Victories Throughout Southern California
We did it! The hard work and diligence of Council 36 members paid off with electoral victories throughout Southern California. AFSCME 36 Members and their green shirts were highly conspicuous staffing phone banks and walking precincts at the CLC’s in San Diego, Orange County, and in Los Angeles. These phone banks called into battleground states, urging union members in Nevada, Colorado, Washington State, New Mexico and Minnesota to support Barack Obama and other union supported candidates in their state. Our effort to win victories in the battleground state of Nevada included a weekend bus trip to Las Vegas where 26 AFSCME 36 activists talked to union households in support of Obama. It was very satisfying to see Obama carry each of these battleground states.
In San Diego, the Local 127 Green Machine turned out members week after week to work for Union endorsed candidates for the City Council. Our candidates, Sherri Lightner, Todd Gloria and Marti Emerald all won and will now form a new majority on the San Diego City Council, supportive of working families and city employees. We defeated City Attorney Michael Aguirre, who tried to build his career by destroying our pension benefits and undermining our right to collective bargaining. We also won an important State Assembly seat in the 78 AD for Marty Block.
In Orange County, Anaheim City Council member Lori Galloway scored an impressive victory for working families overcoming fierce opposition financed by the Disney Corporation.
Our efforts in LA County were victorious on every front. In our highest priority race, Mark Ridley-Thomas was elected to the LA County Board of Supervisors with an overwhelming 61% share of the vote. Voters also supported measures to maintain and enhance the quality of services we provide. Measure R 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation projects, Q, school improvement bonds for LAUSD, and J, Community College improvement bond were victories. These wins show that voters will support taxes to enhance and protect quality of public services. We hope that the counting of the absentee ballots will provide the small margin needed for Proposition A, which would fund anti-gang programs.
We also proudly supported AFSCME members who ran for political office. Local 3090 member Norma Torres is now the Assembly member form the 61st AD. Local 1001 member Charles Trevino also won a seat on the North San Gabriel Water District. Carole Lutness, Local 2712 member conducted a vibrant grassroots campaign in the 38th AD; while not winning, she ran a good campaign receiving an admirable 46% of the vote in a largely Republican district.
Our success in elections brings greater strength for our union and our efforts to secure the best contract possible. That is why we thank you for your involvement.
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