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Friday, June 30, 2000'Do Not Doubt Your Message or Destiny'NOTE: This article has been edited to comply with Federal Elections Commission regulations.Fresh from casting a critical vote against a Republican Medicare prescription drug bill she called “a farce on America,” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) inspired AFSCME members with her commitment to labor and her challenge to take back Congress from those who oppose our cause. A key example of what’s at stake was Wednesday’s 217-214 party-line vote on the GOP drug plan, which essentially subsidizes the insurance industry. Working men and women “deserve a drug benefit that is guaranteed,” said Jackson, “not some phony act that the Republicans choose to use” and “not just the opportunity to dial an insurance company, and the line is busy, and they say, ‘No one’s here, we can’t help you.’” What to do? “We need to engage in the politics of boldness,” she declared – and then asked: “Will you take the boldness of the message of this Convention? Will you go out into your hamlets, villages, cities and rural areas ... [and] formulate a message so Americans can cast their ballots” in support of labor’s goals? “This Congress can only change with you voting like you’ve never voted before.” Among many delegates moved by Lee’s speech was Clyde Anderson of Pennsylvania Local 2162 (Council 90). “Every comment made went straight to the heart,” he said “Her whole speech was just what I wanted to hear.” Said Loretta Owens, a Washington, D.C., local president of NUHHCE, an AFSCME affiliate, “When we go back, we will tell our members, and our members will tell their families, and because we’re from the nation’s capital, we’ll be out there like foot soldiers.”
Awards Go To Public Service HeroesThey wanted to contract-out laundry and the making of traffic signs in the Big Apple. They hoped to end public trash collection services in Clinton, Iowa, and they aimed privatization arrows at city services in St. Paul, Minn. But they failed, AFSCME won, so on Thursday, we honored our Public Service Heroes. To standing ovations, members of the affiliates involved took the stage for their well-deserved bows: representatives of New York DC 37 (Locals 420 and 1455); Clinton Local 888; and St. Paul Locals 1842 and 2508 (Council 14). Looking at the winners, AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee beamed and asked the audience, “Doesn’t it make you feel confident about the future of public service?” “We did it, and we did it right,” said Robin Madsen, president of Local 1842. Faced with a mayor who planned to institute “Compete St. Paul,” the AFSCME locals joined with other unions and formed community coalitions that turned city council opinion against privatization. In Clinton, a citizens’ group thought privatization of trash collection services would save money, and got an initiative on the ballot. But it was defeated. “We won because our members went out across the city and talked to the people,” said Bill Tieso, president of Local 888. The sign-makers of Local 1455 had a better idea: Keep the work in-house and add a “gain-sharing” bonus incentive to their contract. As a result, said local Pres. Michael DeMarco, “We were able to put up signs at a cheaper rate than a contractor.” New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani aimed his privatization guns at the Brooklyn Central Laundry, which cleans linens for city hospitals, but he misfired. “We brought him down to his knees and we won,” said IVP and Local 420 Pres. Jim Butler. “You’ve got to have teamwork if you want to beat government.”
Running for Fun and PrideGray skies and a constant drizzle didn’t dampen the spirits of the 189 runners who burned rubber on the soles of their sneakers — and a motorized wheelchair — to raise money for AFSCME’s PEOPLE Program. Participants from 38 locals, councils and affiliates paced themselves around a three-mile course that meandered through Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park and along the picturesque Schuylkill. Panted an exhausted Jim Smith, from Chapter 4550 of Ohio Civil Service Employees Association/Local 11, as he crossed the finish line, “I’m tired! I haven’t run this much since high school.” But by pounding the pavement, Smith added, “we can speak out in a strong voice. All it takes is a little bit from everyone, and that’s what I tried to give.” Gordon Bowman of WA Local 793 (Council 28) was the top male finisher – for at least the third straight time — with a time of 17:19. Susan Thompson of MI Local 25 (Council 25) topped all women at 23:09. Ken Allen, OR Local 3327 (Council 75) raised the most money: $2,047. Second — Patricia Moss, OH Local 2681 (Council 8), $1,273; third — David Cochran, CA Local 2204 (Council 36). Special recognition goes to the OCSEA Women’s Action Committee Relay Team, which raised $5,055. The award for Best Represented Legislative District went to OCSEA. The team included IVP Ron Alexander and 26 members. Other stats from the 2000 run...Total $$ raised: $21,625 – $4,000 more than Convention ’98 in Hawaii...Second place — male: John Emswiler, Local 2421 (Pennsylvania Council 13); female: Darleen Mostellar, Local 2150 (Pennsylvania Council 87) ...Third place – male: Ken Kovacs, Local 755 (Ohio Council 8); female: Yolanda Pumarejo, Local 371 (New York DC 37)...Last place shared by four members from Washington’s Council 28: Diana Parkison and Vivian Robers, Local 443; Cheri Garrett, Local 1299; Joe Lesh, Local 1181...Oldest runner, once again, Loneste Blackwell of Ohio Retiree Chapter 1184...Youngest runner: Charlie Mobley, 13, son of Marie Mobley of Local 3292 (Florida Council 79).
