When Unions Vote, Unions Win: Election Day 2023

After weeks of mobilizing by hundreds of members throughout New Jersey and New York, where some big legislative seats were up for grabs, working families won BIG last Tuesday as nearly all of our endorsed pro-worker candidates won their elections.

In New Jersey, CWA members from Locals 1033, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1040 logged over 1,000 volunteer shifts through Election Day, particularly in Monmouth, Mercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, and Bergen Counties where there were several very tough races by our endorsed candidates. 

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Intensive participants and trainers with candidates in Legislative District 38: Chris Tully (Assembly), Joe Lagana (Senate), and Lisa Swain (Assembly)
 

During this same time, we held our first Intensive Political Action Training in New Jersey, with a dozen participants from Locals 1033, 1037, and 1040, and led by member trainers from Locals 1101, 1104, and 1109. And it’s not called “intensive” for nothing! Participants spent twelve packed days over the course of six weeks together, discussing labor history and working on organizing and political action skills, as well as conducting worksite presentations to educate members, sign up members to contribute to the Political Action Fund, and recruit volunteers for election work.

In New Jersey, we won every single priority race.​
 

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CWA Local 1120 in Dutchess County, NY
 

In New York, members from New York City to Upstate and Western New York were out talking to voters multiple days per week, and running their own Intensive Trainings in the Hudson Valley (Local 1120) and Brooklyn (Local 1109). Some of our biggest campaigns in New York included races in the NYC City Council, and Dutchess County and Erie County Legislators.

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CWA Local 1122 in Erie County, NY
 

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CWA Local 1109 on Long Island, NY

We were also proud to see several CWA members in New Jersey and New York elected to office - because working people know better than anyone what working people need! ​

New Jersey:

✓ ​Jessica O’Connor, CWA Local 1033, Palmyra Council

✓ ​Adam Bierman, CWA Local 1033, Princeton Board of Education

✓ ​Michele Liebtag, CWA Local 1036, Frenchtown Council

✓ ​Joseph Hiles, CWA Local 1085, Mayor of Woodstown

✓ ​John Kendall, IUE-CWA Local 81103, Haddon Township Board of Education

New York:

✓ ​Chris Ryan, CWA Local 1123 President, Onondaga County Legislator