"Politics is my hobby," said Lisa Thompson, a transit operator for King Couty Metro, as she prepared to begin her eight hour volunteer shift at a Labor 2006 phone bank on a Sunday afternoon. "When I volunteer, I feel like I am making a difference in this world."

As an executive board member of her local, Thompson understands that there is a connection between her and her fellow members’ jobs and the person who is elected to office. "If we don’t get involved and elect people who will represent our interests, things could get bad pretty quickly," she said.

"I also know that ATU members are very busy and it is hard for them to make time to volunteer. I try to help out whenever I can." For Thompson, that means regularly volunteering in the Labor 2006 office between her split shifts as an operator and volunteering two or three times a week in the evenings or on weekends for phone banks and Labor Neighbor walks.

As for the phone banks and walks, Thompson says she finds it to be a very rewarding experience. "After just a few seconds on the phone, or talking to someone at their door, you can establish a pretty good relationship with them. Most people really appreciate what we are doing."

Thompson has been active in labor union political efforts since 1999, when her local was fighting a ballot initiative that would have cut taxes that fund bus service. After that she dedicated her time to building her local’s COPE participation. Today, Local 587 is the biggest contributor to ATU-COPE. "It has proven to be very effective in strengthening our influence on local transit issues," she says.