NYC Is Not For Sale – Campaign History
CWA Local 1180 Campaign Overview Video
In 2009, Arthur Cheliotes, President of CWA Local 1180, initiated a comprehensive strategic campaign targeting New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial run for a third term
Mayor Bloomberg’s disregard for term limits was made more controversial by the fact that he spent almost two hundred million dollars in an effort to get re-elected in the midst of the worst economic recession in decades.
Despite the growing public unrest, there was no sign of an organized campaign to harness the frustrations of New York’s millions of working families.
In the face of unprecedented campaign spending by Mayor Bloomberg (nearly $1 million per day), Local 1180 developed a campaign that integrated humor and creativity, social media strategies (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube), radio and television ad campaigns and guerrilla-style political protests to connect with New York City’s middle and working class in opposition to Mayor Bloomberg’s candidacy for a third-term.
Political analysts cited CWA Local 1180’s campaign as a key factor that made the race for New York City Mayor far closer than anyone had predicted.
- On October 12, 2009, just prior to the launch of “New York City is Not for Sale,” polls were predicting a Bloomberg landslide by as much as 18 points.
- On November 3, 2009, with 87% of precincts reporting, early results were stunning; Bloomberg and Thompson were at a virtual tie.
