AFSCME Retiree Chapter 61

Chapter member Tom Jacobs, Iowa City, states that after he declined a lifetime achievement award several times the Iowa City Federation of Labor “ambushed me by not telling. It didn't hurt as much as I thought. ...The thing I like about the Labor Movement is most everything takes groups of folks instead of rising or falling on your own. Thanks to all of you for your help along the way.”

The Bulldog Report, by President Mike Hansen

I was proud to represent our Chapter at the recent annual meeting of Retiree Chapters which took place at AFSCME’s Headquarters in Washington DC. The meeting was called to order by our new Retiree Council Chairman Gary Tavormina (New York Chapter 82). The meeting was very productive as was the Legislative Conference which followed. It was also an opportunity to meet the Union’s new Retiree Department Director, Ann Widger. Ann was appointed following the retirement of Steve Regenstreif who served in that capacity for many years.

AFSCME International President Lee Saunders and Secretary – Treasurer Laura Reyes spoke on labor solidarity, and the continuous attacks by the Koch Brothers and other right wing corporations who have the sole intent to destroy the middle class and the union movement. Brother Saunders was also the moderator of an outstanding panel focusing building union solidarity. Participants on the panel were Presidents Larry Cohen of CWA, Mary Kay Henry of SEIU, Sean McGarvey of BCTD, and Randi Weingarten of the AFT. The discussions centered on the fact that all union organizations must act in solidarity and as one organization in order to defeat the attack on the middle class and the union movement.

We all rallied together at the Capitol to support Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs are in the public interest and should not be destroyed in order to serve the interest of big business.

Another panel discussion was on PEOPLE and included Iowa Council 61’s Political Representative Marcia Nichols. You’ll recall that PEOPLE is AFSCME’s fund-raising arm that provides financial aid to candidates who support the middle class.

A major Agenda item at both the Retiree meeting and the Legislative Conference was building our Chapters and Locals. I learned that most Retiree Chapters organize new members with the assistance of agreements with their State’s management counterparts to provide the Union with the names and addresses of newly retired workers. The Chapter mails recruitment letters to those workers or makes a personal contact.

Here in Iowa, we found that method to be very successful as well. We continue to be concerned that Council 61 not only ceased to provide our Chapter with monthly lists of retirees, but also denied our request to have our contact information available via the Council’s web page. We have heard from retirees that they have an extremely difficult time finding out how to join Chapter 61. Folks can find us on the International’s web page, afscme.org, by clicking on Iowa in the directory on the home page.

I also want to let you know that the International has responded to our request for assistance by assigning staff to investigate this conflict between the Council and our Chapter. I met with Sister Erin Young, of the Dept. Of Organizing and Field Services in December and let her know how important it is that Council President Danny Homan resume the Council’s practice of delivering the names and addresses of newly retired State and Board of Regents employees to us so that we can contact them. I shared documents with her that establish that we have received the lists off and on during Homan’s presidency. Erin advised me that another member of her Department would be in contact with Danny Homan to assess his position.

In summary, our goals are and shall continue to be to act in the best interest of the union movement and the public interest by working in elections for candidates who support collective bargaining and building coalitions with AFSCME International, Council 61, the Alliance For Retired Americans, CCI, Move To Amend, State and Local Councils, Iowa Citizens Action Network, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Move To Amend, and a host of others who share our values. In order to accomplish these goals we have developed our own e-news system and our own Web Page. These tools allow us to have instant communication with our members and friends concerning upcoming events and ways to take action to support our positions.

As to our goal to work in coalition with other organizations and to elect candidates who support the public interest and the union movement, the following facts prove we have met this goal.

At least twenty five AFSCME Retiree Chapter 61 members and friends worked a total of 2245 hours to elect AFSCME People endorsed candidates. Many of these folks worked weekly in more than one campaign and at locations across the state. It’s more fun to work together and lets the world know who we are. Leonard Boswell sent a personal letter thanking us. He said we were among the most reliable and enthusiastic volunteers on his team.

AFSCME Retiree Chapter 61 also made special email endorsements outlining the specific reasons a given candidate deserved our support. These personal endorsements were for Obama-Biden, Congressmen Leonard Boswell, Bruce Braley, and Dave Loebsack, Congressional Candidate Kristi Vilsack, Sheriff Bill McCarthy, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Local 1868), Rep. Marti Anderson, Rep. Bruce Hunter, Senator Janet Petersen, Chapter members John Phoenix (Local 3450), Senators Rich Taylor (Local 2989) and Dick Dearden (Local 3289), Rep. John Forbes, Rep. Rick Olson (Local 1868), and Rep Ako Abdul-Samad. Retirees listen to retirees because we are a cohesive group.

During the last legislative session the Republicans attempted to gut collective bargaining. AFSCME Retirees acted in coalition with Council 61, IA Federation of Labor, CCI, South Central Federation of Labor, WILPF and other organizations to protect collective bargaining. AFSCME Retiree Chapter 61, acting in coalition, will again act in coalition to protect Council 61 and collective bargaining; because this is in the interest of the public and the union movement.

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To help save the economy, the Government will announce next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting seniors (instead of illegals) in order to lower Social Security and Medicare costs. Older people are easier to catch and will not remember how to get back home.

AFSCME Retiree Chapter 61 Officers: President – Mike Hansen, Des Moines, 515-253-2614(h) 515-778-6188(c);
Vice President – Alan Fisher, Des Moines; Secretary – June Elston, Woodward 515-669-4476; Treasurer –
Jan Corderman, Pleasant Hill 515-264-9612; VP1 – Bruce Forbes, Waterloo; VP2 – Paul Corbin, Lockridge 319-696-2760; VP3
– Allen Green, Des Moines 255-3260; VP4 – Dolores Betts, Ames 515-233-4190; VP5 – Rod Klein, Council Bluffs 712-420-
5599; Trustees - Jan Murphy, Des Moines 515-238-3990, Judy Avritt Des Moines 515-263-1514, Don Reeves  515-266-5797.