Local 237 held its first political action committee meeting to “reshape politics” as we head toward 2008, “an extremely important political year,” said President Gregory Floyd at union headquarters Oct. 3. “This is one of my top priorities,” he told the gathering of union staffers, members and retirees.

Housing Division Shop Steward Robert Camacho makes a point during the DRIVE meeting as Housing and Retiree Division members listen.

“Our primary purpose is to build a cadre of political activists who will participate in elections where Local 237 has endorsed a candidate,” said Floyd. “We will support those who support us and defeat those who do not.”

To build the political strength needed to influence elected officials, Floyd said the membership must participate in a voter registration drive among the 250,000 Housing Authority residents, and for members to help campaign in the streets or on the phones and at demonstrations.

Patricia Stryker, Local 237’s political action and legislative director, who is in charge of the union’s Democratic Republican Independent Voter Education (DRIVE) program, called for increasing participation of all members in the voluntary contribution program. “It costs a fortune to run a political campaign,” she said.

Political Action and Legislative Director Patricia Stryker speaks at the podium as Vinnie Montalbano, lobbyist and political consultant, reviews notes.

Stryker explained how DRIVE channels contributions to the campaigns of political candidates with proven voting records in support of working families, regardless of the party to which they belong.

Also on hand to help forge the political action group was Heather Beaudoin, political director for the NYC Central Labor Council and Teamsters Joint Council 16, and Vinnie Montalbano, lobbyist and political consultant, who noted, “Progressive unionism doesn’t exist without activists.”