Daily Schedule8:30 a.m. Session Opens Resolutions & Amendments 9:00 a.m. Addresses The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton, Installation of Officers Convention Highlights Video Today’s Weather: Partly cloudy, highs in the low 80s.
As We Were Saying...PEOPLE CORRECTION – Contrary to a previous announcement, PEOPLE will not be discounting the merchandise in its booth today. DISABILITY AWARDS — This year’s winner of the AFSCME/ National Organization on Disabilities award is Local 2960 of Phoenix, Ariz. Through a joint labor/management program, the local helped disabled city employees. Rehabilitation and training allowed the workers to compete for better jobs. 500 CLAMS & A LOT OF MEAT — Iowa Council 61’s PEOPLE fundraisers, in their first such effort at a Convention, raised $535. The council awarded packages of Iowa beef and pork to three contest winners: Sarah Little, Council 61; Marty Beil, Wisconsin Council 24; and Judy Johnson, Washington State Council 2. VIDEO STAR HITS 40 – Happy Birthday to Dave Mortenson of Local 1452 (Minnesota Council 65). Dave “starred” in a memorable 1980s video on the most effective way to organize a strike. Important Places First Aid Lost and Found Message Board
Salute to ChildrenPresident McEntee on Thursday thanked all the young people who have helped make the Convention such a success – stuffing delegate bags, distributing special T-shirts, running errands and pitching in wherever else they could help. Scores of AFSCME kids have joined their parents and/or grandparents in the Convention halls.Chloe (9) and Nathan (8) Runninger led the Pledge of Allegiance on Thursday. Nathan liked it when the delegates applauded. Chloe has most enjoyed helping her brother collect pins; they have 27 so far. Meeting new people has been a hit with Shannon (15) and Kendra (11) Sims. “At our hotel there are people from Wisconsin and New Mexico. They tell us what things are like there,” said Shannon. For Kendra, what really stood out was “all these people, the union. It’s really cool how people can come together like that.” Seven-year-old Shelby Meneely is looking forward to hearing President Clinton speak. Although the youngsters in the Convention child care center have not attended sessions, many of them understand the importance of unions. “Unions help workers. My father used to help organize them in sweatshops,” said Julian de Jesús. “I used to go with him.” Another child in the center, Juleah Jorge, said, “Unions help with equal pay and the right hours to work. They work on who should become the President of the United States.”
‘Rise Up And Demand’John Sweeney, who as president of the AFL-CIO has led the resurgence of organized labor, congratulated AFSCME for its vital contributions in that regard but asked its delegates to redouble their efforts “to help carry us down the road into the 21st century.” To fail to do so, he said, would be to invite defeat at the hands of “conservative politicians” and “corporate greed.” Sweeney gave extensive thanks to AFSCME’s leaders and members. “Of all the leaders in the new AFL-CIO,” he said, Pres. Gerald W. McEntee “has been the most persistent about our programs, the most passionate about our movement, the least parochial about our mission.” As for AFSCME members, “you have demonstrated on the streets of Seattle and Washington, D.C., that you are as concerned about others as you are about yourselves” in fighting “the ravages of globalization.” Every time the AFL-CIO has set out to protest that or other injustices, “we have marched in a sea of AFSCME green.” Sweeney went on to slam such elected officials as Philadelphia Mayor John Street, who solicit union votes but turn their backs on unions once they gain power. “It is time for us,” he declared, “to rise up and demand respect from the people we put into office. ... For us [in 2000 elections], the stakes have never been higher, and we need to work harder than we have ever worked in our lives.”
