Worker-Powered Autumn: Building political power for workers’ issues
Dear UAW Sibling,
This autumn, UAW Region 6 members are building political power to win big on workers’ issues in November and beyond. Across the Region, members are SHOWING UP for reproductive justice, for workers’ rights, for immigrant rights, for climate justice, to end forced labor, to defeat Trump, and to win a future that works for workers. Region 6 members have the potential to make a significant, lasting impact on these issues and more – but it will take every member’s participation to get there.
Worker-Powered Autumn
WHEN: October 12-13
WHO: You and hundreds of fellow UAW Region 6 members
WHAT: Region-wide voter outreach to talk to thousands of voters in Arizona and Nevada, and turn out a strong vote in November towards advancing workers’ issues.
DOOR-KNOCKING: If you live in California, Arizona, or Nevada, you are strongly encouraged to join the effort to knock on thousands of doors and talk to voters in person! Buses for Reno, Las Vegas, and Phoenix will leave from Northern California, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and San Diego. RSVP here!
PHONEBANKING: If you live in Washington, Oregon, or Alaska, or otherwise can’t make it in person, you can join the effort by talking to voters over the phone. Phonebanks will be held over zoom, with some possible in-person options to meet up and make calls together with other members in the PNW. RSVP here!
Last month, hundreds of UAW members from San Diego, CA to Fairbanks, AK attended the 2024 Region 6 Political Action Conference in Pico Rivera. Across states and sectors, union members workshopped talking to coworkers about politics, set Regional goals ahead of November elections, and discussed the pillars of building political power for a renewed labor movement. Namely, by increasing participation and pooling our collective resources, we have a critical opportunity right now to support candidates aligned with our values and to organize legislative majorities aligned with the issues we care about – building leverage to advance our pro-worker, pro-labor agenda.
Members discussed exciting strategic actions and key issue campaigns coming up in every area of the Western States, including eliminating forced labor in state prisons in Arizona and California, guaranteeing abortion access in Arizona and Nevada, advancing housing justice in California, expanding the right to organize in Alaska and Oregon, advancing climate justice in Washington, defeating Donald Trump, and much more.
UAW 4811 members rallying in Sacramento in support of Opportunity for All, a bill that would guarantee equal access to on-campus employment for all California university students, regardless of immigration status (AB 2586).
Members also discussed a number of critical issues at stake for UAW members, and all working people, in Nevada and Arizona. These are critical swing states in the effort to defeat Trump, with current polling in both states showing razor thin margins. In addition, abortion access is on the ballot in both Nevada and Arizona: proposed amendments to both state constitutions would enshrine abortion access, regardless of any current or future actions by the Supreme Court. And in Nevada, winning a supermajority in the state legislature would create greater leverage towards public sector workers passing collective bargaining legislation with the ability to override a likely governor veto. Whoever has the most conversations with voters on these critical issues will determine the outcomes in November.
Together, members at the conference made plans to turn out hundreds of coworkers forWorker-Powered Autumn: a region-wide effort to talk to thousands of voters about our issues locally, and to turn out a strong vote in Arizona and Nevada. These efforts are ongoing locally across the Region. And on October 12-13, hundreds of members from across Region 6 will participate in coordinated voter outreach efforts in Arizona and Nevada specifically, through both door-knocking and phonebanking events. No matter where you are in the Region, it will take every member’s participation to have the thousands of conversations we know are needed to win in November. RSVP here.
UAW 4121 members canvassing for Shaun Scott, a former UAW member & current candidate for Washington State Rep (LD 43).