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By Participating in
PEOPLE (AFSCME’s political, legislative, and fundraising program), you can have
a direct impact on the political process – from helping improve healthcare and
wages to collective bargaining, privatization, and prevailing wage.
PEOPLE works to affect
the political process on many levels.
By law, union dues cannot be used to fund
political campaigns; voluntary member contributions to the PEOPLE fund are used
to help elect pro-worker candidates.
As a public employee, your job, wages and
working conditions are directly linked to politics. We need the active
participation of all members in order to make our legislative/political program
strong, and in turn, to be effective when we work on behalf of our members. No
other group of employees has such a direct connection to politics as AFSCME
members. That is why PEOPLE matters.
How PEOPLE Makes
a Difference
PEOPLE works to affect the political process
on many levels. By law, union dues cannot be used to fund political campaigns;
voluntary member contributions to the PEOPLE fund are used to help elect
pro-worker candidates.
It is important to realize that pro-worker
candidates are generally outspent by opponents, often by more than 10 to one.
Big business is always a big spender for their candidates. Without our member
contributions, pro-worker candidates would face almost impossible odds.
All AFSCME members and their families can be
part of PEOPLE!
"Your ability to gain at the bargaining
table is directly related to your past gains politically. AFSCME PEOPLE is our
vehicle to get the job done." [Gerald McEntee, AFSCME International
President]
"Being active in PEOPLE is the single
best way to build the Union and to make a political statement. We want a better
life, better quality of public services and to be able to live with dignity on
and off the job." [William Lucy, International Secretary-Treasurer]
AFSCME also serves as a strategic resource
for pro-worker candidates to help map out successful campaign strategies.
And last but not least, PEOPLE works with
AFSCME members at the council and local levels to help create a structure for
evaluating campaigns and endorsing candidates in state and local races. Politics
is everywhere, but fortunately, so is PEOPLE.
PEOPLE Needs You
Like all aspects of our union, PEOPLE is
nothing without our members. To provide a strong political voice for public
employees, we need help. You can become an active part of PEOPLE in many ways.
The easiest way is by participating in a PEOPLE check-off program to provide a
regular contribution that we can count on as we work with candidates and
campaigns throughout the year to make sure our members' interests are
represented.
Politicians will make decisions that have a
great impact on you from privatization to pensions with or without your input.
Make your voice heard by joining with other members in PEOPLE.
AFSCME Iowa Council 61
4320 NW 2nd Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50313
(515) 246-1517
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