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Listen: What Do Hard-Pressed Trade Unionist Think About the Upcoming Election?

University of California medical workers are among the trade unionists nationwide who continue to struggle as the November 5, General Election draws closer. 

By Bob Hennelly

As of this broadcast, there’s just 21 days left until the November 5, General Election. Early voting has already started in Virginia, Minnesota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Illinois. California, Indiana, New Mexico, Wyoming and Ohio all came online last week. This week, early voting gets underway in Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington State. 

In this week’s episode of “We Decide: America At The Crossroads,” we follow up on the decision by the International Association of Firefighters and the Teamsters to pass on endorsing anyone in this year’s Presidential race. We also check in with the leadership of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters and Teamsters Local 808, a New York State based union. 

Jennifer Harris with Alabama Arise also joins us to talk about her state’s deepening healthcare crisis which already has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the nation. Is healthcare on the minds of Alabama voters? We’ll ask.

I also join “We Decide host Jenna Flanagan” for a conversation with Liz Perlman, executive director of AFSCME Local 3299, which represents 37,000 workers that staff the University of California’s five medical centers and network of clinics and research laboratories. Members will vote later this month on whether or not to go on strike to protest the healthcare system’s refusal to bargain in good faith. We’ll find out if members are also fired up about the national election.

Listen to the entire show below:

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