National union leader continues labor's push against McConnell in Louisville

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnellEfforts by the national and state incarnations of the AFL-CIO to mobilize its union membership in opposition to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) are taking another step forward tonight as national leadership from organized labor will rally activists at a Louisville event.

Former AFL-CIO Director of Organizing Stewart Acuff, who now serves as assistant to the national AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, will address the Kentucky Jobs for Justice chapter tonight at that group’s anniversary dinner and Solidarity Awards ceremony.

The national AFL-CIO says Acuff will highlight connections between McConnell and President Bush in an effort to encourage activists to continue their organizing push through the Nov. 4 general election.

Acuff is also scheduled to distribute leaflets targeting McConnell, the U.S. Senate minority leader, at worksites throughout Louisville tomorrow.

“The middle class is shrinking quickly, and yet McConnell and his buddies are so out of touch they claim the fundamentals of this economy our strong,” said Acuff in a statement, referring to comments made by Republican presidential nominee John McCain yesterday. “The truth is that McConnell and his allies Bush and McCain have driven the American economy into a ditch with their misguided policies.”

Acuff has been making the national rounds talking up pro-labor candidates and labor-favored policy. He recently made appearances in Missouri and Ohio. 

The AFL-CIO’s push against McConnell is taking shape in recent weeks, with the labor coalition dispatching thousands of anti-McConnell mailers and rallying with McConnell’s opponent Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) in western Kentucky last week.

Labor organizers have said they intend to contact union members numerous times in favor of Lunsford and in opposition to McConnell in the forthcoming final weeks of the campaign season. The AFL-CIO announced today that it aims to target 300,000 union voters with their efforts.

Coinciding with the labor push, other groups have run ads critical of Lunsford’s support of policy favored by unions, including his stance in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act. A group called the Employee Freedom Action Committee aired radio and television ads hitting Lunsford on that point in recent months.

Tonight’s event with Acuff is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the law firm of Segal Lindsay & Janes, located at 515 Park Ave. in Louisville.