Monday, March 22, 2010

A Few Words from President McEntee

A Monumentally Important Victory

Sisters and brothers:


Last night we won a monumentally historic victory when the U.S. House of Representatives passed a comprehensive health care reform bill by a vote of 219-212.

1. Working together, we made it happen. In the days leading up to the vote, we executed a union-wide grassroots, grasstops and communications campaign that achieved the following:

2. Nearly 10,000 contacts to Congress. Aided by an aggressive robo and live call operation in our targeted districts, AFSCME members braved jammed phone lines and placed thousands of calls to Congress and backed them up with thousands emails.

3. Nearly 7,000 retiree calls. AFSCME sponsored a retiree patch through operation in cooperation with the Alliance for Retired Americans, with a message of closing the prescription drug donut hole.

4. More than 40 AFSCME grasstops contacts. In the days leading up to the vote, I joined more than 40 AFSCME statewide and local union leaders and staff to call and write targeted members of Congress armed with talking points on specific issues, including the excise tax and abortion.

5. Targeted advertising and branding. AFSCME executed a major television ad campaign with HCAN and Americans United, which ran in targeted districts and in DC during the run up to the vote. We also launched an aggressive online ad campaign to generate calls to Congress from the netroots.

This week, AFSCME will join HCAN to launch a major television ad campaign in key Democratic districts to assure our friends who took tough votes that we have their backs. And we will conduct grassroots work to ensure that the final, simple-majority vote in the U.S. Senate goes our way.

But though our work continues, let’s take a moment to savor this historic victory – and the lead role AFSCME played to secure it.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

AFSCME's Members Can Make It Happen!

AFSCME's Make America Happen campaign for health care reform has been the largest issue mobilization campaign in the union's history, generating more than 400,000 phone calls and letters to Congress. In addition, the 1.6 million member union has invested in an aggressive $10 million television, online and print advertising campaign, along with an unprecedented use of texting and new media.

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AFSCME to Begin Polling of Members

Beginning this week, AFSCME International will be conducting a national member survey.

The survey will help AFSCME determine member priorities in terms of national and state issues and also help AFSCME prepare for the upcoming election season by testing different messages, from health care to state budgets. AFSCME will also test some key statewide electoral match-ups and other items, like how our members get their political information. This information will be critical in helping your Union put together campaign plans for this fall.

In addition to the national survey, AFSCME will oversample in some of their priority states, including: New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Nevada. When the survey is complete AFSCME will schedule a poll briefing with key leaders in these states to share the results.

If you receive such a call please take the time to provide the information that you are asked for by representatives of your Union. Thank you!

End Insurance Companies Abuses

TODAY IS THE DAY!

Today, we can extend coverage to millions. We can end insurance-company abuses forever. We can finally give the American worker control over their own health care and in many cases, give them health care.

But we can't take anything for granted. The vote in the House will happen today and could still go either way. It's up to every member of AFSCME, their family members and friends who believe in reform to call our representatives and speak up -- right now.

So, if you haven't yet, please pick up the phone and call. Afterward, or if you've called already, make it your mission today to get 5 friends or neighbors to call, too.

Forward this email widely. Save the Congressional switchboard number -- (202) 224-3121 -- in your cell phone, and then hand your phone to a friend, a co-worker, a family member. Capitol Hill offices are open and accepting calls.