WFSE/AFSCME Green Caucus
June 9, 2011
6:00 – 7:30 PM
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
Legislative Conference:
Kerry Graber and Dan Petruso reported on their participation in the recent Legislative Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Notes from this conference are posted on the AFSCME Web site, http://www.afscme.org/.
The main topic at the conference was how to react to the recent, coordinated national attack of newly elected state officials on labor rights. The conference developed a strategy that focuses on claiming the middle of the political and economic debates for America’s middle class. It will be important to stress that unions are pro-worker, pro-family and pro-middle class.
An important piece of the strategy is to recognize that the opposition is highly organized and very well funded and has been organizing this current attack for years. Kerry recommended members visit http://www.thinkprogress.org/ for a list of the sponsors of the current anti-union campaign, which is organized through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which organizes “information” seminars and “legislative packets” for newly elected conservatives, mostly at the state or local level. The ALEC connection to the current anti-union, anti-public worker campaign is clear in the nearly identical phrasing of union-busting legislative proposals across several states now led by conservative governors and legislators who have attended ALEC workshops after their elections.
Dan and Kerry noted that one of the major takeaways from the conference is that AFSCME Councils and Locals needs to reach out to Progressive organizations at work in communities all over the U.S. and work with them to educate voters about the detrimental consequences for America’s working middle class of allowing the ALEC legislative agenda to advance.
Jim Wavada noted that Local 1221 already has been approached by the Spokane Alliance, a union and church-based Progressive organization of community activists who put people first. Local 1221 has invited the Spokane Alliance to make a presentation to the July meeting of the Local. Wavada encouraged members of other locals, particularly Local 443, to invite members of their community’s Alliance organization to do the same as Local 1221. The Spokane Alliance is part of a national organization that has chapters throughout the Northwest, including Puget Sound and the Tri-Cities. They have offered to do training in effective community organizing in Spokane and elsewhere.
Kerry and Dan also encouraged members to start or increase PEOPLE contributions, as this is the only money we have working for us to fight the financial largesse of the national Chamber of Commerce and ALEC and other organizations with anti-worker agendas.
Morton Alexander commented that he thinks the time and money we put into political endorsements every year is a “waste of money,” that could be better spent increasing our membership and mobilizing it. Dan Petruso added that sometimes it’s more effective to select and volunteer for candidates who are willing to support labor than it is to just give money to campaigns because that volunteering creates a personal relationship and can open doors when we need to get a clear communication on a particular issue to key legislators.
Green Caucus Governance:
Kerry reported that she has received no direction from Carol Dotlich on the permanent leadership of the Green Caucus. She did indicate that leadership of the Council’s caucuses is usually delegated by Carol to a Council Executive Board member. Kerry agreed to give a list of nominations developed by our group to Carol for her consideration. In the interim, Kerry proposed that she and Bob Overturf agree to co-chair the Green Caucus. Those attending agreed that this would be an acceptable interim solution to Caucus governance.
Steering Committee:
Kerry proposed that we plan a face-to-face meeting of the steering committee that assembled originally to organize the Caucus. With the group’s permission, she will prepare a proposal to take to the Council Executive Committee along with a budget request for travel and per diem.
Convention Planning:
Kerry agreed to talk to Carol Dotlich and the annual convetion planners about getting some podium time at the Convention to introduce the Council to the Green Caucus and encourage members to join it. She also thinks we should be hooking up with the Washington State Labor Council to advocate for green jobs programs in Washington state. She would like to see retirees and someone from AFSCME get some podium time to voice support for the Green Caucus.
Debbie Haighe reported that the contract we currently have for the Spokane Convention Center is, in fact, their “green contract,” which includes recycling for meeting rooms, and other green measures related to food and beverage service.
She also relayed that our original proposal to adapt the convention badges of Green Caucus members who are delegates or alternates at the convention won’t work, and we will have to consider perhaps doing separate badges to identify Green Caucus members.
Kandy Kraig encouraged the Green Caucus to put together a gift basket for the PEOPLE fund-raising auction that will be part of the Convention. The group agreed to put together a wine and cheese basket with a sustainability theme. Jim Wavada will research wineries that may have certified sustainable practices in place. Kerry Graber will do the same for cheese providers. Debbie Haighe will coordinate the selection of baskets and decoration of them.
Jim Wavada proposed that we invite the Alliance (see earlier notation in these minutes) to conduct a mini-seminar on community organizing. Laura Reisdorph noted there may be a problem with finding time of the agenda this close to the convention; but she will check out the possibility.
Laura requested Jim Wavada send her his Outlook distribution list for Green Caucus members so that she can compare that with the list she has of those who signed up through the Council Web site and consolidate the two lists into a single master list.
Sustainable Practices:
It was agreed we need to have another meeting of those specifically interested in WFSE sustainable practices to outline what needs to happen next. Greg Devereux, executive director, has indicated he will strongly support whatever measures we recommend to make the Council 28 a more environmentally sustainable organization (within budgetary constraints, one assumes). Kerry Graber will notify John Miller and request that he organize this interim meeting.
Political Action and Networking:
Jim Wavada agreed to begin working on a list of groups to which the Green Caucus should reach out in order to leverage our influence on earth-friendly, worker-friendly policy and practice.
Next meeting. July 14th, 6:00 PM. Videocast to Spokane field office, conference call available to other locations.
ADJOURN.
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