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Welcome to the OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11, Twenty-fourth Biennial Convention. Every two years over 500 delegates from our 160-plus chapters and other subordinate bodies come together to set the future direction for the union.
Like past conventions, you will be asked to make tough decisions about whether or not to amend our constitution and about what policy statements OCSEA should make through the adoption of resolutions. Clearly you have an important responsibility over the next three days.
You will hear from speakers who have a significant impact on our jobs as public employees. You will also have the opportunity to gather information at exhibit booths, from shopping at the PEOPLE booth to seeing the accomplishments of our members in the many agencies where we work.
As you can see, there will be lots of hard work and many opportunities to gain information. But there are also a number of entertaining things to do as well. Check out the program for information on the PEOPLE Fun Walk/Run, Salsa Dance night, and don't miss our dance after the banquet.
Enjoy the Convention!
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The twelve months preceding this convention have certainly tested the strength of our great union. We have faced repeated blows from the budget axe wielded by the legislature and the governor. The future doesn't look much brighter as the actions surrounding the state budget could cause the layoff of several hundred state employees. Those who are left will be faced with the same amount of work, the same number of clients, and the same number of inmates or residents with fewer resources to accomplish the job. Tax cuts passed on the federal level will result in even less money being sent to state governments.
On top of these challenges is the ever-present threat of privatization. It seems in every agency there are private companies ready to do our jobs so they can line their coffers with the profit they make by paying lower wages and benefits to their employees.
Our future holds many challenges for OCSEA members. To successfully meet these challenges head on, we will need to be mobilized: Mobilized at every level of this union — from the officers and stewards to the members. We will need to educate the members in our chapters, assemblies and district councils on how to best fight privatization and budget cuts. We will have to mobilize the members of our communities to join us and help fight for our jobs.
We need to work hard to elect more labor-friendly candidates in November 2002. "Vote your job" is no longer just a slogan on a union pin, but the only way to save our jobs from further budget cuts of essential state services in the future. We saw what right-wing Republicans think of the work we perform during this last budget cycle; it's now time to vote them out of office and support candidates, Republicans and Democrats, who value the services we perform on a daily basis for the citizens of this great state.
As your executive director, I pledge the full strength of the staff and our resources to fight for our future— but staff alone cannot build a strong well-mobilized union. We will need each and every leader and the members mobilized for our future! |
AFSCME LOCAL 11 
AFL-CIO