Talk Back

Photos by Alexandra Buxbaum

Affordable Health Care Now

“We are the richest country in the world so there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t provide affordable health care to every American. I know of people — including some members of my own family — who struggle with the burden of high costs. Uninsured families pay three times more in hospital bills than those with insurance. With our vast resources as a powerful nation, we should be able to implement a universal health care plan that would benefit everyone regardless of their status.”

Carmen Bermudez
Library Assistant
Local 1716 (Connecticut Council 4)

Raise the Minimum Wage

“Increasing the minimum wage is long overdue. I remember making only $2.65 an hour back in 1978. Wages don’t keep up with inflation. I don’t see how a family can support itself, let alone get ahead in this society. Both parents need to be working and earning decent wages. We all want to advance and take advantage of opportunities to improve the quality of our lives and those of our children. That’s one reason I like to see more workers getting active in unions. The cards are stacked against workers.”

Stuart Swessel
Equipment Operator
Local 882 (Wisconsin Council 48)

Women on the Move

“As a single, working mother with two teenaged daughters, I am thrilled to see Nancy Pelosi become Speaker of the House. This is a monumental achievement for women, but we still have a long way to go when it comes to issues like family and medical leave, and a fair living wage. We must do more than just talk about family values. Putting more women in positions of power is a good start. To help my daughters understand that, I take them with me to get-out-the-vote activities.”

Carol Justice
Administrative Coordinator
Local 189 (Oregon Council 75)

CEO Pay

Here are some comments from AFSCME members on why CEOs should not receive exorbitant pay packages, especially when they fail to perform. (For more information on AFSCME’s efforts to hold corporations accountable, see Page 19.)

“The $210-million severance package that the Home Depot CEO received is ridiculous — especially when you consider that the company’s stock plummeted during his tenure. As chairman of the board of trustees for the Kansas City Employees’ Retirement System, I am outraged that corporate executives are making 300 times more than the ordinary worker. This huge disparity is both a values and a moral issue to me. We should care that many Americans can’t afford basic necessities in order to survive.”

Charlie Hull
Maintenance Electrician
Local 500 (Kansas City, MO)

“Home Depot should look at how they are treating their workers and ensure they are being paid fair wages instead of lining their CEO’s pockets with outrageous compensation packages. Wal-Mart’s even worse — that’s why I’ve stopped shopping there. If there was a real sharing of the wealth, fewer people would have to struggle to survive.”

Kevin Sulfridge
Construction Inspector
Local 101 (Ohio Council 8)

“It’s appalling what the select few in this country are getting away with. If they get a raise, workers should also get a raise. Instead, they get a bigger piece of the pie and all we get are crumbs. Even when they don’t do a good job, these CEOs of big corporations are walking off with the whole store while the people working for them and doing all the work aren’t getting the benefits they deserve. The rich want their tax breaks but there are no breaks for the poor. This is not the American way.”

Margaret Fuller
Librarian
Local 2063 (Pennsylvania Council 13)