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The Delegates Speak

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By Susan Ellen Holleran

The AFSCME Constitution can only be amended by Convention vote. In addition, delegates debate and vote on resolutions submitted by AFSCME councils and local unions. It's a heavy responsibility. In making their decisions, delegates must consider not only their home members' concerns but also the good of the union as a whole.

 

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Delegates considered seven amendments to the International Constitution; they adopted the following:

  • Delay Implementation of a Reduction in the Number of International Vice Presidents to Be Elected by a District Under Certain Circumstances — provides for a grace period that districts can use to rebuild when a drop in membership would make them lose a position on AFSCME's executive board.
  • Require Central Collection of Dues for Seriously Delinquent Local Unions and Authorize the International Union to Require the Establishment of Cooperative Dues Trust Accounts for Subordinate Bodies in Appropriate Cases — sets up a system to ensure prompt submittal of "per caps" to councils and the International and timely payment of local union rebates. If a local union is three or more months delinquent, AFSCME can order the council to collect dues from the employer, pay the International, keep its own share and rebate the remainder to the local.
  • Authorize the International Union to Delegate the Authority to Conduct Audits of Local Unions to Councils
  • Modify the Right of Retiring Incumbent Officers to Serve Out Their Terms of Office — outlines a process for replacing International vice presidents who retire while in office. Allows locals and councils to limit the right of their officers to hold office after retirement.
  • Expand the Judicial Panel — adds two members to AFSCME's Judicial Panel to lessen the backlog and speed up the hearings process.
  • Update the Parliamentary Authority Adopted by AFSCME — names Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, to replace its predecessor edition in all applicable cases.

 

RESOLUTIONS

AFSCME councils and local unions and the International Executive Board submitted 92 resolutions for consideration. The delegates acted on 60; some were combined and/or amended. Others were referred to AFSCME's incoming executive board for action. Resolutions on organizing, privatization, retirement and PEOPLE/political/legislative action are cited in relevant areas of this issue of the magazine. For full text of resolutions and amendments go to http://www.afscme.org/about/resolute/r34-toc.htm.

 

Public Workers

  • Enforcing State Employees' Rights
  • Coordinated Effort to Enhance the Image of Public Service
  • Implementing Quality Services in Government — calls for labor/management cooperation in workplace change initiatives.

 

Health and Safety

  • Using Health and Safety to Build the Union
  • The Battle for an OSHA Ergonomics Standard
  • Reducing Needlestick Injuries
  • Drug and Alcohol Testing — supports employees' right to split-specimen testing.

 

Health Care

  • Quality Care, Quality Jobs — backs full participation of patient care workers in efforts to ensure high-quality health care.
  • Reducing Medical Errors
  • Non-physicians Making Decisions About Medical Coverage to the Harm and Detriment of Patients
  • Support for Increased Access to Prescription Drug Coverage

 

Jobs and Social Services

  • Welfare Reform — urges that public assistance be administered by public workers and that workfare be replaced with real jobs and paychecks.
  • Employment Security and the Workforce System
  • Increase Federal Housing and Community Development Block Grant Funding
  • Paraprofessionals in the Classroom

Human Rights

  • Defending the Human Rights of the People of Vieques, Puerto Rico
  • Protecting the Rights of Disabled Workers
  • Support for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues
  • Moratorium or the Abolishment of the Death Penalty
  • Support International Conventions on Women's Rights

 

Economy

  • Skyrocketing Corporate Executives' Incomes
  • Electronic Commerce and the State Sales and Use Tax — urges that the Internet and Internet vendors not receive preferential or discriminatory tax treatment.
  • Declining Timber Sales and County Revenues
  • Invest in America Now — backs an activist role for government in making necessary investments in our communities.
  • Support for the Campaign for Global Fairness — calls for enforceable rules that value people, not just profits.

 

Miscellaneous

  • Census 2000 — urges the use of adjusted and corrected Census 2000 numbers.
  • Central Collection of Union Dues — encourages locals and chapters to move to collection of union dues by councils.
  • Expanding Communications Capacities of AFSCME Affiliates

APPEALS

AFSCME's Bill of Rights and the Judicial Panel hearings-and-appeals process provide organized labor's strongest protections for individual members' rights. The Convention is the final appeal level. Delegates upheld the decisions of the Judicial Panel in seven appeals: Local 2854 Election Protest; Miller vs. Badolato and Ferrucci vs. Badolato; Kutwal vs. Commer; Jackson vs. Freckmann; Local 2419 Election Protest; Local 2448 Election Protest; and Local 11, Chapter 7700 Election Protest.

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