Election Update - August 19, 2021

California

On Monday, CWAers in California kicked off their "Vote No on the Recall" campaign in an effort to keep Governor Gavin Newsom in office. Governor Newsom has been a champion of working people in California. Most recently, he has worked with CWA and other unions to build the country’s strongest COVID-19 protections for essential workers and passed paid sick leave legislation, which gave workers the time they need to care for themselves and loved ones while keeping their families and communities safe.

The recall poses a direct threat to our jobs, wages, benefits and our union. The anti-union forces behind the recall are attempting to undo decades of progress on workers’ rights in the state.

The CWA campaign is being led by three Regional Coordinators, Vanessa Mesa (Southern Region), CWA Local 9509; Fidel Andrade (Central Region), CWA Local 9333; and Heladio Saldivar (Northern Region), CWA Local 9421, who are mobilizing members to join weekly phone banks and weekend labor walks.

CWAers also participated in a "Stop the Recall" campaign kickoff rally on August 7.

To join the phone bank on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5pm PT, sign up here.

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Virginia

On Tuesday, CWA Local Leaders and activists in Virginia hosted a town hall event with gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe. McAuliffe is a pro-union candidate with a demonstrated history of protecting and expanding workers’ rights. As a former governor of Virginia from 2014-2018, he worked to build a 21st century economy that created good-paying union jobs across the state.

Making Virginia the first southern state to offer paid family medical leave, strengthening collective bargaining rights especially for state workers, investing in higher education and expanding job training programs, and increasing access to healthcare and making it more affordable are just a few of McAuliffe’s goals if he is elected.

“It’s a big election. You were there for me and I will be there for you. You have my word for it,” said McAuliffe, speaking to CWA activists during the town hall. The town hall kicked off CWA’s efforts to elect McAuliffe and two other statewide candidates in Virginia: Hala Ayala for Lieutenant Governor and Mark Herring for Attorney General. The CWA State Council will make endorsement decisions on candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates later this summer.