Local 328 Shop Talk

On July 2nd I returned from the 39th Biannual Afscme convention. I was honored to be elected as one of the delegates to represent Local 328. It was an educational experience in several ways. First let me say I was impressed by the dedication our delegation showed to the work that needed to be done. Our entire delegation was present for the entire day, every day of business. A number of our council brothers and sisters spoke eloquently on several important issues. In fact our local president Jamie Sorenson gave an especially moving speech to second the nomination of Danny Donahue. She definitely made a very positive impression as one of the main voices of our local. There were a number of other things that really stood out for me as the week progressed. In hearing the floor reports from other delegations on issues within their councils it gave me a deep appreciation for how well ours is run. Council 75 is impressive in that it is very much a member run council and very transparent in its financial dealings. I was also impressed that our council was willing to stand up when it was obvious that the International was attempting to manipulate the election for the Secretary Treasurer. Gerry McIntee as president of Afscme and chair of the convention conducted himself in a way that moved many voters to Danny Donahue’s camp. To say the outcome was very close is an understatement to say the least. After being widely out spent and enduring hostile manipulation of the electoral process we still came within .03 percent of winning this election. The way the election was conducted proved too many including myself there is a dire need for election reform and a change of leadership at the very top of our union. I and many others have committed ourselves to the cause of fairer elections and a leadership that is more representative of the rank and file members of this union. I heard a number of people (not of our delegation) express their disillusionment with the union based upon their experiences during the election. I felt some of that as well, however far from making me want to step aside and give up it reinvigorated me. It has made me realize how much I really love my union. How much I want to see it improve nationwide. I want the rest of the country to experience the model we have created here. A member run, transparent union that is working everyday to improve working conditions income and daily lives not only for our members but for working people and families everywhere. This vision of what we can be as union activists was voiced in Bill Lucy farewell address to the convention. He spoke movingly of his lifelong efforts in many areas from the Memphis sanitation strike where Martin Luther King was brought down to his efforts to end Apartheid all the while working of keep Afscme a voice for and of the working class people that make up its ranks. Not every vote went the way I would have liked. I wish we would have passed the resolution stating in no uncertain terms that health care is a human right no matter what you immigration status. We did not. I wish we would have passed a resolution regarding the racist law in Arizona that actually had some teeth not just words. We did not. Most of all I wish Danny Donahue had won the election. He did not. What did happen was that we sent a clear message to the powers that be that we will not be silenced, this is our union we will fight for it now and in the future and of that I am most proud.
In Solidarity
Michael Stewart.