts of their own. SEIU's "Fight for the Future Campaign" included more than 2,000 members working full time in battleground states and a total investment of $65 million, which it described as "the largest investment by any single organization in the history of American politics." The investment included the largest contributions to America Coming Together ($26 million), America Votes (approximately $900,000) and to the AFL-CIO's Labor 2004 program. AFSCME's "Take Back America 2004" included members putting an estimated 1.7 million hours into campaign-related activities and projected spending of $48 million on political activities in 2004, including $15 million in political action funds. According to The Election After Reform (Malbin, 2005), labor unions donated $110.9 million to federal 527s in 2004 ($94.4 million afer transfers). Ten unions donated more than $1 million. The biggest donors were the SEIU Political Education and Action Fund ($55.0 million), AFSCME Special Account ($27.6 million), and the AFL-CIO COPE Treasury Fund ($11.2 million).
AFL-CIO Press Release "Union
Members Voted Overwhelmingly for Kerry" (Nov. 3, 2004)
AFL-CIO Press Release "Union Members
Positioned to Help Swing Election in Wisconsin on Nov. 2" (Nov. 1, 2004)
AFL-CIO:
Battleground Desks and State Directors (July 2004)
SEIU Press Release "Anatomy of an Election Strategy: The Facts
on SEIU’s Role in Bringing Home a Victory for America’s Working
Families" (Nov. 1, 2004)
AFSCME Fact Sheet "Take Back America 2004"
and Press Releases on Barnstorming (Oct.
2004)
Nov. 3, 2004--AFL-CIO Political Director Karen Ackerman manages a weary
smile.
Copyright © 2004, 2005 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.