Nation's Top Public Employee Addresses Convention

Secretary-Treasurer Lucy tells Convention AFSCME is well-funded for "Leading the Fight."

AFSCME has taken on a lot of challenges recently: organizing new members, revitalizing the AFL-CIO and national politics.

Sec.-Treas. William Lucy told the 5,000 delegates and guests at Wednesday's session that AFSCME members must get involved if these challenges are to be met.

"We are the front-line troops. There will be no cavalry coming. There is no backup army. We are it, and that's the way it has always been ... and that's the way we like it," said Lucy.

Lucy reported that AFSCME is in an excellent financial position for "Leading the Fight."

The International showed an income during the years 1994-95 of $170,330,612 and operating expenses for those years of $168,580,925. That left AFSCME with an operating surplus of $1,750,000, which was one percent below budget.

El Primero. For the year ending December 31, 1995, assets totaled $34,323,756 and liabilities amounted to $15,945,487, with net assets of $14,266,963.

AFSCME will use those resources to give life to the Convention's slogan, "Leading the Fight."

"'Leading the Fight' means not leading some fight, not leading one of the fights, not co-chair of the committee leading the fight. It is AFSCME leading the fight. That means simply putting AFSCME number one, numero uno, el primero, up front, out front," said Lucy.

Lucy was introduced by Pres. Gerald W. McEntee who said, "What makes Bill Lucy so special isn't just the kind of leadership he's brought to AFSCME. It's the kind he's provided to the labor movement across America."