COPE: The Worker's Approach to Politics

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 11:03am

By President Bruce Hamilton

You know you’re up against enormous odds when the Supreme Court rules that the people of Montana’s 100-year law stopping the Copper Bosses from buying the state’s governors, senators, congressmen, and local legislators is unconstitutional. The Super Rich clearly have a grotesque advantage in the 2012 elections.

But working people also have a voice.  ATU members have COPE, the Committee on Political Education.  ATU-COPE members will help elect labor-friendly candidates across America through campaign contributions and voter turnout this November.

This year, ATU is switching gears with a new PLUS program. Instead of donating its entire budget directly to candidates, COPE will invest in each local’s political network. The COPE dollars we spend this year to mobilize our members, families and neighbors will pay dividends in our Highway Safety campaign next year. And on and on and on.

COPE will only support candidates who are explicitly committed to the political policies we need. Topping the list: end the exemption of over-the-road bus drivers from the Fair Labor Standards Act. And after the winners take office, COPE will be there to hold them accountable.

This isn’t going to be easy. We need every Local 1700 political activist. COPE members must be armed with a full understanding of the issues and the ability to make our case to our families, friends and communities.

We have a fighting chance to change the direction our country is going from a world made up only of the extremely rich and the extremely poor to one in which working people can still attain a decent standard of living.

But if we don’t take full advantage of this opportunity, we may wake up on Wednesday, Nov. 7 with Romney and his Super Rich supporters ready to kill what little is left of working people’s rights.