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GUESTS: Karen Ackerman, Political Director of the AFL-CIO

Labor unions are gearing up for the mid-term elections like never before. Despite the major split following the 2004 election, the AFL-CIO is targeting more than 200 races in twenty-one states, including many gubernatorial races. According to David Moberg, writing for The Nation, “The good news for Democrats is that despite its problems, organized labor is mounting a record effort, maintaining roughly the same level of union political cooperation as before the split, and finding new ways to expand its influence.” The new “Change to Win” Federation is focusing on only three states, although affiliated unions are also active on a wider scale. Earlier this week, the AFL along with it’s community affiliate, Working America, announced plans for an ambitious “Get-Out-The-Vote” campaign in the final four days before the election. A hundred thousand union volunteers will be deployed to reach millions of union voters in the largest organizational turnout program in the nation.

Visit www.aflcio.org for more information.