Union members were instrumental in this historic election.

by Seth Michaels, From the AFL-CIO Blog

Here’s how union members made the difference in last night’s big win.

• Union voters supported President-elect Barack Obama 67 percent to 30 percent over Sen. John McCain. In the top-tier battleground states the difference was even more stark, with union members going for Obama 69 to 28—a 41-point margin.
• While McCain won among voters ages 65 and up, active and retired union members older than 65 went for Obama by a 46-point margin.
• While McCain won among veterans, union veterans went for Obama by a 25-point margin.
• Working America members, concentrated in key states, supported Obama by 67 percent to 30 percent.
• 60 percent of union members and 56 percent of Working America members said the economy was a top issue.
• Union members got a lot of contact from their unions about the election, with more than 80 percent receiving union mail, more than 80 percent receiving union publications, 59 percent getting live phone calls and 32 percent getting worksite fliers.
• 75 percent of union members say Obama’s victory gives him a mandate to make major change. 81 percent support the Employee Free Choice Act.
• 21 percent of voters were in a union or union household.

With 52 percent and more than 62 million votes, Obama has more than surpassed Bush’s 2004 win. His seven-point win over McCain is a decisive victory for pro-working family policies.

In union-heavy Midwestern states, where Bush had come close and McCain campaigned hard, the efforts of union volunteers helped put them solidly in Obama’s column. Obama won by 13 points in Wisconsin, 16 points in Michigan, 10 points in Minnesota and 11 points in Pennsylvania.

As of this morning, it looks like we’ve added at least five new pro-worker senators, and many AFL-CIO-endorsed candidates will be headed to the U.S. House as well. While union members didn’t win every race they targeted, the breadth and national scale of working families’ victory is striking.

Here’s how this historic win took place. More than 250,000 union volunteers devoted their time and energy to reaching out to their fellow union members—educating them on issues, informing them about candidates and getting out the vote. Some 10 million door knocks, 70 million phone calls, 27 million worksite fliers and 57 million union mail pieces made the difference in races from the White House to state legislatures.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says that last night’s results show the continued strength of the union movement and the widespread desire for change in this country.

We salute labor leaders and volunteers all across our country for a record turnout of voters from union households—they made the difference in critical states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and so many others. We congratulate Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Our prayers and our continuing support are with them as we begin the arduous task of turning our country around.

The union movement put its full efforts into its largest political mobilization ever, and the results are clear. It’s a historic victory for working families and a chance to pass policies that will pull us out of our economic crisis and make real changes in real people’s lives.

Now, we have to move forward and fight for those policies. It won’t be easy or quick. But as we proved this year and last night, when working families unite and work hard, we can win.