Good afternoon!
Last weekend the Labor Council held its annual Awards in Excellence Dinner honoring Labor Leader Lisa Fair (ATU #1309) and Union of the Year Teamsters #542 (Secretary-Treasurer Jaime Vasquez) and a number others who work hard every day to strengthen our labor movement. Stay tuned for a full rundown of the event (including pictures!) in our next update.
In the meantime, let’s talk about elections. We are just six weeks away from the June 7 vote on Prop I and several of our Labor Council endorsed candidate races. If you haven’t already signed up to walk a neighborhood or volunteer at a phone bank - NOW is the time. Here are three easy ways you get involved this weekend:
1.
Take the pledge to vote YES on Prop I and share your pledge on Facebook and Twitter. Prop I will raise the minimum wage for San Diego workers 3 years before the new California minimum wage takes effect. It will put an additional $260 million a year into the pockets of thousands of janitors, teacher aides, EMTs, home care workers, car wash attendants, clerks and other struggling low wage workers who will spend that money on safe housing and transportation, healthy food for their families and other basic necessities. It will also provide 5 earned sick days to all workers so parents can stay home with sick kids and not miss a day’s pay.
2. Volunteer for a phone bank shift and talk to voters about Prop I. San Diego voters have a unique opportunity to raise the minimum wage for local workers 3 years before the state measure passed in April would take effect - providing an immediate raise for more than 170,000 hard-working San Diegans – enough people to fill every seat in Petco Park four times over! Phone banks are held at the Labor Council Monday – Thursday from 5 – 8pm. Dinner is provided.
3. Get Out the Vote at a Precinct Walk
...for Labor Council Endorsed Candidate Chris Ward thisSaturday, April 23 from 10:00 am – 12:30pm kick-off at 4535 30th Street (between Madison and Monroe) as we talk with voters about Labor’s endorsed candidate in San Diego City Council District 3 – Chris Ward! Chris Ward shares Labor’s values and we trust him to be an advocate for all San Diego workers on the City Council. He has the skills and experience we need to keep San Diego moving forward. Please RSVP to Cassie at cpurdy@unionyes.org or 619-569-4284
.
...in Imperial Valley The time is here once again for Imperial Valley elections! Attached to this email is the flyer for the schedule of precinct walks and our phone banks. Our first day will be this Saturday, April 23 at 8:00 am -12:00 pm at the IBEW, 2420 Imperial Business Park Drive, Imperial, CA 92251. Precinct walks start from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Monday-Thursday and Phone-banks start Monday, April 25th from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm, also Monday-Thursday. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at my cellphone or Daniel Machain (619) 957-8569. We look forward to your support and participation!
...at a SuperWalk for Prop I on May 7 on Saturday, May 7at 9:00 am at the Democratic Party office (8430 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.)
Please RSVP to Cassie at cpurdy@unionyes.orgor 619-569-4284.
Thank you in advance for standing together with working families in the region to elect strong labor candidates and finally pass an increase in San Diego’s minimum wage and earned sick days!
In Solidarity,
Samantha
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Upcoming Delegates Meeting – 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 27 at the Machinists Hall (IAM Local Lodge 1125 located at 5150 Kearny Mesa Rd.)
NALC Food Drive – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at the San Diego Food Bank (9850 Distribution Ave) Join your brothers and sisters from the National Association of Letter Carriers at their annual food drive to support working families in need – Saturday, May 14 th at the San Diego Food Bank.Bring the entire family and/or a team of co-workers to this wonderful event which collects more than 150,000 pounds of canned food to be distributed throughout the year by Unions United (formerly the Department of Labor Participation) . 300 volunteers are needed to help unload and sort food. If you have any questions or to rsvp your team members’ names and locals, please call Ruby Featherly at (619) 641-0068.