WHEREAS:

Public services are threatened like never before. These attacks aim to silence advocacy for our jobs, our families and the communities we serve by destroying collective bargaining rights and busting unions. We are fighting these attacks every single day; and

WHEREAS:

Through AFSCME Strong, 25,000 AFSCME leaders have mobilized at the local level and engaged a million members to take an active role in forging our future and improving standards in our core public service industries; and

WHEREAS:

These activists have organized 500,000 new members into the union; and

WHEREAS:

Unorganized public service workers all over the country are ready to fight back and achieve the standards that AFSCME unions have won, and AFSCME is the union where they belong; and

WHEREAS:

Now, more than ever, members of independent unions see that we are stronger together. Since AFSCME Strong began, over 10,000 members of independent unions joined AFSCME to fight back and win; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME is the largest and fastest growing EMS union in the country, and EMTs and paramedics are organizing with AFSCME to improve emergency services and working conditions; and

WHEREAS:

With 40,000 members, AFSCME workers in behavioral health have the power to raise professional standards in the industry and improve services for millions with mental illness or substance abuse disorders by bringing the union to hundreds of thousands of unorganized behavioral health professionals; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME currently represents more than 300,000 health care employees, but six million unorganized hospital workers do not have the power of a union. These AFSCME members can organize the unorganized and improve healthcare across the country; and

WHEREAS:

We must refocus on organizing the unorganized in these core AFSCME industries as the only path forward to building density and power, and winning rights and respect for public service workers.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That we must reach out to hundreds of thousands of unorganized workers who, by joining us, can help level the playing field for public service workers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That we will organize workers in behavioral health, hospitals, EMS along with other public sector and privatized public service workers. In addition, we will seek to affiliate independent public service unions to bring them into AFSCME; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That all affiliates will work with trained activists and members to identify growth opportunities with unorganized workers, many of whom they work with side-by-side, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME International will support affiliates that are organizing, and affiliates will put staff and member resources into external organizing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME affiliates will provide Volunteer Member Organizers (VMOs) to support other affiliates that are organizing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME and its affiliates will leverage existing relationships to secure labor peace agreements, neutrality policies and expedited recognition procedures; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

AFSCME will prioritize external organizing while remaining committed to AFSCME STRONG. We will grow our VMO army, increase our membership and raise standards across the country in our fight for economic justice, dignity and respect for all working people.

SUBMITTED BY: International Executive Board