Welcome To The WFSE 43rd Biennial Convention

Welcome Delegates, Alternates and Guests to the 43rd Biennial Convention of the Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME Council 28!


If you are reading this, you are a member who enjoys being in the know and you are very likely actively engaged in the life of your union, your community, your country and your world. We all owe you a debt of gratitude because you are the people that make each generation better than the last and the world a better place.

Unions and their members are the reason working conditions for all people improve over time – in this country and others. They are the warriors for the working class everywhere. These improvements came at a high price. Some people paid with their lives and still do. That’s why it’s important to organize new groups of workers and to activate as many people within our bargaining units as possible. Our power is in the rank and file membership.

Due to activism and direct action, we are able to prevent a lot of bad things from happening to good people. We are also, in significant part, the reason good things happen for our members and the community at large. We partner at times with various groups in the community on issues of shared concern. We need these allies and they need us. For example, the Developmental Disability Parents groups have worked hard with us to prevent the closure of Yakima Valley School, Rainier School and others. In Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, Naselle Youth Camp activated their entire community to stop the closure of their program. We saw the same activism in the fight to save Green Hill and Maple Lane. The loss of these facilities would have severely damaged the communities and the quality of life for the families who need these services. The battle to save the Fish Hatcheries goes on. If not for the activism in Parks and the community interest, we may have seen parks in our state turn into havens for drug activity and worse. In other battles, we have saved entire job classes in state service from being eliminated. The increase in the minimum wage for all workers, assault benefits for injured workers, and a whole host of other legislation is due in large part to efforts by the labor community.

Direct action can take many forms and the talents of our members continually move the union forward in new ways. From those who create stories in song, to cartoon drawings depicting work conditions, to those who simply show up for actions in support of issues. Each member has something important to offer. Often they are willing to share their talent if we only take the time to ask them.

On this blog, I try to take you with me to experience some of the events I attend and share some of the things that I see and hear. Thank you to those who are here at convention and thank you to those reading this from home.

In solidarity,

Carol

AFL-CIO Convention Senator Specter/President Obama

Excitement was in the air as delegates passed through security lanes today. Soon after convention opened, Senator Arlen Specter addressed the convention. He holds the senior position on the Appropriations Committee. Delegates support healthcare reform with a public option. They cheered as Senator Specter predicted "a very good bill within 60 days" and expressed his support of a robust public option.

Convention business continued through lunch and into the afternoon. Some time after 1pm, it was obvious security for the President had arrived. He is a true orator. His words electrified the crowd. I could never do his words and his style justice. There were television cameras so I believe there will be opportunities for members to view it. He said that healthcare costs have grown three times faster than wages in the past ten years. He pledged support for Healthcare Reform with a public option. He addressed the misinformation and fear mongering being spread in an effort to stop the conversation and the bill.

President Obama spoke in support of the Employee Free Choice Act. He conveyed a deep understanding of how important unions are to maintaining a healthy middle class which is essential to a healthy and successful United States of America.

AFL-CIO Convention Fun Quote Of The Day

Jim Wasser, representing the Veteran's Council spoke passionately at the convention today about the power of workers to change the course of the country. This may not be an exact quote but I believe it is close. Fun Quote: "You've heard of weapons of mass destruction? Well, here's a weapon of mass instruction - VOTE!"

AFL-CIO Caroline Kennedy Remembers

Caroline Kennedy addressed the AFL-CIO convention today. Speaking tenderly of the friendship between her uncle, Senator Ted Kennedy, and AFL-CIO President Sweeney, she told those gathered at the convention that Senator Kennedy and all of labor shared a vision. "We have an opportunity to change American lives for the better." Senator Kennedy spent his career working for healthcare reform. He helped create the Employee Free Choice Act and introduced it. He believed that any worker should have the ability join a union if they want, free of harrassment by the employer. She spoke of the plan for the Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. It will be union built and unions will help with the fundraising efforts in honor of the commitment Senator Kennedy made to working people.

AFL-CIO Have You Been To Jail For Justice?

Representative Chu Poses With Paparazzi!

Have you been to jail for justice? California Representative Judy Chu has - standing up for workers in the hotel industry. This picture was taken after her inspiring speech to the AFL-CIO Convention.

AFL-CIO Convention - Secretary Of Department Of Labor

The day began with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis addressing the AFSCME caucus prior to the opening of the convention. Arlene Holt-Baker, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO also addressed the group over breakfast.

More than a thousand delegates and alternates attended representing 55 unions, 48 state federations, and 4 direct affiliates. 43% of delegates are women/people of color.

The United Steelworkers announced that for the first time in a very long time, the laws of this country were enforced to prevent the improper loss of jobs in the United States. President Obama stopped the illegal import of Chinese tires. The members of the Steelworkers union were credited with sending 72,000 letters asking for enforcement.

Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis addressed the convention. With an unemployment rate of 9.7%, and 23% of them youth, Secretary Solis made a commitment to work with the White House to “export products not paychecks”.

• She said women now earn, on average, eighty cents for every man’s dollar. Seventy per cent of the disabled do not participate in the workforce. Acknowledging the problems the American workforce faces, Secretary Solis focused on what has been accomplished since the new administration took office and on the investments made in the future.
  
  
• She talked about the 500 million dollars being invested in green jobs as well as other programs. She said, “We will leave no vet behind just as they leave no warrior on the battlefield.” She talked about programs like, “Helmets to Hardhats”.
  
  
• She spoke in support of project labor agreements for federally funded projects. She said US workers will get first dibs at jobs and she will work for changes in the H2A program.

“It’s not a good job unless it’s a safe and secure job,” said Solis. She said the Department of Labor is “back in the enforcement business”. With more than 670 investigators hired (returning the department to a level not seen since 2001), 689 inspections have occurred since July 2009. Quoting President Obama, who said, “Labor is not the problem – labor is the solution”, she committed to work with the White House to make the strongest possible argument in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act. As AFSCME President McEntee eloquently stated this morning, “When workers in the private sector suffer – workers in the public sector suffer as well.”

Members are encouraged to call their Senators in support of EFCA.
Learn more at employeefreechoiceact.org.

AFL-CIO Diversity Summit

AFL-CIO Convention Events

The Diversity Summit began Sunday at 9 am. Thornton Alberg, Paulette Thompson, Jacquie Jones-Walsh, and Rodolfo Franco represented Council 28. I spent the morning at the summit prior to attending the AFSCME caucus for AFL-CIO delegates.

AFL-CIO President Sweeney addressed the Diversity Summit, stating that after 14 years of service in that role, he would be stepping down from Presidency of the AFL-CIO but stepping up to perhaps an even greater role as Labor Warrior At Large. He spoke about how important it is to engage those who are members of unions but not full participants in the union, particularly younger workers. He honored the commitment and dedication of AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Bill Lucy.

In 2005, Resolution 2 passed at the AFL-CIO convention and brought about significant change in the make up of Central Labor Council leadership across the nation. Through this resolution, the labor movement made a commitment to full participation and inclusion of all members regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, faith, age, sexual orientation, disability or immigrant status.

Clayola Brown, President of APRI, brought the crowd to its feet as she spoke of the changes in the labor movement since that time. She told the group that opportunities created in the efforts to achieve full inclusion in leadership for people of color, women, disabled, and LGBT had resulted in this wonderful rainbow of people attending the Diversity Summit.

Members were encouraged to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by contacting Congressional Representatives. It is under consideration now and stands a good chance of passing if it is well supported now. One of the speakers said that in 38 states it is still legal to fire a worker based on gender identification or because there is a picture of their gay, lesbian, transgender partner on their desk. Please make the call and help end discrimination in our country.