WHEREAS:
In 2006, delegates at our 37th International Convention in Chicago had the courage to adopt a bold plan to make AFSCME bigger and better, based on the principle that we are a stronger union when we have a large, active and growing membership with real political power; and

WHEREAS: 
The International Union and affiliates are making important changes to achieve our shared goals of organizing more members and growing our ranks, building more political power and holding politicians accountable, protecting our benefits and fighting for affordable, high-quality health care for all, building support for the vital public services AFSCME members provide every day and increasing our union-building capacity; and

WHEREAS: 
While we still have considerable work to do, we have made progress in all of those areas, including the largest gain in membership last year of any union in the AFL-CIO and the successful execution in 2006 of the most aggressive and well-funded mid-term political program in our history, where we played a decisive role in taking back the U.S. Congress, winning six governorships and taking back 10 legislative chambers; and

WHEREAS: 
We have achieved important legislative successes, including an increase in the minimum wage and passage of the Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and we have begun a major campaign to reform our broken health care system--to protect and improve health care for those who have it, and provide it for those who do not; and

WHEREAS: 
We unveiled a new brand and logo to project a bold image for our union, which affiliates throughout the country have embraced and incorporated into their own  messages, Web sites, materials and products; we established the new AFSCME Leadership Academy and an innovative online training program to support increased member involvement; and

WHEREAS: 
Working families are struggling to make ends meet with the economy in turmoil, with unemployment rising, jobs disappearing and prices for consumer needs stretching pocketbooks to the breaking point; and

WHEREAS: 
We recognize that in these tough times, when workers are under attack by the most anti-worker president in our history and our economy faces the greatest challenges since the Great Depression, it is more important than ever that our union be strong.  It is harder to negotiate good contracts and politicians are trying to privatize, or even eliminate, our jobs.  Our workloads are up and staffing is down.  We are forced to give up wage increases just to keep our health benefits and often we pay more and get less.  On top of it all, the very right to join or start a union is under assault; and

WHEREAS: 
If our opponents win in 2008 and beyond, we can expect an already dire situation to get worse.  More public services will go on the chopping block. There will be additional tax cuts for the wealthy.  Trade deals that send U.S. jobs overseas--even public sector jobs--will increase. The occupation of Iraq will be extended. The nation’s worsening health care crisis will continue to be ignored.  Social Security as we know it will be destroyed. Enforcement of civil rights will be curtailed.  The undermining of public services will continue unabated and even greater efforts will be launched to bust our nation’s unions; and

WHEREAS: 
We recognize that AFSCME is at an historic crossroads and the stakes are high. 2008 presents clear challenges and extraordinary opportunities for our union. We are stronger than ever. Public opinion continues to turn in favor of issues that affect working families. As a result, we have a real opportunity to affect a major shift in American politics, but to do that--and take advantage of the opportunities ahead--we must continue to grow and get even stronger; and

WHEREAS: 
We are united in our dedication to work together to achieve our goals in 2008.  Together we can meet the crucial challenges that lie ahead--to take back the White House, increase our margins in the U.S. House and Senate and expand our political power at the local and state levels, to increase the organizational capacity of our local unions, councils and the International Union and to continue to increase our ranks through organizing.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 
We will continue to work to achieve the goals set out in the Power to Win plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: 
We will measure our work against tangible benchmarks, including, but not limited by, these major objectives.  We will help additional workers win the right to join our union.  To accomplish this, councils will organize at an annual rate equal to 3 percent of their membership per year and the International Union will organize at a rate equal to 2 percent of AFSCME’s total membership per year.  We will mobilize 40,000 members for legislative and political campaigns in 2008.  And we will increase PEOPLE participation at the MVP level to 25 percent over 5 years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
Each affiliate shall quarterly report, on a form developed by the International Union, on its progress in meeting 21st century goals.  The president shall report to the Executive Board on affiliate progress and conclusions as to best practices and successful strategies; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: 
As America’s leading union, we will step up our efforts to achieve our ambitious and inspired goals--to build an even better AFSCME to improve the lives of our members, while leading a movement to help America live up to its ideals and to raise the standard of living for all.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD