What is V-CAP? The UAW's V-CAP Checkoff is a voluntary program that allows each member to make a modest contribution each month to help your union support candidates who care about American workers and their jobs. By law, union dues cannot be used to support any federal candidate, and in an ever-increasing number of states, any candidate for public office. Our only means of monetary support for many labor- endorsed candidates is voluntary political contributions which are put into the International Union's political action fund, UAW V-CAP. The UAW has negotiated with many employers the right to a bargaining unit check off. All that is necessary is for the UAW member to sign a check off card that instructs the employer to deduct an amount selected by the member. A $1 per month contribution amounts to less than a nickel a day, a $3 per month donation is only a dime a day and so on. It doesn't sound like much, but when you count our members it can add up to a much-needed campaign fund. This same law allows management to do the same. As of June 2000, the following number of PACs were registered with the Federal Election Commission: 1,703 corporations, 888 trade/health/membership associations, 1,293 non-connected, 41 cooperative and 120 corporations without stock. Many of these 4,045 Political Action Committees consist of anti-labor right-wing organizations that are out to weaken and destroy the UAW and all other unions. UAW V-CAP is one of only 348 Labor PAC's to help protect workers from these more than 10 to 1 odds. PROTECTING OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GAINS THROUGH POLITICAL ACTION is the goal of UAW V-CAP. Supporting V-CAP should be a priority among all UAW leadership. This is not just a "CAP issue," it is a total UAW issue. |