Union retirees have been hard at work this spring and summer in cooperation with the Minnesota AFL-CIO and Area Labor Councils and Regional Labor Federations. Retirees continue to be one of the top groups for turning out volunteers for phone banks and door knocking and event participation. For example:
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The Retiree Minnesota Labor 2018 effort was off to a rousing start with retirees carrying far more than their share in the phone bank and door knocking efforts during the legislative session. Pommella Wegman, Minnesota AFL-CIO Field Director, lauded our efforts and pronounced retiree participation crucial to Labor 2018 success. Retirees provided 124 of the recorded 354 shifts (that’s 35%).
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Campaign Schools were held at 12 locations around the state in July and August. One, in St. Paul, especially for retirees turned out 44 people (the largest number of attendees to a campaign school).
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Six different retiree volunteers recruited retirees for the campaign schools. They made 661 attempts and talked with 145 people. Two additional volunteers (that we know of) recruited several people for the Red Wing and for the Grand Rapids campaign schools. Unions also recruited retired members to attend, e.g., 8 nurses participated in the July 25th State Retiree Council School.
What’s next?
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ALC/RLF’s will be selecting Retiree Election Coordinators. The State Retiree Council is offering grants to help provide stipends for coordinators.
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The Election Team will finish working with ALCs and RLFs to schedule daytime retiree-focused phone banks. Next step: Recruit retirees for these phone banks.
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Election Team members and other willing volunteers will also be calling retirees statewide to sign up for door knocks with their area councils. Especially critical are the four Saturday “Days of Action” on September 8, September 29, October 13, and October 27.
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Find some election work for everyone who would like to volunteer but cannot phone or knock doors.
Continuing work:
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We will continue to sign people up to receive emails and texts. The Minnesota AFL-CIO will send at least one email per week with news and information about the Minnesota Labor 2018 Campaign.
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The Minnesota AFL-CIO has 5000+ Facebook page followers and is working to grow the number – retirees can help. Check these out and share with friends:
State Retiree Council Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mnaflcioretired
Minnesota AFL-CIO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mnaflcio
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Some Retiree Council affiliates are communicating with retirees via hand-written postcards. Given that, as voters grow older, more find it difficult to get to the polls on Election Day, postcards will encourage recipients to take advantage of absentee and early voting. Early voting starts on September 21.
NOW, if you want more information and/or want help getting involved with any of the activities described, contact:
Carol Freeman, 612-250-7294
Election Work Coordinator
Minnesota State Retiree Council AFL-CIO