WHEREAS:
Paul Booth was a part of the AFSCME family for more than 40 years, serving tirelessly in various capacities until his death on January 17, 2018; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth was an organizer’s organizer, a proud trade unionist, a gifted coalition-builder, a nationally known champion for social justice, a leader of Students for a Democratic Society; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth helped found Council 31 in Illinois and was instrumental in organizing and securing contracts for thousands of state employees and city of Chicago workers; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth spent every day fighting for the rights of public service workers to have dignity, security and to pursue better lives; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth became Director of Field Services for AFSCME International and eventually Executive Assistant to the President Gerald W. McEntee and President Lee Saunders; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth helped lead AFSCME through a period of rapid growth by creating and implementing strategies that led to tens of thousands of public service workers joining AFSCME, so they could benefit from the strength of our union; and
WHEREAS:
As a senior adviser for AFSCME’s I AM campaign in 2018, which commemorated the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike of 1968 and paid tribute to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Paul Booth spearheaded the national “moment of silence” events to speak up for workers’ rights and freedoms; and
WHEREAS:
Paul Booth was a man of generosity, decency and integrity, one who served as a mentor and teacher to so many within and outside of AFSCME.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That we, the delegates to AFSCME’s 43rd International Convention, do hereby honor Paul Booth today, July 17, 2018.
SUBMITTED BY: International Executive Board