Updates from the AFSCME 47th International Convention
Local 3005 recently sent five delegates to the AFSCME Convention in Chicago - Laura Jones, Gray Mackson, Jeff Oshins, Meghan Peterson, and Samantha Rappa-Giovagnoli. See below for a report out from Meghan, and be sure to come to the September 30 general membership meeting to hear more from the delegates!
Delegates report
Every two years, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) holds its international convention. Our union has three layers: your local (3005), council (DC37), and the international (AFSCME). The convention is theoretically a time for elected delegates to represent members’ interests by voting on where AFSCME’s resources will be directed. Exactly 2975 Delegates attended representing 1740 locals and 1,022,788 active members. This year, over 100 resolutions were introduced. Their full text and outcomes have been described elsewhere.
At convention, resolutions are introduced by various committees appointed by AFSCME leadership, these committees give their recommendation on how delegates should vote, the resolutions are debated in a convention hall, and then, finally, the delegates vote on all resolutions. There was 100% alignment between committee recommendations and eventual delegate votes, which more cynical union presidents might refer to as a “rubber stamping.” There are also many other pep rally-like activities such as inspirational videos, a DJ, and choreographed dancers. At one point, we staged a solidarity rally with Chicago aquarium workers which was genuinely moving.
One member, one vote
One of the most “controversial” resolutions was about the structure of voting at the convention through a concept called “one member, one vote.” This resolution to modernize the AFSCME convention proposed that rather than having representative delegates, all dues-paying union members would be able to directly vote in elections for AFSCME leadership and the candidate with the majority of votes would win. The AFSCME constitutional committees, led by DC 37’s very own Henry Garrido, opposed this resolution with a recommendation of a “no” vote. Some appointees on this committee argued that we have “the gold standard of representative democracy” in the current delegate system and that other unions that do allow all members to vote, like UAW, have low election turnout. I personally supported this resolution and think all members should be able to vote on all resolutions at the convention because members are the union. Attending a conference in the middle of the continent for five days straight is inaccessible to many members who have lives and families. Ironically, if you disagree with me, you will have to make peace with how your random coworker came to represent you and your every opinion at the convention.
We elected a new AFSCME President and Secretary-Treasurer
We elected Patrick Moran to be the President of AFSCME. If we had “1 member, 1 vote” in the AFSCME constitution then all union members would have been able to vote on a president. However, because we don’t, I cast a vote on behalf of 200+ people (my proportional allotment as a delegate) choosing between two candidates I had only heard of a few days prior. One candidate, Patrick Moran, was endorsed by the outgoing President and obviously had more financial and institutional support than his opponent. For instance, there were pre-made signs for him waiting at our tables the morning his endorsement was announced, and AFSCME had a video about his nomination. His opponent, Louis Demella, could not make it to the floor as he was not elected by his own local to be a delegate at the convention. Admittedly, to this delegate, the two choices seemed uninspired and I cast a vote for Louis anyway because Patrick didn’t seem to need my help. This was reflected in the final vote total which Patrick won with more than 93% of the vote.
Themes toward solidarity with oppressed people and opposing military empire here and abroad
I was personally encouraged by resolutions we passed that named and identified American state violence. I see this as a sign of a pendulum shift in favor of antiwar politics. I was discouraged when follow up resolutions that would add more teeth were voted down following recommendations by the international executive board. For instance, AFSCME declared itself a sanctuary union and expressed solidarity with detainees on labor/hunger strikes in ICE concentration camps. We also passed a resolution acknowledging the “conflict” in Palestine and speaking against politicians who support “offensive” aid to Israel (the committee voted down an amendment to call it a genocide and block all aid). However, I was disappointed that two motions that would add real might to these resolutions—a general strike to oppose ICE and a boycott of all financial interests that support exploitation—were voted down.
We’re uncomfortable with division but we’re still divided
Early on, a committee member on Resolutions stated that it was very important that the committees endorsed only resolutions that would receive widespread support. They noted that it could be bad for the international to look “divided” if a resolution passed with only 51% of the vote. While I understand the sentiment, other members pointed out past “controversial” topics that AFSCME ultimately took a stand on such as segregation, LGBTQ+ rights, and apartheid in South Africa. Additionally, we are already divided.
The international will not save us
Some of us who are watching our nation fall apart in real time might wonder- what is AFSCME doing to fix this for me and my fellow workers? The answer might disappoint you. And while I was inspired to see the litany of topics AFSCME has taken on in this convention, I feel more confident than ever after a week of synchronized dances and deafening DJing that the revolution will not come from any union bureaucrats at the international. It will come from all of us talking to each other and building solidarity at the lowest shop floor levels. But we’ll see what happens in two years before the next convention.