WHEREAS:

            During the current national recession, state, county and municipal governments have laid off or furloughed union workers and have closed public services from schools to offices, fire houses, hospitals, and day care centers, all the while increasing work loads and responsibilities on our members; and

WHEREAS:

            States, counties and municipalities are promoting down-sizing, privatizing, and contracting out of our members’ jobs, livelihoods and futures, claiming that these are the only cost-cutting measures that they can take to fight their fiscal crises; and

WHEREAS:

            Federal revenues are unequally distributed back to state and local governments through revenue sharing, grants and other federal subsidies in order to provide the aforementioned governments with additional revenue streams other than taxes; and

WHEREAS:

            Public service jobs continue to come under attack by right-wing extremists and the one percenters’ push for less government and unfair taxes.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME rededicate itself and all its affiliates toward fighting privatization, contracting out and down-sizing wherever they may occur throughout our state, county and local governments; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

            That AFSCME use an increased amount of its resources in educating our members, state, county and local officials and the general public about the problems and unwarranted costs of privatization.