The Election Heard 'Round the World
A LONG TIME COMING – Speaking at a recent ceremony honoring International union staffers who have served AFSCME for 30 years.
Photo Credit: Luís Gómez
Message from the Secretary-Treasurer
By William Lucy
The 2008 Presidential Election was truly the election heard ’round the world. From Asia to Zimbabwe, the enthusiasm, hopes and dreams of so many people have been rekindled because of a U.S. President who will stand up for working men and women. As the BBC put it, President Obama has a huge reservoir of international goodwill. People across the globe identify with Americans as we move forward, led by a leader prepared to change our country — and the world.
Even before this historic win, speaking in Berlin, Barack Obama drew a crowd of 200,000 people, reminiscent of John F. Kennedy’s famous appearance there. And like Kennedy, our new President won on a ticket of change led by a new generation. JFK reiterated in many speeches, “I am not satisfied.” Almost half a century later, Barack Obama ran on a similar theme affirming that change was possible and necessary — he was not satisfied.
The future of America is set on a new course. Nation after nation overwhelmingly acknowledges that America’s workers have been under attack. We are long overdue for a better time and a fairer deal. This has a particular resonance for public service workers everywhere.
Common Denominator
In numerous countries, people who work in public services as we do have experienced the same trends: Their jobs are being outsourced to private companies, or their governments are not supporting public services as generously as they should. During George Bush’s failed presidency, the United States has led the way in these trends. But now we have in President Obama a leader who supports public services and respects the workers who provide them.
Great Expectations
Expectations are high — in developed and developing countries, alike. Not least is the expectation that the new President will help change attitudes toward the public sector worldwide.
When it comes to workers’ rights, we set the gold standard. But for eight years, we dropped the ball. That’s why union leaders in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa had an enormous stake in Obama’s win.
The Obama-Biden victory is viewed as a giant step in restoring support of workers, working families and the middle class everywhere. From Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, optimism abounds.
The leaders of Public Services International (PSI) openly supported Obama during the election and are very aware of the role unions played in this victory. In fact, according to a Hart Research AFL-CIO post-election survey, union members voted 67 percent for Obama while nonmembers voted 51 percent. Peter Waldorff, General Secretary of PSI said he is expecting change in the U.S. attitude towards the public sector — and the sooner the better.
Obama’s Working America Agenda
Pres. Barack Obama says it best: “I’m a labor guy. I believe in the labor movement. I believe in the American worker. I believe they have a right to organize. I believe they have a right to collectively bargain. I believe it’s important to have a President who doesn’t choke on the word ‘union.’” Now that the pro-working family Obama administration has taken the reins of America’s government, America will set the bar high for the rest of the world’s workers when it comes to dignity, respect and workers’ rights.
