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Inuaguration Jan. 20, 2009 |
APWU
Secures More Space
For Inaugural Assembly, Invites NALC
(12/29/08) The APWU has reserved additional space for union members
to gather on Inauguration Day, union President William Burrus has announced.
Union members will be able to enjoy the event at the National Association
of Home Builders, right across the street from the Madison Hotel, where
the APWU also has reserved a meeting room. And, in a show of solidarity,
Burrus has invited members of the National Association of Letter Carriers
(NALC) to join with APWU members for the historic occasion. [read
more] | [If you wish to attend]
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(01/01/09) The overwhelming support of unionists and their families played an important role in Barack Obama’s historic victory, with labor’s widespread, multi-pronged support boosting not only the president-elect, but numerous other worker-friendly candidates. The AFL-CIO “Labor 2008” program was a driving force behind the sweeping wins from coast to coast, which are considered a mandate for economic change. [read more]
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APWU
Offers Commemorative Inauguration Button
(12/15/08) As excitement builds for the inauguration of Barack
Obama as the 44th president of the United States, the APWU is offering
union members commemorative buttons to mark the historic event.
And APWU members who plan to visit the nation’s capital for Inauguration
Day festivities on Jan. 20 will be able to enjoy the event with
other activists at a downtown hotel. [read
more]
Burrus
Meets with Obama Transition Team
(12/11/08) APWU President William Burrus met with Stephen
Crawford, a member of President-Elect Obama’s Transition Team, at the union’s
national headquarters on Dec. 8, where the two “engaged in a
thoughtful conversation about the future of the U.S. Postal Service
and postal workers.” [read
more]
Union
Members to Gather for Obama Inauguration
(11/20/08) APWU members who plan to visit the nation’s
capital for Inauguration Day festivities on Jan. 20 will be able
to enjoy the event with other activists at a downtown hotel, APWU
President William Burrus has announced. The union has secured a meeting
room at the Madison Hotel, which is large enough to accommodate several
hundred people. [read
more]
U.S. Special Counsel:
Postal,
Federal Employees
Can Now Wear Election Gear
(11/18/08) With the national election concluded, the U.S.
Office of Special Counsel has issued instructions that allow
postal and federal employees to wear T-shirts that display
candidates’ names
and/or pictures while on duty or in a postal or federal workplace.
[read more]
Burrus
Hails Election Results
As Signifying ‘The System Has Changed’
(11/05/08) “America came together last night, and perhaps
has begun a new chapter in the history of our democracy,” APWU
President William Burrus said during a celebration at union headquarters
on Wednesday. “We have turned a page. Leaders in this country
can be elected on their merits and not on their politics.” [read
more]
 |
(11/04/08) APWU President William Burrus is calling on union members to exercise their democratic right and vote for Barrack Obama for president in today's history-making election. “We must change the direction of our nation,” the union president said, “and voters have the power to do so. Vote as if your job and your future depend on it: They do!” As you head to the polls, remember to be patient, said APWU Legislative and Political Director Myke Reid. “If you are a registered voter, don’t let any one or anything deter you from casting your ballot.” [read more]
Burrus
Urges Union Members: Get Out and Vote!
(10/30/08) As Nov. 4 draws near, APWU President William
Burrus is urging union members to “get out and vote!” This has
been a long campaign and the stakes are high, especially for working
people, he noted. “We must change the direction of our nation,” the
union president continued, “and voters have the power to do so.” [read
more]
Spotlight on Colorado
APWU Activists Making the Difference
(10/30/08) As Election Day draws near, APWU members are out in
force from coast to coast, canvassing neighborhoods and making phone
calls to union households on behalf of worker-friendly candidates.
In an effort that is perhaps typical of our union members’ good
works, activists in the “battleground” state of Colorado, as
elsewhere, are channeling their participation toward Labor 2008,
the AFL-CIO's political education and election action program. [read
more]
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Two New APWU Flyers Support Obama
(10/20/08) Flyers urging union members to vote for Barack
Obama for president and for pro-worker legislators in the U.S. Senate
and House of Representatives are being distributed to APWU members.
A flyer mailed to APWU members who reside in “battleground states” [PDF]
outlines Obama’s positions on issues of concern to workers
and middle-class families.
