Making a Difference in 2008 Election

In January 1961, John F. Kennedy proclaimed in his inaugural address to the nation that “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.” Now nearly a half century later, those profound words are ringing true again. While Barack Obama’s appeal to voters crossed all racial, ethnic and gender lines, his ace in the hole from day one was an energetic army of younger Americans willing not only to go to the polls for him, but to become the foot soldiers of his campaign.

The Obama candidacy had similar results inside TWU, where younger members and first time volunteers infused some high octane gas into TWU’s solid core of activists.

One such new-to-the-scene advocateis Angie Cox, a young Operations Agent for Southwest  Airlines at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Angie, who is also the Station Rep for Local 555 at the small SWA base there, came to the airlines at the suggestion of her father, who had worked for United. “I hated my cubicle job doing data entry,” recalls Angie. “My dad said ‘try the airlines,’ so I did.”

And soon after she got there, she also found another calling, union work.

“It’s really not a big base for Southwest here,” she said. “I used to speak up for my co-workers, and finally they told me to run for office, so I did.” Her successful election also put her in touch with Local 555 District Rep Mike Cernosek, who eventually asked her to cover a hearing important to Southwest workers on Capitol Hill. “I met Portia Reddick White (TWU’s Assistant Political and Legislative Director) at the hearing, and one thing led to another and here I am.”

Where Angie “is” is working full time for the AFL-CIO’s Labor 2008 campaign working out of the Northern Virginia Labor Council for Obama and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner.

“We do everything here, phone banking, labor walks, recruiting, leafleting, get-out-the-vote activities, press relations, the works,” said Angie.

Why did she get involved, we asked. “This is such an historic election,” said Angie. “I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be out there helping instead of just sitting around hoping he wins.”

When asked which is more difficult, her real job for Southwest or her campaign work, Angie didn’t hesitate. “Oh, definitely my job at the airport is harder. This is fun.”

Chester and Debi

Chester Zermeno and Debi Lammers met in college, fell in love, got married and now both work as Flight Attendants for Southwest Airlines. The two are avid skiers, hikers and bikers living an hour’s drive north of Denver, Colorado. When they commute to work, it’s not a few miles from home, but all the way to Chicago. With that kind of busy lifestyle, neither had time to commit to union or political work.

But then the Democratic National Convention came to town in Denver this past summer. “There’s not too many Southwest employees living in Colorado,” said Chester. “We got a call from the union saying there were a couple of tickets available for Sen. Obama’s acceptance speech. We liked Obama so we went.”

“We were really taken by the event, and we both decided to try to help.”

For the past couple of months the two have been helping big time for the AFL-CIO’s Labor 2008 campaign in their state. “We’ve done all kinds of stuff for Obama, Mark Udall (Senate candidate) and Betsy Markey (House candidate).”

“We want our candidates to win,” said Chester. “But even if they don’t, I think we accomplished something.”