I would like to start by thanking everyone who contributes to the COPE program. Without your support, it would be impossible for TWU to carry out its vital mission in helping to shape our country's political and legislative landscape. So, I thought I'd fill you in on some new developments at COPE.

The COPE Department has gone through several changes in the past several months and will continue to change as we adapt to developments in Washington and the states where our members live and work. Upon the retirement of Hubert Snead (see story this issue), who served TWU members for 40 years in various capacities, I assumed the position of COPE and Political Field Director. I had most recently been International Field Representative. The political field program and COPE have now been formally combined, creating the new COPE and Political Field Department. The step was taken to directly link our COPE dollars with the union's "on the ground" involvement in political races and campaigns to pass specific legislation beneficial to TWU members. We, of course, work closely with TWU's Department of Legislative and Political Affairs.

Our political involvement in the field is primarily through what are known as TWU state conferences. Where the state conferences have been active, they have been a great success in getting our TWU locals to coordinate their political activities in each state. My role in the past year, along with Political Field Assistants Gwen Dunivent and Terry Daniels, has been to support our established conferences and nurture the new ones that have been coming online. That effort will continue.

We currently have active single state conferences in California, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas. Some other states have combined their efforts in joint conferences. These are Georgia-Tennessee, Nevada-Arizona, and Illinois-Indiana. New York and Pennsylvania will soon launch their own state conferences.

Although we say it year after year, it is no less true: politics and legislation are so important to the lives and livelihoods of our members that we in the union run the risk of sounding like the boy who cried wolf. There is never a more crucial time to get involved politically and to contribute to COPE.

The mid-term elections are around the corner and our voices must be heard loud and clear if we are going to try and preserve some of the gains we made under a worker-friendly administration. In addition, much remains to be done in job creation, transportation funding, the environment, investment in high-speed rail, FAA reauthorization and a host of other issues.

As this department transitions we look forward to visiting with all of you, whether at a state conference or during a COPE drive in your area. We will be looking at every aspect of our department in order to improve how it functions, including the current gift structure and distribution methods, as well as how COPE drives will be done in the future.

Politics and legislation really are central to our lives as workers. Any gains made at the bargaining table can be undone at the ballot box. We welcome all your suggestions. Please feel free to contact COPE Coordinator Heather Rose (hrose@twu.org), our newest member of the COPE Department, with any comments or questions.