Union members keep politics local in Milwaukee area with member to member program – WisPolitics

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 10/2 – In an election year where partisanship is at an all-time high, local union members are going back to Wisconsin’s political roots – neighbors talking to neighbors. 

Members from area unions took to the doors in Greater Milwaukee to discuss the upcoming November elections with other union members.

To ensure the conversations are true to the local union member’s experience, before talking with their neighbors, union members met with candidates from the area to get their questions answered and understand their views. 

“Local candidates are often harder to get to know because they don’t have the same exposure that occurs in national races,” said Nick Webber, a staff member for NABTU. “If our members are going to advocate for these local candidates to their neighbors, it’s important to understand what they believe first, which is why we have time for folks to get to know each other before heading out into the community.”

In a twist from traditional door knocking, the conversations that are taking place are a departure from the standard political campaign playbook, with union members talking to ALL members in the area vs. just a short list of those who the data deems favorable. 

 “We know Wisconsin is going to be decided by a razor-thin margin,” said Michael Horecki, founder of Eau Claire-based political consulting firm Confluence Strategies and a former Communications Director for AFSCME Wisconsin. “Labor will be instrumental in a Democratic victory as a member’s shared passion for their union can bridge even the most bitter partisan divides.” 

The event saw members knocking the doors of 700 neighbors.