For Immediate Release
Friday, November 08, 1996
AFSCME and Organized Labor Led the Fight that Transformed America's Political Landscape
Washington, DC —Brandishing the "Labor '96" program as its weapon, AFSCME and organized labor led round one of the fight that revolutionized politics in this country over the last year. The program influenced outcomes in political races, put issues like Medicare, education and pension security at the top of the agenda, and turned a legislative stalemate (the minimum wage) into a victory.
That fight, which will continue as long as necessary, had two main objectives: To educate the public on the voting records of their elected representatives, and to bring the concerns of working Americans to the attention of legislators and force them to act. By all measures, it was a resounding success. Candidates who supported the agenda of working families were elected, and many who did not were defeated.
When union households knew the facts, they voted to reject the Gingrich-Dole agenda. Union households voted for President Clinton by a margin of 59% to 29% for Dole. Compare that to 46% to 45% for Clinton among non-union households. Additionally, union households voted for Democratic congressional candidates by a margin of 63% to 35%. And in a move defying the national trend, four million more members of union households voted in 1996 than in 1992, versus the national trend where eight million fewer people voted in 1996 than in 1992.
Labor '96, an unprecedented political education program that committed more money, staff, media, and materials than ever before in the history of labor, was hugely successful in holding Newt Gingrich and the conservatives accountable for their voting records, and singly responsible in causing the GOP to make a major ideology shift from the radical right to the moderate center. And it set the stage to help working Americans do the things that are most important to them. Educating and feeding their children, saving Medicare, increasing the minimum wage, passing health care legislation, preserving pensions.
"The Labor '96 project had an enormous effect on this year's elections," said Gerald W. McEntee, international president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFSCME.
"We set the agenda, transformed the debate. We talked about the issues that affect working people's lives. If it were not for labor's campaign -- Medicare, pension legislation, education cuts and the minimum wage would have been dodged by some candidates who would have preferred to discuss other topics. We made it clear that we wanted the candidates to discuss the economic issues that affect everyday, working Americans. Without a doubt, we accomplished that," McEntee stated.
With the efforts of AFSCME and organized labor, Newt Gingrich and the radical right were stopped dead in their tracks from attacking working Americans with their Contract with America. GOP leaders have adopted a more conciliatory tone. For instance, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, suggesting that opportunities for cooperation with the president exist, said yesterday "The president is sort of entitled to the first at-bat. We're not going to rush out there...and start trying to pass 'X' number of bills in the first 100 days." And Senator Alfonse D'Amato said he would not seek to reopen hearings into the Whitewater real-estate venture.
AFSCME and organized labor were also able to keep business interests from dominating control in the elections, despite the fact that big business out spent labor in the elections 7 to 1. The Center for Responsive Politics, in its October 17, 1996 report said business interests spent a total of $242 million on the election.
Moreover, money made a huge difference in Labor '96 races. Republicans won in 26 of Labor '96's priority districts. In those races, through October 16th, the Republican candidates raised an average of $570,000 more than their Democratic opponents. In contrast, the 19 Republicans who lost in Labor '96 priority districts had raised only $100,000 more than their Democratic opponents.
"Labor '96 is just the beginning," McEntee declared. "We've proven that we're here, we're a force to be reckoned with, and we're not going anywhere. With Labor '96 we've solidified our base, and now we're going to build on it."
