A new electoral collaboration of community and labor organizations that share concerns about issues impacting working families in Virginia kicks off Monday morning (see Calendar) by announcing endorsements for the Arlington County Board and several other Virginia races. Calling itself Opportunity Virginia 2015, the collaboration is focused on backing candidates who will stand with working families and support diverse communities of immigrants, people of color, and young voters in what activists are calling the New Dominion state...
It includes organizations such as SEIU 32BJ, SEIU Local 512, CASA in Action, the Mid-Atlantic Laborers’ Union, UFCW Local 400, the National Korean American Services and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) in Action Fund, and a new effort to build a statewide network of African-American and student voting power headed by Austin Thompson. Collectively, these organizations have tens of thousands of members in Virginia, many of whom are employed as home care workers, janitors, building construction and highway workers, retail employees, and more.