WHEREAS:
The ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 is intended to bust our union and presents all American unions with the challenge of maintaining and building our unions in the face of anti-union laws; and
WHEREAS:
Other recent rulings by the Supreme Court make clear that we cannot rely on the courts to defend our rights. The strategy of the Democratic Party to run socially conservative candidates in “red” districts makes clear that neither can we rely on electoral strategies to defeat attacks on women’s rights, immigrant rights, LGTBQ rights or any other civil rights; and
WHEREAS:
The “Teacher Spring” of massive and militant strike action has been a source of inspiration to workers across the country and provides AFSCME with a model of action to save our union; and
WHEREAS:
Strike waves in Republican-dominated states have highlighted the national crisis of funding for education and all public services that has been clobbering service workers and all the people who rely on our services; and
WHEREAS:
Tens of thousands of public school employees have valiantly placed themselves on the line to fight for the future of our schools—and they are winning. West Virginia increased state funding for raises and seniority and to defeat charter school privatization. Oklahoma and Arizona teacher strikes restored hundreds of millions of dollars in state education funding and raises; and
WHEREAS:
Their courage inspires and challenges public employees to match their militancy on a national scale. AFSCME currently represents over a third of government workers and large numbers of service workers in the private sector. We must unite with the people we serve to win.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
AFSCME will build on the great teachers’ unions victories in West Virginia and Oklahoma and the struggles breaking out in Arizona and other states, to support campaigns of labor action, including strike action where practicable, to:
- Save public services.
- Fight to improve AFSCME members’ living and working conditions.
- Fight for union rights.
SUBMITTED BY:
Donna Stern, Delegate
AFSCME Local 140, Council 25
Michigan