Council 40, AFSCME

Lobby Day: Quality Services Key to Economy

When more than 450 front-line public service and health care workers from around Wisconsin converged on the State Capitol on March 3 for AFSCME Lobby Day, the message was clear: quality public services are fundamental to creating the conditions for economic recovery. Read more here.

Council 40 Convention Tentative Agenda

Nothing New in Corporate Attacks on Pensions

Corporate interests that attack retirement security for front-line workers are hardly making news, despite the breathless media attention given reports cranked out by corporate-funded “think tanks”. In response to the latest bit of pension bashing, Council 24's Marty Beil fired back. Read more here.

REQUEST FOR HELP…Local 97 member and City of Waukesha employee, Michael Mcgavock is in need of financial assistance. He has worked for the City’s public works department for eighteen years. Brother Mcgavock is currently off work trying to recover from a second back surgery. He is struggling to support his wife and two children as he has exhausted all vacation and sick leave and is not receiving unemployment or worker’s compensation. Local 97 has established a fund for Brother Mcgavock and his family. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated. Checks made out to the "Mcgavock Family Fund" at the Landmark Credit Union, 2400 N. Grandview Blvd., Waukesha, WI 53187-0178

City of Juneau employees celebrate at their first Union meeting on February 25, 2010 after voting to join AFSCME Council 40. (Left to Right: Tim Hayden, Tim Gassner, Jane Fude, Cathy Firari, Don Zirbel, Mike Hoeffler (front), and Kelvin Schlagel)

DISTRICTS #1 & #2…Here is a reminder that the Districts #1 & #2 Regional Forum will be held Saturday, March 20, at the Johnson Creek Comfort Suites, 725 Paradise Lane, Johnson Creek. Registration, coffee and rolls at 8:30 am; call to order at 9:30 am. The main focus of this forum is to explain progressive dues. We will be asking for your input. Other key discussions will include Council 40’s Strategic Plan, the upcoming Council 40 Convention in Middleton, the International Convention in Boston, and the most effective ways of protecting jobs in a tough economy. For the flyer and registration form click here.

AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy announced he will retire, after serving 38 years in that post. His retirement is effective June 25. Delegates to the AFSCME convention on June 28-July 2 in Boston will choose his successor.

Lucy, a civil engineer by trade, is a former president of AFSCME Local 1675 in Contra Costa, Calif. He joined the AFSCME international staff in 1966. Before assuming the position of secretary-treasurer in 1972, he served as executive assistant to AFSCME’s late president Jerry Wurf.

Lucy also is founder and president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), one of six AFL-CIO constituency groups.

For more than three decades, Lucy has been involved in international affairs. He currently chairs the AFL-CIO Executive Council International Affairs Committee. He was one of the founders of the Free South Africa Movement that launched the successful anti-apartheid campaign in the United States in the mid 1980s. He led an AFL-CIO delegation to South Africa to monitor the first democratic election there. Lucy also serves as vice president of Public Services International (PSI), the world’s largest union federation.

ANALYZE THIS!…This latest edition of Analyze This! focuses on layoffs. In addition to defining what constitutes a layoff, this issue also discusses your rights and protections under your collective bargaining agreement and lists community resources available if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of receiving a layoff notice.

JERRY CLARK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP… AFSCME has announced the 2010 Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship program. Read more about this and other news in this week's Leadership Update.

DISTRICT #5…Here is a reminder that District #5’s Regional Forum will be held Saturday, March 13, at the Cranberry Country Lodge, 319 Wittig Road, Tomah. Registration, coffee and rolls at 8:30 am; call to order at 9:30 am. The main focus of this forum is to explain progressive dues. We will be asking for your input. Other key discussions will include Council 40’s Strategic Plan, the upcoming Council 40 Convention in Middleton, the International Convention in Boston, and the most effective ways of protecting jobs in a tough economy. For the flyer and registration form click here.

PICTURES NEEDED…Council 40 is looking for pictures of members on the job or supporting community charities or events that can be shown as part of a montage at this year’s Convention. The photos should be digital so that they can be easily projected in the convention hall. Please send pictures via email to Tom Larsen, at tlarsen@afscme40.org. Let’s take pride in all we do to serve our communities. WE make communities happen!

Council 40 Convention
The 67th Annual Convention of Wisconsin Council 40, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, will convene at the Madison Marriott West Hotel and Conference Center, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton at 1:30 pm on FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010, and will continue until all business has been completed on SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010. I urge your Local/Chapter to elect delegates to this important Convention at your next monthly membership meeting. (more)