New AFSCME International Board Member Elected

July 21, 2010

International Vice President Gary Mitchell

Gary Mitchell, president of Local 2412 (Wisconsin Council 24) is AFSCME’s newestInternational Vice President.

A rank-and-file member of AFSCME since 1980, Mitchell was elected to the post in July during the union’s 39th International Convention in Boston.

Mitchell becomes one of 35 members of AFSCME’s Executive Board, replacing Michael Murphy of Council 40 who retired as Wisconsin’s representative on the board.

“We are in a battle to protect our critical public services and preserve hard-won wages and benefits, and we look forward to Gary working with us on these and other issues affecting AFSCME members,” says AFSCME International Pres. Gerald W. McEntee.

“It’s a great honor and a humbling experience,” says Mitchell, who has been elected president of his local annually since 2003. He also was its vice president, steward, chief steward, PEOPLE chair and organizing chair.

In addition, he has served on his council’s Executive Board and as congressional district PEOPLE chair. He also chaired the union’s bargaining team.

Mitchell works in administrative support at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, helping kidney dialysis and kidney transplant doctors.

He first became an AFSCME member when he was hired to work at the university’s print shop, but soon discovered that he wanted to do more for his fellow workers. “I was happy to be a steward that stood up for people who needed help,” he says. “That’s how I got started.”