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CWA Strategic Research Manual
Connections to Politicians
By learning that an employer has contributed to the campaigns of certain politicians, you may be able to put pressure on those politicians to help us reduce employer opposition to the union. If the politicians are unpopular with the workers or in the community, you can use those connec-tions to embarrass the employer.
Information on campaign contributions in state and local races can often be obtained from the Secretary of State in the capital city or the appropriate city or county clerk.
You can get information from the Federal Election Commission [www.fec.gov or 800-424-9530] showing whether a company, its officers, or any individual has financially supported a particular candidate for president, senator, or member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Commission can provide a list of candidates a company has supported and can tell you which corporations are supporting certain candidates.
It is often a good idea to check FEC records after an election is over. Many contributions are given either just before or just after election day.
You can also find out how much of the same information, in a more user friendly layout, from the Center for Responsive Politics [www.opensecrets.org].
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How to Ask the Government for Information on Employers
