Recently, I had the privilege of representing AFA Council 89 at the Annual North Carolina AFL-CIO Convention in Raleigh. It was an informative and eye-opening session with many local and state officials as speakers. Important policy issues were addressed which included health care, immigration, and retirement security. Some of the speakers who addressed the convention were: Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue; State Treasurer Richard Moore; Attorney General Roy Cooper. Other speakers included representatives from the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.
A major political workshop was held and delegates approved a list of candidates for recommendation to our membership in North Carolina’s 2006 election. For information about each candidate visit
www.aflcionc.org or go to
www.afanet.org for a national list of candidates and their voting records.
I realize that it is often difficult to know exactly where each candidate stands on issues that are important to our membership and therefore it makes it hard to decide how to cast your vote in November. If you would like to know more about the issues that affect you and your family, I urge you to go to
www.unionvoice.org and sign up for the Working Families e-activist network. This is the simplest and easiest way for you to make sure that your voice is heard loudly and clearly on the issues that are important to you and to our profession.
PLEASE KNOW WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STAND AND REMEMBER TO VOTE in the November elections. If you have questions about absentee ballots, voter registration or polling locations you can go to
www.sboe.state.nc.us and remember that you can vote early (October 19 thru November4) at all North Carolina county board of elections offices during regular office hours. If you reside in another state please utilize the internet to get voting information or you may also contact our AFA International office for assistance at 1-800-434-1300 and ask for the Legislative Affairs office.
