Using Political Action

Bill Haywood, a Steward at UE Local 814, was circulating petitions supporting the “Medicare for All” bill in Congress but ran into some problems. He approached Lois, the union president, “Lois, I need some more facts. Lots of people are complaining about how expensive our current health insurance is, but they have questions about what single payer health insurance is. Do you have something that will help members see how much money they will save under Medicare for All?”

Animando a la participación de nuestros miembros de base en el proceso político de nuestra nación puede ser un desafío difícil para cualquier oficial o delegado de la UE. Sin embargo, es un trabajo importante que realizar, especialmente durante un año electoral como ningún otro – dado el pandémico de COVID-19 y la elección monumental del presidente además de otras campañas importantes pero menores en este año.

Engaging our rank-and-file members in our nation’s political process can be a vexing challenge for any UE officer or shop steward, but it’s important work that needs to get done, especially during an election year like no other - given the COVID-19 pandemic and the monumental presidential election and the other important down-ballot races this year. 

“Hay una diferencia entre la acción política y el jugar a la política. Cuando confrontamos a los políticos y logramos la legislación que ambicionamos, la UE no está jugando a la política; estamos participando en la acción política. No frotamos nuestras barrigas con los políticos. Hay mucho aire entre nosotros. Uno puede ver la luz. Hoy día, intenta encontrar el aire y la luz entre las barrigas de los dirigentes sindicales y las barrigas de los políticos. No hay. No lo encontrará. Están jugando a la política”.

“There is a difference between political action and playing politics. When we fought the politicians and we won what legislation we did, UE didn't play politics; we engaged in political action. We didn't rub bellies with the politicians. There was plenty of air between us. You could see light. Today, try to find some air and light between the bellies of labor leaders and the bellies of politicians. No go. You won't find it. They are playing politics.”
—UE Leader James Matles, addressing the 1975 UE National Convention.

The Union at Cheap Enterprises was getting ready for contract negotiations, and so was the company. Union Stewards were out taking a survey of members on what were the most important issues. At the monthly Steward meeting, most Steward's reports were similar in one area.

"Seems like the foremen have been talking up a new insurance plan that the company is going to propose," said Harry Sternberg.

The Union Committee for the Town employees of Causewell were prepared for a tough negotiations. They knew that the budget was tight because the town was not getting an increase in aid from the state.