High Member Turnout and Record Volunteerism Spurs Wins for Northwest Carpenters Union
KENT, Wash., Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With vote counting concluded in most races, one result is clear: the Northwest Carpenters Union is proud of the impact we've made for working people in the 2020 election.
Some 85% of carpenter members throughout our six-state region voted in the 2020 election cycle. In addition, our members turned out in record numbers to volunteer, by calling and texting more than 50,000 union members and voters across our region.
The Northwest Carpenters Union invested resources in campaigns across our council on behalf of hardworking industrial and construction carpenters in our region. Our ramped-up program helped almost 90% of our endorsed candidates win reelection.
Across our region, we fought for candidates who support fair wages in construction, stand up against wage theft and contractor tax fraud, oppose so-called right-to-work laws and support investments in infrastructure to strengthen our economy.
In Montana, we are disappointed that the campaigns to elect Steve Bullock to the U.S. Senate and Mike Cooney as governor have fallen short, but we are proud of the massive effort put forth over many months by our team of Carpenters. We knocked on more than 20,000 doors of union families. We anticipate that Montana's newly elected leadership will work closely with us on issues of importance to Union Carpenters and their families.
In Washington state, we invested time and resources in races that will determine the fate of large infrastructure projects and take aggressive action to hold fraudulent contractors accountable. We are eager to work with a bipartisan group of endorsed candidates, including several incoming members of the Washington legislature and our returning friends. Governor Inslee has been reelected and we appreciate his partnership in efforts to keep our industry safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Oregon, our endorsed candidates are committed to fair wages for construction workers, especially in rural areas. Our union is very happy to see such a strong group of legislators return to Salem to take on tough issues. We are excited to see so many union members joining the legislature this year along with our returning champions. Shemia Fagan's victory as Secretary of State is a win for workers, as she will be a key partner in the auditing of our state's finances.
As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud that all of our endorsed candidates demonstrated their commitment to protecting workers and providing leadership to support all workers during the recovery.
The Northwest Carpenters Union will continue to build a strong agenda for working people through political advocacy, formidable leadership, and opportunities for lifelong careers through our apprenticeship programs.
About Northwest Carpenters Union
Northwest Carpenters Union represents over 28,000 carpenters, piledrivers, drywallers, millwrights, trade show workers, shipwrights, exterior/interior specialists, scaffold erectors, industrial & mill workers, insulators, and related craft workers who work together on the job site and in their communities to maintain and improve safety, wages, benefits, training, and working conditions throughout six states including Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming.
SOURCE Northwest Carpenters Union
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