Public Employee Press

Union helps win $26 billion jobs bill

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

When President Obama signed the $26.1 billion jobs bill on Aug. 10, there was reason to cheer at DC 37 and its parent union in Washington, AFSCME. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees was a major force in the nationwide coalition that rescued the bill from sabotage by conservative anti-government interests in Congress. Throughout the fight, AFSCME counted on help from DC 37 activists concerned about the $2 billion at stake for education and health-care aid to their state and city.

"We led the fight to pass this bill to save thousands of jobs that were on the chopping block without adding a penny to the deficit," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee after Congress approved the measure, which Obama signed immediately.

Months earlier, the original $50 billion bill appeared dead. But AFSCME worked with a coalition of unions, progressive politicians, community organizations and other advocates to push for a smaller version with a greater likelihood of passing.

At AFSCME headquarters in Washington, Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders ran a "war room" that coordinated political action, public affairs, organizing and ­research work for the campaign.

Chuck Loveless, AFSCME's director of legislation, said members ­nationwide took actions to support the bill, including e-mails, phone calls and visits to Congress, and the union sponsored radio, print and TV ads.

Lobbying activity targeted legislators who were sitting on the fence. For ­instance, the campaign helped convince Maine Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan M. Collins to support the legislation, denying Republican leaders the Senate votes to filibuster the bill.

School Aide jobs saved

Democratic politicians and Obama have highlighted how the jobs legislation will save as many as 300,000 U.S. teachers from layoffs. But Loveless noted that the education funding would also go to support nonpedagogical staff.

During the summer, the union learned that as many as 500 School Aides represented by Dept. of Education Employees Local 372 faced the possibility of September layoffs. But after Obama signed the jobs bill, and as PEP went to press, the union was informed that the layoffs were "on hold."

"The passage of the jobs bill really shows how important AFSCME is in national politics," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

"The $2 billion for New York will go a long way toward helping our public schools and public hospital system."