Organizing for Victory in '02
From Gerald W. McEntee, President
The major events of 2001 rank among the most difficult many of us — as Americans and unionists — will experience during our lifetimes. In January, following months of hard work, we endured one of the most bitter elections in our nation's history, only to wind up with a President who was selected by the Supreme Court but who came in second in the popular vote. Pres. George W. Bush swiftly issued four executive orders designed to harm workers and the unions that represent them. Next, his administration repealed hard-won ergonomics regulations. Then the Bush tax cut put a few extra dollars into the pockets of everyday Americans, while dumping buckets of cash on the already wealthy.
Sept. 11 was a very different kind of trauma. Whether we supported George Bush or Al Gore, whether we called ourselves Democrats or Republicans, whether we belonged to unions or not, we banded together in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. We must always remember that day. But we must also remember that our fight for working families continues and many challenges remain.
Protecting services and workers
The fiscal crisis facing all of the states tops the list. Across the country, states are projecting a combined gap between revenue and projected spending of at least $50 billion. AFSCME leaders across the nation, therefore, must use the information from our recent conference on the budget crisis to create state-by-state campaigns to protect public services and public workers (see An 'Enormous Crisis'). We must fight for a legitimate economic stimulus plan that will provide support for families who need it most. We will continue to call for health insurance for the uninsured and prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
We also need to combat the Bush administration's renewed attacks on organized labor — including a new executive order barring certain Justice Department workers — some are our members — from union representation. The President claims that such representation is inappropriate for national security and intelligence workers. He ought to be ashamed of using the devastation of Sept. 11 as a cover for union busting.
His actions show why we must continue to elect more candidates who support working families. And with 36 governorships, 34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats up for election this coming fall, we have an ideal opportunity to do that — while setting the stage for 2004.
Mansion and workplace
In New Jersey's recent election, we helped Jim McGreevey win the governor's office. Seventy-three percent of registered union members turned out to vote, and 67 percent voted for him. Our hard work put Mark Warner in the governor's mansion in Virginia. There is much more to do. To win the fight for America's working families, we must continue to support employees who are standing up and demanding dignity and justice in the workplace.
Last year, AFSCME organized more than 60,000 workers, making us an elite organizing union. That success would have been impossible without the effort and commitment of volunteer organizers. The reason is simple: Nothing is more effective than an approach to a non-union worker by another worker who has made the choice to join a union. Consider John Gibbons and his fellow corrections officer at the Kentucky State Reformatory. Although they put in 13-hour shifts — without lunch breaks — for three consecutive days, they find time to serve as volunteer member organizers. They make house calls and phone calls to tell other COs about the benefits of joining AFSCME.
The efforts of people like Brother Gibbons are paying off: Early last November, 3,400 Kentucky COs voted to hook up with AFSCME, setting the stage for powerful and effective union representation.
Our super-charged organizing effort is lifting lives and transforming workplaces. It is our best weapon for turning the challenges of 2001-02 into opportunities.
