AFSCME Rocks Again — This Time the Democrats

By Sally Tyler

LOS ANGELES

AFSCME made a strong showing at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angles to ensure that the interests of working families remain central to the campaigns of Democratic candidates in the November election. By week's end, it was clear that the union voice resonates powerfully with the party's candidates and officials.

With 271 delegates, AFSCME was the largest AFL-CIO contingent at the convention. In fact, the AFSCME delegation was the third-largest overall, behind only the states of California and New York, leading some to refer to "the State of AFSCME."

Every night of the four-day proceedings, green shirts and banners could be seen on the convention floor and throughout the hall of the Staples Center. Julia Hicks, a Council 76 member, enlisted other Colorado delegates to help create a card display on the floor proclaiming, "AFSCME Rocks the DNC."

To share information and keep the Green Machine humming, AFSCME members came together every day for a caucus. Each caucus featured guest speakers and the high energy that is synonymous with the union.

The caucuses attracted an unparalleled line-up of political luminaries, including cabinet members Bill Richardson (Department of Energy), Andrew Cuomo (Department of Housing and Urban Development) and Rodney Slater (Department of Transportation). Many congressional speakers also made notable appearances, from two-term Indiana Rep. Julia Carson to elder statesmen like Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy.

In his remarks to the large audience, Kennedy noted, "There are many fine labor leaders in the United States, but none finer than Jerry McEntee. When he comes to talk to us in the Senate on behalf of working families, no one is more respected."

Another congressional highlight was the appearance of Michigan Rep. David Bonior, the House Democratic Whip. A longtime Council 25 member before being elected to Congress, Bonior declared, "AFSCME is a great political union. You've been there at every important moment in the history of American workers, certainly as long as I have been in political life — from striking sanitation workers in Memphis in 1968 to pay equity in the 1970s and now to the fight to organize Head Start workers all across the United States."

Betty Robinson, a California delegate and member of Retiree Chapter 57, gave the AFSCME caucuses high marks. "It is wonderful to see so many politicians up close and hear what they think about our issues," she said.

Robinson brought her granddaughters, Elixis, 16, and Rhonda, 13, to the convention with her "so they can understand how our political system works. I want them to be good citizens — to vote, to work the polls. Who knows? Maybe they will even run for office one day."

With its proximity to Hollywood, the convention proved a fine place for show business celebrity spotting. For example, actresses Teri Garr and Meredith Baxter made appearances at the union's caucuses.

Garr detailed the ongoing strike by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists against the advertising industry, as well as the fight by union actors to ensure that their work in commercials is fairly acknowledged with "residual" payments. At the conclusion of her remarks, President McEntee announced a donation to the SAG strike fund in the name of union solidarity.

Baxter, known to most in the audience as Elyse Keaton on TV's "Family Ties," began her remarks by saying that, because she had forgotten her glasses, would not be able to read her prepared speech. "Just speak, girlfriend!" came the encouragement from someone in the audience. "But you don't understand, I'm an actress. Without my script, I am nothing," Baxter joked.

She then went on to speak extemporaneously about being raised by political activists who took her to the March on Washington in 1963 and helped develop her political consciousness. A working mother of five, Baxter said she thinks that the Democratic Party best represents the interests of working families; that, she added, is why she is active on the campaign trail.

A convention highlight for many was McEntee's address to the convention on Tuesday night. He starkly defined the choice represented by the November elections and asked the audience rhetorically, "Do we want a future defined by equal opportunity for all? Or do we want a society defined by inequality, discrimination and exploitation?"

In addition to convention proceedings each night, there were separate caucuses for retirees and working women, and special events on a wide variety of issues. Sec.-Treas. William Lucy participated in a panel discussion with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the Rev. James Lawson and editor John Seigenthaler on the civil rights movement and the historical growth of non-violent resistance.

Lucy linked the current protests against economic globalization to the earlier movement: "They are using the tactics that were honed in the civil rights era, but are employing them now to take on issues that affect workers worldwide."

Throughout the week, many speakers — in AFSCME caucuses and on the convention floor — noted the contrasting treatment of diversity at this year's two major party conventions. Most said that the Republicans appeared to exploit the issue as a gimmick, while for the Democrats, it reflects both a historic and ongoing commitment.

Morshed Alam, a New York delegate and member of Local 375 (DC 37) echoed that sentiment. A native of Bangladesh who came to the United States in 1984, Alam has been a union chapter president and was the first South Asian elected to a New York City community school board. "I come from the working class, and I want to show people that politics is the way to change things," he said. "Where I come from, not everyone is allowed to have a voice in politics. But in AFSCME and the Democratic Party, everyone is included."

Numerous AFSCME members have taken political participation to heart by running for elected office. During one caucus, McEntee asked everyone who either holds or is running for office to stand. Scores of members from around the nation took to their feet as applause filled the room.

Cal Christianson, a Wisconsin delegate, member of Retiree Chapter 7 and member of the Dunn County Board of Supervisors, encouraged other AFSCME people to run for office. "AFSCME members know what is going on in the community, and they have good ideas about how to help."

At the final member caucus, AFSCME "Oscars" were presented to the youngest and oldest delegates, the delegate with the best costume and the largest state delegation (Ohio). Council 76's Hicks, who had successfully organized her fellow Colorado delegates in floor demonstrations, received the special AFSCME Spirit Award. In accepting, she revealed that she had postponed a kidney transplant to attend the convention — "because this nation's future and my children's future means more to me than anything."

The final night of the convention saw Al Gore's triumphant acceptance speech, followed by a massive balloon drop. Viewers at home could see the occasional green T-shirt dancing under a shower of balloons and streamers. It had been a memorable week for AFSCME.

This portion of the website is posted in full compliance with FEC regulations (11C.F.R. Sect.11 4.5(i)). It is paid for by the AFSCME PEOPLE Committee, with voluntary contributions from union members and their families, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.