Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 28 February 2020
Labor union unveils $150M campaign to help defeat Trump

By STEVE PEOPLES campaign is far ahead
AP National Political Writer of where it was four years
WASHINGTON (AP) — One ago, when it had little na-
of the nation's largest labor tional organization.
unions is unveiling plans to On Wednesday, the Trump
invest $150 million in a na- campaign announced
tionwide campaign to help plans to open 15 "Black
defeat President Donald Voices for Trump Com-
Trump, a sweeping effort munity Centers" in battle-
focused on eight battle- ground states and major
ground states and voters cities, including Michigan
of color who typically don't and Wisconsin. The offices
vote. will feature a line of cam-
The investment marks the paign swag adopting the
largest voter engagement "woke" label, and videos
and turnout operation in of prominent Trump surro-
the history of the Service gates like online stars Dia-
Employees International mond and Silk explaining
Union, which claims near- their support for the presi-
ly 2 million members. The dent and pamphlets outlin-
scope of the campaign, ing the president's record.
which quietly launched last SEIU is the most diverse
month and will run through President Donald Trump with members of the president's coronavirus task force speaks during a union in the United States.
November's general elec- news conference at the Brady press briefing room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, The union's membership
tion, reflects the urgency of in Washington. Associated Press features those who work in
what union president Mary health care, food service,
Kay Henry calls "a make-or- being rigged against us cording to details of the but the investment will fo- janitorial services and state
break" moment for working and needing to elect peo- plan shared with The Asso- cus primarily on direct con- and local government
people in America under ple that are going to stand ciated Press. The union and tact and online advertising workers, among others.
Trump's leadership. with workers." its local members will pay targeting minority men and Half its members are peo-
"He's systematically unwind- The union's campaign will particular attention to two women who typically don't ple of color, and more than
ing and attacking unions. span 40 states and target key urban battlegrounds vote. half make less than $15 an
Federal workers rights have 6 million voters focused they believe will play a de- Few groups of voters will hour.
been totally eviscerated largely in Colorado, Flori- fining role in the 2020 gen- be more important in the The 2020 investment is de-
under his watch," Henry da, Michigan, Minnesota, eral election: Detroit and 2020 general election. signed to benefit Demo-
said in an interview. "We Nevada, Pennsylvania, Vir- Milwaukee. There may be Trump won the presidency crats up and down the
are on fire about the rules ginia and Wisconsin, ac- some television advertising, four years ago largely be- ballot this fall, though de-
cause of his popularity with feating Trump stands as a
working-class whites and a primary goal.
drop-off in turnout from mi- That said, SEIU's political
nority voters. team has determined that
The union's political direc- a message simply attack-
tor, Maria Peralta, noted ing Trump isn't effective
that Trump's campaign has with its target audience,
been working effectively in which includes a significant
recent months to win over number of conservatives.
some minority voters, par- The union also determined
ticularly men, who have that it's particularly effec-
traditionally voted Demo- tive to highlight Trump's
cratic. work to weaken labor
"He's going after our com- unions and conditions for
munities in ways that are working-class Americans.
pervasive. We're deeply After campaigning for a
aware of that," Peralta higher minimum wage,
said. "They're talking about Trump has done little to
the strength of the econo- raise the federal minimum
my." wage, which has been
The Service Employees In- stuck at $7.25 for more
ternational Union, like the than a decade. His ad-
Democratic Party and its ministration has also taken
allies across the nation, fac- steps to make it harder for
es significant headwinds in new groups of workers to
its fight to deny Trump a form unions. And labor of-
second term. Voters who ficials have decried his ap-
may dislike his overall job pointments to the National
performance are generally Labor Relations Board and
pleased with his leader- the Supreme Court, which
ship on the economy, and dealt a huge blow to labor
unemployment for black in 2018 by ruling that gov-
Americans has hit record ernment workers no longer
lows in recent months. could be required to pay
At the same time, Trump's union fees.q