In Praise of Phonebanking

by Chris Garlock
I know what you’re thinking. Phonebanking is boring. Punching in numbers endlessly, bad numbers, complicated scripts. Not at the AFL-CIO phonebank, which is up and running all weekend. Thanks to state–of-the-art technology, the entire calling process is seamlessly handled by an autodialer so when I dropped by the other night, all I had to do was slip on the comfy headset and talk to union members. Like Diane, an SEIU member in Philadelphia who assured me that “Hillary can count on me; Philly will be there for her. Thanks for calling!” Or Mr Wilson who said that “Me and my daughter -- she's blind and in a wheelchair-- we'll bethere even if we have to crawl there.” And 87-year-old Ms. Carter, who said that she was making sure everyone in her family got out to vote on Tuesday. “They're not allowed to come to grandma's house unless they vote -- and support Hillary!” The phonebank – 815 16th Street NW -- is open 10a-2p today and 12-6p tomorrow. It’s Metro-accessible on the Red, Blue and Orange lines and did I mention the free refreshments and the enthusiastic volunteers who’ll be happy to set you up? Sign up here or just walk in (see Calendar at right).
photo: Brandon Rees from the AFL-CIO Office of Investments gets The Newspaper Guild’s Rick Ehrmann ready to hit the phones at the AFL-CIO phonebank; photo by Chris Garlock​

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