What Is C.O.P.E. ?

 What is C.O.P.E.?  It stands for Committee on Political Education.  It is the political arm of your union.  Mary Beth Fitzgerald and I serve on the C.O.P.E. committee.  As the name implies we inform the members of whom the labor friendly candidates will be in important legislative and local elections.  The candidate is usually endorsed by our own International Union, your ATU state-wide legislative council, the Washington State Labor Council, or your local union.  Before a candidate is endorsed their voting record, if they have one, is examined.  This gives important insight on their support of our issues.  If a candidate does not have a voting record their statements and past actions are examined.  By the International and AFL-CIO by-laws the candidates from any viable party must be considered.

 Candidates, and whether they support our issues, are not the only issue addressed by C.O.P.E.  Initiatives are part of an important political process in our state.  Your union researches and informs you about the content of the initiative and how it will impact you.  And, as always, a C.O.P.E. endorsement is a recommendation.  How you vote on any issue or candidate is up to you.

 Perhaps the most important aspect of C.O.P.E. is your voluntary contribution to the C.O.P.E. fund.  C.O.P.E. contributions are payroll deductible once a month.  The funds are sent to our International Union.  These voluntary contributions are the only funds the International Union can use to support a political candidate.  If requested up to half of these funds can be used in local or state races.

 The suggested donation is $2.25 per month. The suggested amount will qualify you in the President’s Club.  And, a nice label pin is awarded.  It is okay to give less or more than that amount.  It is also okay to say no.  

 Jim Fitzgerald

ATU 1015

The above are the facts only.  Any statement or implied opinion that COPE is important is intentional.