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One retiree who's right on time

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Convention timekeeper and retiree activist Maggie Blanch pushes all the right buttons.

Unlike Alice in Wonderland's White Rabbit, who's always in a rush for time, Marguerite "Maggie" Blanch can't be late. In fact, her job at International conventions is to keep everyone else on time.

Blanch, who is also president of AFSCME Pennsylvania Retiree Chapter 13, has been the official convention timekeeper since 1982.

"It's a job that keeps you on your toes," said Blanch. "I must make sure that discussions on resolutions and amendments stay within the Convention time rules. If it ever runs over, I simply push a red button signaling either President [Gerald W.] McEntee or Secretary-Treasurer [William] Lucy-whoever is in charge at that moment."

Timekeeping is far from Blanch's only job. Besides being a voting Convention delegate, she represents her retiree chapter on the AFSCME Retiree Council, which met the weekend before the Convention. More than 100 retiree leaders attended.

Making time. McEntee greeted and saluted Retiree Council members for their efforts. "In your younger, working years you built a union-AFSCME. Now, in your retirement, you've built another union-the AFSCME Retiree Program." It now counts nearly 180,000 members all across the country.

In Blanch's working years, she was a secretary at the Pennsylvania State Department of Transportation's District 8 Engineers for 24 years. With those qualifications, she was a natural for election to the new position of secretary of the Retiree Council.

She joined the team of John Slaven, president of Rhode Island Retiree Chapter 94, and Doris Clark, president of Illinois Chapter 31, who were re-elected chair and vice-chair of the Retiree Council by acclamation.

Blanch commented on her new position: "I expect to take minutes from the meetings and send them out in record time!"

By Venida RaMar Marshall

 

Marguerite "Maggie" Blanch ¤ former president of Pennsylvania Local 2533 ¤ served on the first International Women's Advisory Committee ¤ served on first Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Women's Committee ¤ Retiree Chapter 13 president for the past three years.

 

Hardly Retiring Personalities

Retirees of Note

  • While Blanch sat on the dais keeping time, retiree delegates sat at the Retiree Chapter Table on the Convention floor, each with full voice and vote. They shepherded through several resolutions that affected them directly.
  • Ruth Stamm, New York Retiree Chapter 1707, was the oldest finisher in the PEOPLE Fun Run at 84. Loneste Blackwell, Ohio Retiree Chapter 1184 competed on the OCSEA/Local 11 relay team for the Fun Run. Each collected sponsorship donations from fellow retirees.
  • Retirees from Hawaii/UPW Retiree Chapter 646 set up a booth in the exhibition hall to sell handmade leis and Maui onions. They raised almost $300 for PEOPLE.
  • AFSCME Retiree Council sponsored a Monday night reception for 250 council and local leaders who have helped build and sustain retiree chapters. Sec.-Treas. William Lucy swore in Retiree Council officers. 


 

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