AFSCME’s Agenda: Serving America Well

From Gerald W. McEntee — President

A virtual tie in the Presidential race, complete with its twists and turns and ups and downs; an even split between the two major political parties in the Senate; and a razor-thin margin separating the Republicans and the Democrats in the House of Representatives. All of those indicate a country divided. To say the least, this reality presents an enormous challenge for everyone who was sent to Washington to act on the will of the people.

For his part, President Bush has vowed to reach out to all Americans, regardless of party affiliation. Moments after Vice President Gore conceded the election, Bush stressed that even if he did not win majority support, he would work to serve their interests.

Time will tell whether the interests of AFSCME members — who, like their union brothers and sisters, voted heavily for Al Gore — will be embraced and supported by the man who describes himself as a "uniter, not a divider." I certainly hope so, because our union’s interests are the interests of America. Granted, it is an agenda that was much more parallel to that of Vice President Gore. Nevertheless, it’s one that we will not give up on simply because it will now be more difficult to accomplish.

As the new President and Congress settle in, AFSCME will continue to fight for its members on numerous fronts. In some cases — like the long-awaited and recently achieved ergonomics standard — we will work to protect what we have labored so hard to achieve. In other cases, we will work to expand on our successes. And in still others, to launch fresh, bold initiatives aimed at enriching the lives of all Americans.

The items high on our union’s agenda include:

• Increasing the Minimum Wage — Raising the minimum wage by a dollar over the next two years is simply the right thing to do. The last increase in September 1997 directly affected 9.9 million workers who were earning less than $5.15 an hour. But it’s worth noting that such increases also raise the wages of millions of American workers who earn more than the minimum. In fact, nearly 20 million workers received a pay raise with the minimum wage increase.
• Expanding Medicare to Include a Prescription Drug Benefit — As highlighted in the Presidential contest, far too many of America’s elderly are forced to choose between buying groceries or electricity and paying for prescription drugs. AFSCME will lead the charge to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare to make medicine more affordable for those whose age makes it a vital commodity.
• Protecting Social Security — For 60 years, our country’s most successful social program has provided its benefits without fail. But now some — including President Bush — want to replace this proven program with risky and expensive private-investment accounts. AFSCME will be in the forefront of those saying, No!

Our long and distinguished history of shaping legislative and public policy gives us good reason to believe that we will accomplish our goals. Thanks to AFSCME’s unstinting efforts and strong convictions, worksites have become safer and more open to minorities and women; civil liberties have been protected; fairer economic and social policies have been enacted; and workers have benefited from family-friendly policies like the Family and Medical Leave Act.

But much remains to be done.

For example, the justly heralded ergonomics standard, which is aimed at preventing disabilities and injuries that often result from repetitive motion and poorly designed workplace equipment, will probably come under attack by ultra-conservatives. Policies that protect women and minorities may also be threatened. And tax proposals tilted toward the wealthiest Americans will need to be beaten back in favor of economic measures that help working families and the disadvantaged.

We face enormous challenges, but also great opportunities. As we begin the new millennium, the convening of the 107th Congress and the start of President Bush’s term in office, AFSCME stands ready to renew its fight for an agenda that will serve the interests of America’s working families. This is an agenda in which we strongly believe and which every American — regardless of political party affiliation — can take great pride in supporting.