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Retirees | ||
See Us in ActionAFSCME retiree chapters and subchapters are involved in the life of their communities, with activities that range from legislation to politics, from member-education to community services. Chapters hold conventions and regular membership meetings, as well as education conferences and social events. Here are a few examples of retiree members in action. For more on joining or starting an AFSCME retiree group, click here. Delaware Chapter 81 Photo Credit: Reuters When Home Depot held its annual shareholders meeting in May in Wilmington, Delaware, it didn’t count on AFSCME to post a picket line outside. But that’s what happened when members of Retiree Chapter 81 showed up to protest the enormous pay and benefits package awarded to company CEO Robert L. Nardelli. “AFSCME’s employee pension plan and lots of public plans own stock in Home Depot,” said Chapter 81 Pres. Sandy Richards (pictured here, second from left). “The value has dropped under Nardelli, so why is he getting paid so much?” Nardelli has made more than $150 million in the last five years, while Home Depot stock declined 12 percent. Competitor Lowe’s CEO made only a quarter of Nardelli’s pay, yet delivered shareholder returns of approximately 200 percent. The protesters’ goal was to encourage shareholders to withhold their votes from several company directors who okayed Nardelli’s compensation. Their action was part of AFSCME’s corporate governance campaign, which tries to get companies to behave more responsibly under pressure from shareholders. Protecting pension investments is the bottom line. Pennsylvania Chapter 13 Annual Convention
Washington Chapter 10 Annual Convention
Nevada Chapter 4041 & Subchapter 153: Social Security Celebration
Wayne County Subchapter 38 Annual Convention
New York City Chapter 37 Education Conference
For more on joining or starting an AFSCME retiree group, click here. |
Jerry LaPoint
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More than 200 delegates from 31 subchapters attended the Pennsylvania Chapter 13 convention in Harrisburg in September. Speakers included AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director David Fillman and Catherine Baker Knoll, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor and a longtime member of Retiree Chapter 13. Chapter Pres. Daniel Mazus introduced Baker Knoll to the delegates (shown here).
Gov. Christine Gregoire was the featured speaker at the recent annual convention of Washington Chapter 10 in Tacoma. She decried the high cost of drugs in the U.S. and said she wanted the state of Washington to be able to re-import safe drugs from other countries. She also said the state was offering homes to survivors of the Gulf Coast hurricanes and had established a fund, "Washington Cares." The delegates -- nearly 250 in number -- immediately took a vote to donate $20,000 from the chapter treasury. Chapter Pres. John O’Brien is shown here, at a news conference, presenting the donation to the governor (center). 
Nevada Chapter 4041 and Las Vegas Subchapter 153 recently co-sponsored a Social Security 70th anniversary celebration with Nevadans United to Protect Social Security. AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee was the keynote speaker at the event, which also featured Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman. Over 300 AFSCME members and other union and community activists turned out to cheer for Social Security. Leaders of the two AFSCME groups are shown here, with Pres. McEntee. 
Subchapter 38 in Wayne County, Michigan, held its annual convention in October. The highlight came when Pres. Henry Lykes presented U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) with a plaque honoring his good work on behalf of the state's public-sector workers and retirees. Rep. Levin is the ranking Democrat on the House Social Security Subcommittee and helped lead the charge against privatization in Congress. He told the retirees that the privatizers were losing their fight to dismantle Social Security. Levin is shown here, with subchapter leaders.
More than 400 members attended Retiree Chapter 37's 3rd annual education conference, held in April at District Council 37 headquarters in New York City. The conference included separate panels on federal, city and state issues, as well as a panel on retiree benefits. Participants heard from such expert panelists as U. S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Gregory Meeks, New York City Councilman Joseph Addabo – Chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, columnist Tom Robbins of the Village Voice, and New York State Senators Diane Savino, Martin Golden and Carl Andrew.
