cope report 

 We will support any candidate that supports and creates jobs.

POLITICS, POLITICANS AND THE UNION   

It has come to my attention recently that many of our members are unaware of the Union's position on politics and politicians. To those of you who were under the impression that your Union dues are used for political purposes, I hope this clears up that misconception.

The following is from CWA-COPE:

CWA-COPE is the political action committee for the working men and women of CWA, their families and retirees. CWA-COPE informs and mobilizes union families to encourage their participation in the political process. Through their political action committee, CWA men and women express their voice in politics and policy issues that affect their lives.

Funded by the voluntary contributions of CWA members, their family members and retirees, CWA-COPE provides financial contributions to worker-friendly candidates. CWA can only use voluntary dollars to contribute to an endorsed candidate for federal office. No union dues money of any kind can be given to a political candidate for federal office or national political party.

CWA-COPE also provides information to union families about the candidates and their positions on the issues affecting their lives. Decent health care, overtime pay, safe working conditions, family-friendly workplaces, retirement security, freedom to organize are among the concerns influenced by the political process. CWA-COPE endorses candidates regardless of political party who supports working families.

Working families can never match the contributions of Corporate America or the wealthy. Together we can combine our financial and voluntary resources to make a real difference in hundreds of key elections at the federal, state and local level. CWA-COPE offers workers the power to gain the attention of lawmakers to their agenda.

In a representative democracy, many voices speaking together are louder than a single voice talking alone. Just as union representation gives workers a voice on the job to improve their lives, CWA-COPE is the workers voice in politics to improve their communities and nation. CWA-COPE makes politics work for working families.

I am a proud CWA-COPE contributor. In my years of employment with the Bell System I have been concerned about how legislation can impact our work life. By our collective contributions, we can help to ensure that politicians who are sympathetic to the working people are elected to public office. CWA and the AFL-CIO have both made changes in the way they support a candidate. In the past a candidate would make a promise and after they got elected the Unions would hope they kept their word. The new position is taken from the conservative's book. If COPE funds are given to a candidate, we expect that candidate to cast their vote on the side of labor. If that candidate does not live up to the promises that they gave to working people, we will use COPE funds to remove them from office.

Thanks to all our members who are COPE contributors. If you would like to join us, please ask your Steward, Area Rep or Officer for a COPE card. You can make a difference in how politics can improve your work life!

.