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The states identified as “battlegrounds” are: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A flyer also has been mailed to APWU retirees [PDF], comparing the records of Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain on issues of importance to retirees and senior citizens. [read more]
Labor 2008:
Campaign
in Full Swing in NC
Obama Thanks APWU Member for Union's
Support
(10/07/08) APWU members in North Carolina found the presidential campaign on
their doorstep over the weekend as Barack Obama visited the western part of the
state. Obama spoke to an overflowing crowd of 28,000 at Asheville High School's
Memorial Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 5, and made a surprise appearance at a Democratic
Party fund-raising dinner the night before that was attended by many union activists. [read
more]
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Voter
Registration Deadlines Approach
(10/06/08) Oct. 6 is the voter registration deadline in seven states,
with the cut-off date approaching in many others. States with an
Oct. 6 deadline include Florida, Colorado, Indiana, and Virginia, which
are considered “battleground
states.” Georgia, Arizona, and Kentucky also close their voting rolls Oct.
6. [read more]
USPS’ Bleak
Financial Picture
And the Presidential Election
(09/30/08) The Postal Service’s looming financial crisis — including
a significant reduction in mail volume and a $2.3 billion deficit — makes
the 2008 election critical for postal employees, APWU President William Burrus
said in an update for union members. [full
story]
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(09/22/08) In Maine, Portland Area Local members are making phone calls
and participating in "neighborhood walks" to maximize the
union vote to help put Barack Obama in the White House, Tom
Allen in the U.S. Senate, and Chelle Pingree in the House of Representatives.
[read
more/watch videos]
APWU Offers Campaign Material
In Support of Obama’s
Candidacy
(09/03/08) With enthusiasm for Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign
for president running high among postal workers, the APWU is offering
a wealth of material online to support his candidacy.
Locals and state organizations that wish to assist in Obama’s historic run for the White House can order posters, bumper stickers, and yard signs bearing the slogan Postal Workers Back Obama. Buttons with Obama’s likeness also are offered. These items will be sent to locals and state organizations free-of-charge, with the costs born by APWU COPA. [read more]
President's Viewpoint
Vote: This Election Really Matters
(09/01/08) Vote in the November
elections as though your life and the lives of everyone you care about
depends on the outcome, because it does. Do not fool yourself into
believing that your vote won’t
make a difference. This time is different.
|
If you are like me, you have voted in many elections and — no matter who won — nothing really changed. So, why bother? Well, Brothers and Sisters, we have exhausted all of the “freebies” and we either get it right in 2008 or we continue the slide into a system of haves and have-nots as if we lived in a Third- World country. This time it is for real.
Throughout history, the magic of the American Dream has been that it was within the reach of every citizen who was lucky enough to stay healthy, and who was willing to work to attain the skills and education necessary for gainful employment. Each successive generation has made incremental steps up the ladder of economic success. But that can change. [read more]
Helping Obama Win The West
(09/01/08) Postal workers across the country are working hard to help
elect Barack Obama, as well as more members of Congress who will
stand up for working families. A significant feature of the work
in Albuquerque is a series of forums held at the local union office
and at other places during which candidates for state and local offices
speak and answer questions.
“You can only get what you invest in,” Local President Arthur Prouse reminds members when encouraging them to take an active interest in politics and elections. “If you dedicate the time and the effort to study the issues and support the best candidates,” he said,“ you have a much better chance of reaping the dividends — from better pay and benefits to more job security, and a healthy and safe work environment — you name the issue.” [read more]
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(08/21/08) More than 3,200 APWU delegates unanimously endorsed Sen. Barack Obama after the presidential candidate delivered an inspiring message to the union’s convention over a live satellite video feed. “It’s time to bring about the real change that working families need,” Obama said, adding that it’s time to elect an administration“that doesn't’t choke on the word ‘union.’” [read more]
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Pro-Worker U.S. Reps to APWU:
‘Yes We Can! Yes We Can! Yes We Can!’
(08/20/08) On convention
eve, three pro-labor U.S. Representatives assured APWU members that postal
workers have a historic opportunity to help elect a president who will
end the years of economic decline that have devastated the nation’s
working families.
