Our Union's One-Two Punch
Web Editor's Note: This article has been edited to comply with Federal Election Commission regulations
From Gerald W. McEntee, President
Since their founding, labor unions have championed the rights of workers in this country, and embraced the struggle for social and economic justice. But over the past four years, the Bush administration has been trying to dismantle everything we've fought for, bled for and held sacred.
From day one, George W. Bush had it in for us. In office less than a month, he signed four anti-labor executive orders — including repealing job protection for workers under contract in public buildings when a new contractor takes over. Many low-paid janitors' jobs were put at-risk.
Bush doesn't care about helping workers or unions thrive — he cares about enriching corporations at the expense of workers.
Just look at how he's rewarded private-sector lobbyists and corporate officers with influential appointments. Under Bush, these industry advocates who have profited financially from opposing the very program they're in charge of are now running some of the most important operations in the federal government. The foxes are truly in the henhouse!
Making Bush's three tax cuts for the wealthy permanent will cost $2.2 trillion over the next decade. These, along with the Iraqi contracts handed to his friends, contribute to our highest ever $4.8-trillion deficit. It's not just that he cuts taxes for the rich and hands out unbid contracts to supporters, but he's done nothing for health care, little to improve schools and has taken a direct aim at unions. Meanwhile, America has lost 3 million jobs. This is why the upcoming election is the most important of our lifetime.
LABOR'S SECRET WEAPONS. First, we need all our councils, locals and affiliates to power up the best political programs they have ever run. Our 1.6 million members and retirees across this great land must: increase our PEOPLE dollars; increase our phone banking; increase our worksite contacts; and increase our door knocking. We must mobilize, mobilize, mobilize. And get out the vote by registering voters and expanding member-to-member contact as if our livelihoods depend on it — because they do!
Our approach is double-barreled because we have a weapon that goes hand in hand with our political power — and that weapon is our organizing power. Because AFSCME is one of the few unions that has made organizing a top priority, we have continued to grow. We have more strength at the bargaining table, in the halls of power and on Election Day.
AFSCME has fought hard and won new collective bargaining rights in Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Puerto Rico and Washington state. In turn, these workers are winning favorable new contracts, which are making a difference in their lives.
We've organized Head Start, home care, mental health workers and bus drivers in California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and several other states. We remain the nation's largest and fastest-growing public service employees union. In the last two years, 100,000 new members have joined — and more than a quarter of a million since our new organizing program began in 1998.
