The ATU holds first-ever virtual meeting of U.S. State Legislative Conference Boards This December, more than 55 ATU Local leaders attended the first-ever meeting of the ATU State Legislative Conference Boards hosted by ATU International President John Costa and International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk. State Legislative Conference Boards have been engaged in elections, state legislative fights, political fights, and other actions but have never met together before. “This will be the first, but not the last,” said Costa about the future of the special meetings. The zoom meeting featured lively and informative discussions about the important role our Conference Boards play in fighting for the rights and interests of our members, our families, our communities, and public transit in states. Costa and Kirk talked about how elections have consequences and the importance of mobilizing our Locals and members for elections and political action. “Brothers and sisters, it’s clear that elections have consequences, and politics matter,” said Costa. “We as a union must get involved in politics at the local, state, and national levels to help build a better future. Our Conference Boards play a key role for our Locals and our members. We, as a Union, have always proven that we are up to any challenge and will always fight for our members and our riders,” Costa said about the significance of getting involved in politics.
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The attendees also heard from politicians, political analysts, ATU staff, and other experts to learn about the political landscape for 2022, the critical election cycle in 2022, and ATU’s key legislative agenda. Among the speakers were NJ Gov. Phil Murphy, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor and candidate for Maryland Governor Tom Perez, Pennsylvania Attorney General and candidate for Governor Josh Shapiro, Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois State House Rep. Marcus Evans, President of the Maryland State Senate Bill Ferguson, and others. Costa also announced the hiring of Emma Cleveland as our State and Local Political Coordinator starting in January 2022. Previously Emma served in different roles in politics and campaigns at SEIU 32BJ. At the ATU, she will assist our locals and Conference Boards in building their political power and help them establish and strengthen COPE programs. The day ended with a spirited session about the importance of the ATU-COPE program. Costa and Kirk led a lively discussion about successful strategies and tactics for Locals to increase COPE contributions of their members. Overall, it was a great day for the ATU, with attendees connecting and learning from each other about how to be better political advocates on behalf of the ATU, our Locals, our members, our riders, and our communities. v
October - November - December 2021 | IN TRANSIT
