WHEREAS:

AFSCME is now the largest union in the AFL-CIO. We have made a commitment to maintain this union's power and preeminence in the labor movement by organizing 75,000 new workers each year; and

WHEREAS:

Organizing new members will not only bring the benefits of a strong union to public service workers who are now voiceless, it will bring new strength to current members in their struggles to negotiate and enforce good contracts; and

WHEREAS:

Organizing new members will bring new strength to our fight against privatization by making us even more of a force to be reckoned with. Also, most privateers are non-union and compete by having a low paid, understaffed workforce. Organizing public service workers will level the playing field so our wages cannot be undercut; and

WHEREAS:

Fulfilling this commitment to organize while continuing to effectively represent our members will require bold and creative action the likes of which has not been seen in this country since the Congress of Industrial Organizations organized the auto plants, steel mills and mines in the 1930's; and

WHEREAS:

The challenges before us are numerous. We must better deploy staff resources, make every member an activist, use technology to bring the union into our members' homes and workplaces, examine the industries in which our members work and the companies going after public service contracts and assess whether our current structures and practices meet the challenges of today.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will call an Organizing Convention in the year 2001; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That this convention will be charged with making recommendations to meet these challenges; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the Organizing Convention will be reported to the International Executive Board and then to the 35th International Convention to be held in 2002

SUBMITTED BY:

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD