Toward a More Powerful Union

From the President: Gerald W. McEntee

For too long, you've heard the same battle cry: Public service workers and the services we provide are under attack. It's gone from bad to worse. We're now in a life and death struggle. If we don't want our jobs privatized, our rights thrown out and the entire public sector demolished, we have to act now.

THE PROBLEM
The enemies of public services are stronger and bolder than ever before. President Bush's budget is just one example of their plan to bring us down. Unions losing members is a symptom of their pro-wealthy and anti-everyone else philosophy. The result is that the middle class is shrinking, along with middle-class hopes for a better life. Over the past six and a half years, we have fought fiercely against the havoc and corruption wreaked by the current administration. Meanwhile, Bush's budget proposal will cut services America depends on, services we provide. In addition, his tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy will deplete our funds for education, seniors and public services.

THE CHALLENGE
We can't let our wages, pensions and health care be decimated, our jobs shipped overseas, our bargaining rights picked off state by state — as they were in Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri. It can't be business as usual. That's where the 21st Century Initiative comes in. It's our bold, new plan created with input from members and leaders across the country.

THE SOLUTION
With your help, we'll adopt this plan at our International Convention this summer in Chicago. The first priority is: Involve more mem–bers. We must stop relying on the same relatively few people to carry our water. It's time for each of us to actively participate in OUR union. So we're including an exciting Leadership Institute to give our locals the tools to effectively harness member energy.

The next recommendation is: Hold politicians accountable. Our year-round political-action program will center on member education. We will create a 40,000-member army and move our percentage of members registered to vote from 72 to 90 percent. And then we'll bird dog elected officials until their promises are carried out!

We must also:

• Tackle the health care crisis. We will secure good health care benefits. The bottom line is: We can't keep sacrificing health care for raises. (See cover story, "Health Care Meltdown," starting on Page 6.) 
  
  
• Increase our membership. We plan to hire 200 to 300 new organizers throughout this union. We want affiliates to recruit at the rate of 3 percent of their membership every year — while the International recruits at the rate of 2 percent of the national membership. We'll offer rewards and incentives to reach those goals. 
  
  
• Build a stronger organization, by increasing council and local capacity, as well as coordinating and unifying geographically where possible. 
  
  
• Project a bold, new image promoting AFSCME, its issues and public service. We need people to recognize that the vital services we provide make their lives better. 
  
  
• Raise new resources. The proposal calls for the per capita tax to be increased to $3 per member per month over three years. Without this additional revenue, we can't make the improvements that must be made.
  
  

THE FUTURE IS OURS
The future of America, as well as our union, is at stake. In the 2006 elections, when 36 governors' seats will come before the voters (as well as the usual number of congressional seats), we have a chance to reclaim the labor movement and our country.

We believe that the 21st Century Initiative can help us build the power we need. A growing number of AFSCME councils already have endorsed this initiative, and others are preparing to do so. We must enlist everyone's support and make these bold changes.