Scenes from th AFSCME Bi-annual Convention in San Francisco
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Los Angeles Apollo Alliance Puts Forward Green Policy Framework
The Apollo Alliance is one of the more interesting environmental organizations in the country. Founded in Wisconsin in 2004, in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, they have successfully bridged he gap between sometime adversarial organizations to win green legislation. Their mission is to build a coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders. This broad coalition is working to catalyze a clean energy revolution in America and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, cutting the carbon emissions that are destabilizing our climate. Their plan includes expanding opportunities for American businesses and workers. AFSCME District Council 36 is one of over 100 endorsing organizations.
The Alliance’s current effort is encourage the City of Los Angeles to retrofit city owned public buildings to solar or other environmentally friendly energy sources. At the same time tie in the City will develop job creation and workforce development strategies to connect the unemployed and under employed residents to green career paths. The program includes They advocate creating pipeline for green careers through training inner City youth in partnership with union apprenticeship programs.
The recommendations are working their way though the City Council. If you live or work in the City of LA we are asking you to fill out an endorsement card which can be found by clicking here
AFSCME Member Foils Countrywide Financial
The owner of an apartment building where tenants were residing lost the property in foreclosure. The day after foreclosure, Countrywide Financial the tenants that they had thirty days to get out of the building and once they moved, they would give them $1,000.00, minus any damages that “they deemed” to the property, or eviction proceedings would commence.
The tenants had paid their rent up to date and were upset because the former owner refused to return their phone calls, to have their security deposit returned, so they could move.
Local 119 Member Wounded in Iraq, Gets Help from AFSCME Rep
AFSCME Local 119 member, Steve Cordero believes in service to his Country. He is a 21 year employee of the County of Los Angeles in the Department of Public Works. As a soldier in the Reserves since 1978 and has seen battlefields in the Iraq war, and the first Gulf War. He has always returned safely until his last tour of duty in Iraq when his vehicle hit an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).
Election Round Up
Election results in a large organization are always a mixed bag of exhilarating victories and dispiriting defeats. This election season we lost some but won more
and on balance came out ahead. Our top priority was to elect Mark Ridley-Thomas to
the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Early polls indicated his opponent, Bernard Parks was ahead, as a product of his stronger name identification. To overcome this advantage AFSCME collaborated with other unions and community organizations to form the
Alliance for a Stronger Community, an independent expenditure committee committed to the election of Ridley-Thomas. When the ballots were tallied Ridley- Thomas had 45.71% compared to Park’s 39.54%. However, because there were 7 minor candidates each pulling
a small percentage of the vote, neither Ridley- Thomas was unable to muster the 50%+1 needed for outright victory. Therefore, the Ridley-Thomas and Parks will face off in November.
Richard Kraus Wins Seat on LA City Deferred Compensation Board
AFSCME Local 2626 member Richard Kraus collected 81% of the vote in his bid for re-election to the City of Los Angeles Deferred Compensation Board. He was endorsed by the Coalition of Los Angeles City Unions. After the results were made public Kraus credits the union support as one factor that led to victory."It was the hard work, endorsements, communications, and connections of the unions that made me a viable candidate, while having a weak opponent made the result much easier."
Coalition of Los Angeles City Unions Make Progress on Avoiding Lay-offs and will Fight On
The six unions affiliated with the Coalition of L.A. City Unions collectively represent twenty-two thousand City workers. They include the people who answer 9–1–1 calls, pick up trash, keep the sewers running, direct traffic, run children’s recreation and library programs, and much more.
Community Partners |
