Setting Sights on San Francisco

38th International Convention: Important & Action-Packed

By Clyde Weiss

For one week in late July, some 6,000 AFSCME delegates, alternates and guests will meet here to kick off a vigorous, three-month campaign to take back the White House for America's working families, increase our gains in the U.S. House and Senate, and continue our progress on the state and local levels. Delegates will also set the table for legislative victories in 2009, from national health care reform to enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act.

The occasion is AFSCME's 38th biennial Convention, and in this Presidential election year, the stakes are especially high. In November voters will choose the course the nation will take: A continuation of the failed policies of the Bush administration with the election of John McCain or a new agenda set by a pro-union, pro-working-family President who supports health care reform, a roll-back of privatization, expansion of collective bargaining rights, retirement security, proper funding for public services and an end to the Iraq war.

Pres. Gerald W. McEntee and Sec.-Treas. Bill Lucy will ask delegates to dig down deep and mobilize more members than ever before to win at the ballot box and win an America that lives up to its promise.

All of AFSCME's International Executive Board members—president, secretary-treasurer and 32 vice presidents—will be elected by delegates. The delegates will also consider key policy resolutions and Constitutional amendments, including measures to advance the Power to Win plan. Adopted at the 2006 International Convention, this bold, new strategy is already expanding our ranks, mobilizing more members and increasing political power throughout our union.

Return Engagement. When San Francisco hosted AFSCME's 1984 Convention, we stood 1 million members strong. Since then, some 400,000 workers have joined, making us the largest AFL-CIO union.

This exciting, history-making event will help turn America around and get it moving in the right direction.

Important Details

• The Convention will be held at the Moscone West at Fourth and Howard streets in the city's downtown district.
• Registration for delegates and alternates opens Saturday, July 26 and closes at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29.
• A reception will be held on the evening of Sunday, July 27. The Convention formally opens for business on Monday, July 28, and ends on Friday, Aug. 1.
• The Convention Call, AFSCME's formal invitation to delegates will be mailed to councils, locals and retiree chapters in April. The package outlines specific requirements about the submission of resolutions, delegate election procedures and submission of credentials. It also includes housing registration forms and information about airline discounts, shuttle services, workshop schedules and child care. The Convention Call will appear on afscme.org, but without the delegate credential forms.
• AFSCME's Retirees Council will meet July 26–27, the weekend before the Convention opens.
• March 30 was the earliest date for the election of Convention delegates, except for those from affiliates that meet less frequently than quarterly, and this restriction does not apply to any elected officer serving as an automatic delegate as provided in the affiliate's constitution.
• Regular credentials must be postmarked no later than July 8, 20 days prior to the opening of the Convention. Credentials postmarked after that date are considered irregular, and such delegates will not be included in the initial Report of the Credentials Committee, but will be included in any reports after the Convention votes to seat these irregular delegates. This date is also the deadline for submission of resolutions. Resolutions not postmarked by this date may only be considered after a two-thirds vote of the Convention.