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) said she was proud to come from a union family and represent “a union town,” Las Vegas, on Capitol Hill. She reminded delegates of the many challenges the nation faces — from a faltering economy to healthcare, housing, energy, and international crises — and said that George W. Bush has been the “worst president ever” as for as those working families are concerned. The Bush Administration, she said, has engaged in a “systematic undermining of the labor movement in this country. With enough effort, however, we will emerge stronger than ever.” She delivered a rousing call for APWU members to help put Barack Obama in the White House, prompting the first of several “Yes We Can!” chants Sunday night. [read more]
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Interview: |
Obama
Thanks
APWU for Endorsement
(07/17/08) Sen. Barack Obama has formally thanked
the APWU for its support during the presidential primary
season and for its endorsement of his candidacy. “I am proud to stand with APWU in our joint
efforts to build an America that values the labor of every American,” Obama
said in a letter to union President William Burrus. [read
more]
What Will Obama Change?
(07/01/08) Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack
Obama has thrilled audiences with his inspiring calls for hope and change.
But his stirring speeches have prompted some voters to ask: If elected,
what will Obama change?
Perhaps Sen. Obama’s most sweeping promise is to “change the way business in done in Washington.” But what does that really mean? [read more]
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Labor Federation Endorses Obama
(06/27/08) As expected, the AFL-CIO has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama’s
bid for the presidency, announcing in a June 26 teleconference that the
General Board’s endorsement was without opposition.
The 10-million member organization is preparing to launch an extensive get-out-the vote drive, and will work “to introduce union members to Barack Obama.” The labor federation has already begun a campaign to educate union members about the anti-labor policies of Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee. The AFL-CIO endorsement could help Obama win support among blue-collar workers in critical industrial “swing” states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. [read more]
AFL-CIO
to Endorse Obama for President
(06/25/08) The AFL-CIO is poised to endorse Sen. Barack Obama’s
bid for the presidency, with the results of a poll of the federation’s
executive council expected on Thursday, June 26. Leaders of the 10-million
member organization began voting by fax on June 24. The labor federation
is preparing to launch an extensive get-out-the vote drive, and it
has already begun a campaign to educate union members about the anti-labor
policies of Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee. [read more]
AFL-CIO Leaders to Meet with Sen. Obama
(06/16/08) As a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, APWU President
William Burrus has been invited to attend a special meeting on June
18 with Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee
for president. “An endorsement vote will not be taken at the meeting,” Burrus said in an update for union members, “but I am optimistic that soon thereafter the AFL-CIO Executive Council will vote to support Sen. Obama’s
bid for the presidency.”
Burrus noted that the APWU Executive Board had voted to endorse Obama in April, and reported that Obama has been invited to attend the union’s national convention in August, where delegates are expected to make an endorsement on behalf of the APWU membership. [read more]
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Union Pauses for
Impromptu Celebration of Obama’s
Win
(06/04/08) APWU officers and staff paused briefly Wednesday
afternoon to celebrate Barack Obama’s apparent nomination as
the Democratic Party candidate for president. “We want to acknowledge
the historic nature of June 3, 2008,” said union President William
Burrus. “We
endorsed Sen. Obama,” he noted, “and it looks like we made
the right call.”
“But this day is much bigger than us. … This day shows how far we, as a nation, have come. [read more]
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Volunteering for Obama in Indiana
It Takes Only One
To Get the Grassroots Growing
(04/29/08) APWU member John Windle has been hard at work, boosting
Sen. Barack Obama’s
presidential campaign as the important May 6 Indiana primary approaches.
Noting that his state has never been so crucial to a modern nomination battle, the Indianapolis Area Local member said, “I just didn't’t want to let this opportunity pass without trying to amplify my voice.” [read more]
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Barack Obama: A New
Direction
(04/09/08) The APWU National Executive Board has endorsed Sen. Barack
Obama for president. The Democratic primary contest has not been
concluded, and it is not certain that Obama will be the nominee: But
events — and
the calendar — dictate that the board must provide leadership, consistent
with the principles of the APWU constitution.
When the campaign began last fall, the consensus of the executive board was that the interests of the APWU would be best served by permitting the process to run its course and postponing the union’s endorsement until the parties had selected their nominees. It was not anticipated that Sen. John McCain would emerge as the Republican nominee five months prior to the GOP convention while Democrats continue to vie for their party’s nomination. [read more]
Executive Board Endorses
Barack Obama for President
(04/09/08) The APWU National Executive
Board has voted unanimously to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. “Sen.
Obama’s
message is one of hope and change,” said union President William
Burrus. “We are most impressed by Sen. Obama’s commitment
to eradicating the undue influence of special interests in the political
process,” he said. “His ability to bring new participants
into our nation's democratic process is an inspiration.” [read
more]
This page paid for by the APWU Committee on Political Action (COPA), and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. |
Postal Workers Back Obama
