Our Committee On Political Education (COPE)
When Workers Unite—Politicians Listen!
With members’ voluntary contributions to COPE, our union brings the voice of our members to local, state and national politics.
No union dues are used for political electioneering. It is only through COPE that the union can elect strong allies and win legislation and public funding that helps workers and their families.
SEIU lobbying and political action support better wages, affordable health care, worker safety measures, organizing rights and pension improvements.
COPE dollars go to membership education and campaigning for issues that raise our members’ standard of living. All contributions to candidates are made on a nonpartisan basis— on our issues, not their party.
Why Politics?
Local, county, state and federal governments make decisions every day that affect our jobs, our families and our communities.
- Approving and funding union contracts
- School budgets and early education funding
- Employee rights, safety standards and due process
- Health care and other benefits
- Hiring practices and retirement benefits
- Providing funds for serving our neediest citizens—and the pay and benefits for those who care for them
How Can I Be A Leader?
- Rally fellow members around our shared political goals
- Participate in letter-writing and phone-banking events
- Knock on doors to win votes for our supported candidates
- Contribute to COPE
Voluntary COPE funds are important to our union’s member political program, which includes get-out-the-vote operations, issue education and member lobbying visits in Annapolis and Washington, DC.
Madie Green Local 500 Member
For close to an hour, I talked to a candidate for president and asked him questions about the issues that matter most to me. If we’re going to create a real future for our kids, our next president has to know what life is like for the rest of us.
“People who know me know I like to speak my mind, especially when it comes to politics. I serve on my union’s political committee because I know how important it is for us to have a voice in electing candidates who will stand with us.”
—Pia Morrison, Information Technology Support Specialist, MCPS, pictured with Henrietta Jenkins and Senator Christopher Dodd, a 2008 Democratic candidate for President.
“Now I understand what makes a strong movement. It is not always the politicians who make things happen, but it is truly the unions that fight for the rights of working families. I am going to go back to my peers and tell them, ‘you got to be the change you believe in’ because that’s what I learned here.”
—Gladys Anaza, Vocational Counselor, Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC)