AFSCME opens virtual field offices, mobilizes thousands of activists ahead of November
The union, known for its political organizing prowess and putting boots on the ground in key races across the country, is taking its massive political operation digital in the face of the coronavirus.
The union is deploying text and phone banking operations, mobilizing activists to serve as poll workers, registering people to vote and deploying educational voting materials such as instructions on how to vote by mail.
WASHINGTON — On the last day of its 44th International Convention, AFSCME officially launched virtual field offices in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In addition to these states, AFSCME is providing its members with access to virtual field offices in every state across the country. The virtual field offices will serve as the main action hub for AFSCME’s 2020 political education, mobilization and GOTV operation to elect Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and pro-worker candidates up and down the ballot. AFSCME endorsed Biden in March.
During its virtual convention, thousands of AFSCME activists pledged to double down on a culture of organizing and political action that has seen public service workers and the union overcome some of the most challenging hurdles in the history of the union and the country. Despite unprecedented attacks, AFSCME has grown its membership, helped to elect pro-worker candidates in 2018 and won historic legislative victories granting collective bargaining rights to tens of thousands of public service workers in Nevada, California and Virginia.
To capitalize on that momentum and unprecedented levels of activism to win for working people in 2020, AFSCME delegates to the convention received a virtual training on how to utilize the new virtual campaign field offices. Among the tools available to activists to contact voters are voter registration tools, mobile texting and virtual phone banking platforms, as well as instructions on how to vote by mail and how volunteer to serve as a poll worker.
“Public service workers are fed up with the failed and corrupt response to the health, economic and social justice crises ravaging our communities,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “While public service workers risk their lives to keep our communities running smoothly during this pandemic, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and their allies are cutting vital public services and public service jobs when we need them most. We will put boots on the ground if it is safe to do so, but we are prepared for this moment and are already deploying innovative digital resources to mobilize public service workers to win for working people and elect Joe Biden in November.”