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SEIU Launches Largest Field Campaign in Unions History for 2012Election

SEIU Members and Volunteers in Virginia Will Target Communities of Color,Working Families and Union Households to Win Presidential and Down-

Ballot

Fairfax, VA The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), thenations fastest growing union with 2.1 million members, today is launchingthe largest and most-targeted political field campaign in the unions 91-yearhistory to re-elect President Obama and win other key elections in eightbattleground states, including Virginia.

The union will target union and non-union members on an unprecedentedscale. By Election Day, the SEIU field campaign intends to connect with

voters by making 13 million phone calls, knocking on more than 3 milliondoors and holding more than 1 million conversations in Colorado, Florida,Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Beginning this week, SEIU members will take time off their jobs to becomemember political organizers (MPOs) who will reach out to fellow unionmembers as well as the general public with a specific focus on African

Americans, Latinos and youth voters. Over the coming months, more than700 SEIU members will become MPOs. The field program also includes arobust volunteer recruitment program with more than 100,000 membersvolunteering to help reelect President Obama.

In Virginia, the field campaign is designed to have more than 20,000 in-depth conversations with key voters by Election Day along with knocking on67,000 doors and making tens of thousands of phone calls. There will beabout 75 MPOs based in Northern Virginia and Tidewater, who will votersacross the state by working with community partners to elect candidates upand down the ballot that will put hard working families first.

Our boots-on-the-ground effort will be big, bold and targeted, said EliseoMedina, SEIU international secretary treasurer. Far too much is at stake for

working people this election cycle. We are using our human and capitalresources to give working people a voice and stand by candidates who willstand up for working people and not return the country to failed policies ofthe past.

The field campaign is part of SEIUs broad political program, which includesaggressive paid and volunteer GOTV efforts; large-scale civic engagementinitiatives with community partners in the African American and Latino

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communities; major paid media campaigns; and coordinated voter educationand protection program to inform people of their voting rights. The politicalprograms goal is to elect candidates who support working peoplethe 99percent agendaand will work to create good jobs here at home, rebuild aneconomy where everyone pays their fair share and invest in healthcare and

other services for those in need.

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With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico,SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting

workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU membersare winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our

communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around theworld to help ensure that workersnot just corporations and CEOsbenefit

from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

http://www.seiu.org/http://www.seiu.org/