AFSCME: Who We Are
By Jon Melegrito
A recent survey shows that AFSCME’s membership is...
Ten years ago, clerical staff constituted the largest group of AFSCME workers at 29 percent. Today, they comprise only 19 percent. The number of technical workers, on the other hand, quadrupled to 20 percent within the same period.
Computers are, of course, the reason. They have radically altered the workplace, as well as the way workers do their jobs. In 1991, only 7 percent of members had access to the Internet. Today, 10 times that many have some means of access — a dramatic surge — enabling them to send e-mail and search for information.
In the last decade, the number of members with some college education also increased, from 23 percent to 34 percent, and this became the largest group of AFSCME workers in terms of educational attainment. Members with college degrees jumped from 15 to 23 percent during the same period.
Those are among the findings in AFSCME’s recently completed survey of members and leaders. Conducted every two years, this national study is based on the responses of 1,000 active members (742 rank-and-file members and 258 leaders) who are randomly selected and interviewed by telephone. (Editor’s note: This poll was taken before Sept. 11 and the subsequent accelerated economic downturn.)
In AFSCME’s membership, the number of women still exceeds the number of men. Ten years ago, the 40-49 age group comprised about a fourth of AFSCME’s membership. That group now constitutes the largest segment with 35 percent, followed by the over-50 group with 31 percent. On the other hand, workers younger than 30 decreased from 9 to 8 percent.
Other results capture the membership’s outlook and attitude toward issues that affect workers:
Roughly two-thirds of all members have a positive view of labor unions, while a slightly smaller majority (56 percent) consider themselves to be "real supporters" of the labor movement. Sixty-eight percent say that the "positives" outweigh the "negatives"; 10 years ago, 57 percent gave that answer.
Of seven possible union goals, nine out of 10 members attach high priorities to protecting their job security and collective bargaining. "Helping individual employees who have job problems," "expanding employee’s promotion and educational opportunities" and "fighting against contracting out of jobs" rank high among 81, 77 and 75 percent of members, respectively.
As for factors that give members the most serious concern about job security, privatization tops the list with 43 percent, followed by budget cutbacks and downsizing (38 percent). Labor-saving technology and trade policies are not considered serious threats.
On issues, Social Security/retirement continue to be members’ top national priority, with one out of five saying it is the issue they are "most concerned" about at present. Education also ranks as a leading issue (19 percent), followed by jobs and the economy (17 percent) and health care (16 percent).
Finally, a majority of members (56 percent) believe that "Bush’s proposal cuts taxes for the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us." Only slightly over a third believe the proposal "cuts taxes deeply for all of us."