It’s Final!Delegates from districts with contested races voted for their respective International vice presidents on Thursday morning. The following candidates won, bringing to 31 the number of IVPs selected at this Convention:
Down to Business — IIOf the 18 resolutions considered today, the following were adopted: No. 1/17/26/71 (combined and amended) – Support for Increased Access to Prescription Drug Coverage
One more time for prizes...AFSCME Advantage – For Thursday, Virginia Stewart, OH Local 1768 (Council 8) won a $500 credit toward her AFSCME MasterCard and a 25-inch color TV. PEOPLE – Michael Riggio, NY DC 37, gets to take home a Pentium 3 personal computer. Jerry LaPoint, AFSCME retiree from WI Council 40, was the seller of the winning ticket on Wednesday but generously donated his prize money back to PEOPLE. AFSCME Activist Center – Robert Bennett, WI Local 560 (Council 40) is the grand prizewinner of the limited edition AFSCME PEOPLE jacket. Winners from Thursday are Ed Brown, FL Local 3038 (Council 79); Josephine Wright, NJ Local 1199J; Christine Mumma, NY CSEA/Local 1000; Lisa Robertson, PA Local 2902 (Council 85); John Denniston, MI Local 25 (Council 25); Michael Windey, MN Local 1842 (Council 14); Jacob Azeke, NY Local 374 (DC 37); Charles Lee, CA Local 206/UAPD; Bergith Kayyali, WA Local 843 (Council 28); and Belinda Dixon, NY Local 1549 (DC 37). All winners from Monday through Thursday should pick up their prizes from 9 to 11 a.m. today at the Guest Registration Booth. After the Convention, winners should call the International Legislation Department at 1-800-732-8120 to claim their prizes. There are a number of winners who have yet to claim their prizes: Robin Price, Delaware; Everett Brown, Pennsylvania; James Zaccarelli, Pennsylvania; Scott Steffens, Wisconsin; Peggy Chambers, New York; Glennis Folks, New Jersey; Connie Murphy, Minnesota; and Cathy Thomas, Oregon. Organizing Booth – William T. Murphree, AZ Local 3195 (Council 97), won an organizing T-shirt. Health and Safety Booth – James Smith, OCSEA/Local 11, and Rosalind Hazel, NJ NUHHCE/Local 1199J, won attaché cases. Pick up your prizes before 8 a.m. today. The ‘UNFAIR’ – Kathy Vitan, NY CSEA Local 11; Cathy Byrne, WI Local 2748 (Council 24); and Linda Rhym, PA Local 2187 (Council 47) are winners of autographed “Captain America” Marvel comic book. Helen Ferguson, NY Local 1549 (DC 37) and Althea Duval, NY Local 95 (DC 1707) won drawings for golf putters. “Do You Want to Be a Privatization-Fighting Millionaire?” winners are Tanya McLaughlin, WA Local 2083 (Council 2); Phillip Weiss, NY Local 768 (DC 37); Leon Thomas, CA Local 585 (Council 36); Daniel Hendler, WA (affiliations missing); Salandra Benton-Hanna, FL Local 3040 (Council 79); Odyssey Wilkins, MD Local 647 (Council 67); Alma Salguero, CA Local 685 (Council 36); Cheryl Hutchison, CO Local 1605 (Council 76); Ed Scurry, PA Local 2069 (Council 85); Mabel Everett, NY Local 205 (DC 1707); Pat Zinz, PA Local 1050 (Council 13); Patrick James, PA Local 3769 (Council 13). Cecile Marie Purdy, WI Local 645 (Council 48), is the winner of the Guess the Jelly Beans contest, which earned her a $50 long-distance credit card. Susan L.H. Gordon, PA Local 2246 (Council 83) is the winner of the grand prize: two airline tickets to any destination in the continental United States. Winners of PEOPLE dollars, Tillie Myers, OH Local 2174 (Council 8), $200, and Vivian Hundzynski, PA NUHHCE/1199C, $100, must redeem them at the PEOPLE Booth today. All other prizes can be picked at the Guest Registration Booth.
Never Too YoungSample stanzas from a poem written for the Convention by 11-year-old Rebecca McGuire, the daughter of Illinois state employees Carroll and Kathy McGuire, both of Local 1048 (Council 31).
We go everywhere to fight AppealsThe Convention upheld 4 appeals of the rulings of the Judicial Panel at Thursday’s session: Jackson vs. Freckmann; and election protests by Local 2419, Local 2448 (Council 94) and Local 11 (Chapter 7700).
CorrectionWisconsin Council 40 and New York Council 1707 were accidentally omitted from the AFSCME in Motion Organizing Honor Roll. Both are participants in the Corporate Strategy Organizing Program. |
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