AFSCME Executive Board Summary Report
This report summarizes the December 2011 quarterly meeting of the AFSCME International Executive Board, held in Washington, DC.
This report summarizes the December 2011 quarterly meeting of the AFSCME International Executive Board, held in Washington, DC.
Pres. Gerald McEntee reported that 2011 was a year of enormous challenge. “We fought the anti-worker, anti-union forces that put a bulls-eye on public services and we emerged victorious in the court of public opinion and at the ballot box,” he said.
That included defeating Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s union-busting Senate Bill 5 legislation in a November referendum. The IEB noted the need to build upon the work done in Ohio and Wisconsin to fight back against extremist governors leading the attacks on public employees and working families.
“We know the battles will continue in 2012, but we are confident that, united, we can prevail,” McEntee said.
Noting that this year’s U.S. Presidential election will be crucial to fighting for public service workers’ jobs, benefits and the services they provide, the IEB voted unanimously to endorse Pres. Barack Obama for a second term.
McEntee formally informed the board that he would not be a candidate for president at the AFSCME International Convention in June. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as a member for 54 years and as president for three decades. To prepare for the election of new union leadership at the convention, McEntee appointed a committee comprised of International Vice Presidents Sherryl Gordon, Salvatore Luciano and Joseph Rugola. The committee, unanimously supported by the board, will review all issues relating to the 2012 officer elections and report back to the board.
The IEB unanimously passed the union’s 2012 budget, funding AFSCME’s efforts to do the following:
— Fight for American jobs
— Protect and expand the right to unionize
— Defeat privatization efforts
— Sustain and broaden member activism
— Turn around the public dialogue about government
— Block attacks on retirement security (including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and pensions)
— Build a Main Street movement by engaging families, friends and neighbors to join with us to preserve the middle class and the American Dream
— Win the 2012 elections
Notice of Legislative District Review – Central District
The International Executive Board, at its Dec. 6, 2011, meeting, received a report showing the number of members within each of AFSCME’s 25 Legislative Districts that are established for the purpose of electing International Vice Presidents. The report showed that the combined membership of all local unions in the Central District (composed of local unions in the states of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee) had fallen below 1 percent of the total membership of the Federation. In accordance with Article IV, Sections 29-30 of the International Constitution, a committee, chaired by International Vice President Eddie L. Parks, was appointed to undertake a review and develop a plan for addressing the situation.
Political Rebate Procedure
Article IX, Section 14, of the AFSCME International Constitution includes a rebate procedure for members who object to the expenditure of union funds for partisan political or ideological purposes. The rebate is not available to those who are members under a union shop or similar provision — or to non-members who pay agency shop or similar fees to the union.
The timing of the rebate procedure is tied to the International’s recent fiscal year, which ended December 31. The procedures, including the requirements for submitting a proper rebate request, were adopted by delegates to the International Convention and are spelled out in Article IX, Section 14, of the International Constitution and summarized below. THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Eligible members who object to the expenditure of a portion of their dues for partisan political or ideological purposes and want to request a rebate must do so individually in writing. Written requests must be postmarked between April 1 and April 16, 2012, and must be sent via registered or certified mail to BOTH the International Secretary-Treasurer AND the council with which the member’s local is affiliated (or if no council affiliation, to the member’s local union).
The request must contain the following information: the member’s name, Social Security number or member number, home address, e-mail address, if available, and the AFSCME local and council number to which dues were paid during the preceding year. This information must be typed or legibly printed. The individual request must be signed by the member and sent by the individual member to: Lee A. Saunders, International Secretary-Treasurer, AFSCME, 1625 L St., NW, Washington, DC 20036-5687, AND to the council with which the member’s local is affiliated (or if no council affiliation, to the member’s local union). Requests from more than one person may not be sent in the same envelope. Each request must be sent individually. Requests must be submitted in writing each year.
Upon receipt of a valid rebate request, an application for partisan political or ideological rebate will be sent to the objecting member. The objecting member will be required to complete and return the application within 30 days of its issuance. The application will require the objecting member to identify those partisan political or ideological activities to which objection is being made. In determining the amount of the rebate to be paid to any member, the International Union and each subordinate body shall have the option of limiting the rebate to the member’s pro-rata share of the expenses for those activities specifically identified in the application.
Any member who is dissatisfied with the amount of the rebate paid by the International Union or any subordinate body may object by filing a written appeal with the AFSCME Judicial Panel within 15 days after the rebate check has been received. Appeals should be sent to the Judicial Panel Chairperson at the AFSCME International Headquarters at the address listed above. The Judicial Panel will conduct a hearing and issue a written decision on such appeals, subject to an appeal to the full Judicial Panel. If dissatisfied with the Judicial Panel’s ruling, a member can appeal to the next International Convention.
