For Immediate Release
Friday, September 07, 2001
AFSCME Labor Activists Convene to Commit to Growth
President McEntee Urges a "Grassroots Army" of Organizers at LA Convention to "Build Real Power" for Working Families
Los Angeles, CA —AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee appealed to a grassroots army of organizers at the public service union's first-ever Organizing Convention to help bring 100,000 unorganized workers into the Labor Movement over the next two years.
"You know that we must marshal all our union's resources - our political power, our bargaining strength, our members, and our financial resources -- to grow our union," McEntee told the crowd, during a keynote address to organizers from across the country who gathered for the event. "Grow it so that it is strong in the workplace, at the bargaining table, in the halls of power, and on Election Day. Grow it so we can build real power for all of America's working families."
McEntee included a financial challenge to his call to action, telling the assembled crowd to join the International union in putting more financial resources toward organizing and "make the tough decisions to get closer to 30 percent of the budget to organize."
The drive to organize and win more members into its ranks has jumped to the top of the Labor Movement's agenda, according to McEntee, and AFSCME's commitment has never been stronger. The Organizing Convention, being held in Los Angeles September 7 - 9, is bringing together over 1,200 leaders, activists, organizers, members and unorganized workers. AFSCME officials say it is a bold step toward their commitment to organize new growth, and follows on an organizing initiative launched at AFSCME's 1998 International Convention.
Since the 1998 kickoff, AFSCME's new commitment to organizing has added 75,000 new workers to its ranks. Today, AFSCME's aggressive organizing agenda includes drives in California, Puerto Rico, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri and dozens of other public and private sector campaigns across the country. Together AFSCME organizers say these efforts have a multi-year potential to add as many as 100,000 new members to their ranks. AFSCME, which has earned a reputation as a political powerhouse, currently estimates a membership 1.3 million strong.
On Saturday, scheduled speakers at the convention include actor and activist Edward Asner, and Kentucky Governor Paul E. Patton. Patton will be accepting a special leadership award in exchange for his role in giving public sector workers in Kentucky the right to organize. And on Sunday, recently elected L.A. Mayor Jim Hahn is expected to address the convention.
MORE QUOTES FROM THE ORGANIZING CONVENTION:
Denise Berkley
Member of Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 1000
"I'm ready to do my part. I have learned a lot here that I want to take back to my local, and just share some of the energy of this convention. I've been involved for a long time, but now I want to take it to another level because organizing is so urgent."
Wanda DeJesus
Organizing committee member, corrections campaign, Servidores Públicos Unidos/AFSCME
"All of you have made me feel so welcome, and this has been such a great experience for me. I loved the singing and chanting, and the excitement of our celebrations. Organizing is hard work, especially in Puerto Rico where there are larger political issues such as statehood that impact on everything we do. But being here gives me new fervor for organizing."
Kevin Haugh
Member of AFSCME Local 3299 and Membership Action Team leader at University of California--Berkeley
"We have to be astute politically. We have to look for opportunities to use AFSCME's renowned political and legislative strength to win new opportunities for workers to organize. For example, we won legislation for agency fee throughout the Univ. of California system. In a nutshell, that legislation helped us go from 2,000 members to almost 8,000 since it took effect at the beginning of 2000. Let me just put that out there as a challenge for everyone else here to see if you can match it next time we get together."
James Bailey
Organizing committee member, corrections unit of AFSCME campaign for Kentucky state employees
"We've heard a lot of good words this weekend. But we also need some new hands helping, knocking on doors and helping us organize in Kentucky. I'm sure the people here from Missouri and Puerto Rico would say the same thing. What I'm saying is, let's put words into action. Our coworkers face daily pressure from supervisors and also just apathy. It really makes a difference when workers who are wavering hear from workers in other states. That's what organizing means to me, workers talking to workers."
Richard Andrews
Member of AFSCME Council 36, Los Angeles
"In my own struggle, as one of more than 2,000 recreation assistants who organized with AFSCME last year, I have experienced first hand what it's like not to be part of a union. We receive no benefits. No health insurance - no pension. Nothing. Our hours are limited and we're often forced to work without pay. And yet we are the ones entrusted to run after-school, preschool and sports programs for our children and our seniors! Now is this any way to run a city park and recreation system? Please join us in the rally later today to support our efforts to get a first contract. The boss is watching, so be loud and be proud, AFSCME members."
James Flynn
Worcester, MA, president of Local 1709, Council 93 AFSCME
"We're here to support the public employees of Recreation and Parks Department of the City of Los Angeles to give them all the support we can, to help them get a fair contract, and a contract that they can live with and enjoy life the way it should be enjoyed. "The union can't stand still. … it starts with the local and that's why I'm here - to know how to do it properly, to address the situation so we might address and to keep everybody going forward instead of standing still. You're missing. You're missing the empowerment of the people."
Minerva Aller
Member of United Nurses Association of California 1199/AFSCME
"My name is Minerva Aller, and I am proud to represent California AFSCME and the 500 nurses at Tenet Healthcare who are now part of UNAC. Currently, we are in contract negotiations - and maybe you could all say a little prayer for us because management is being very stubborn!"
Brenda Munoz
Organizing Institute Intern, currently assigned to AFSCME Univ. of Maryland campaign
"Thank you for inviting me here today -- it's nice being back home in California. But I really love the organizing I'm doing at the University of Maryland. For too long, workers there and elsewhere haven't known what their rights were and that they deserved respect. Along with other AFSCME organizers, I am on site talking to workers and educating them about collective bargaining and what a difference a union can make in their lives.
"I know first-hand what's it's like when workers -- and in my family immigrant workers -- are afraid to lose their job. When workers think if they take time off to care for a sick child or go to a school meeting, they will be fired. My mother brought up five children and was washing dishes at an airport in the early 90s. My father had to be away -- and I got used to mom saying she couldn't come to parents' night, she couldn't come to a school play because she was afraid she'd lose her job.
"I think for me, I'm out there organizing so that not one more worker has to sacrifice family for work."
Dan DiMaggio
Student leader and participant of May sit-in at Harvard demanding a living wage, son of CSEA/AFSCME Local 1000 member
"Good morning everyone. I agree with Brenda. I too grew up with unions. My father, who is now a driver for the Office of Aging in upstate New York, and is an AFSCME member of Local 1000, has inspired me. And through his membership, I was fortunate enough to receive an AFSCME family scholarship that is allowing me to attend Harvard.
"As one of the activists at Harvard who took a stand when workers were not treated fairly, I can say that it's important to stand up and be counted. It's particularly important at an institution such as Harvard where so many influential people -- people who will be in the highest positions -- are educated. If you can make some of them aware of the inequities in this society then you have a chance of creating a more democratic society in the future. I believe that students, workers -- all people -- must stick together."
