AFGE Members Elect J. David Cox President of Nation's Largest Federal and D.C. Government Workers Union

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)J. David Cox (right) was elected national president of the American Federation of Government Employees during the union's 39th National Convention in Las Vegas this week. “David is a longtime friend of the Metro Council with strong local connections and will be a terrific leader for AFGE,” said Metro Council President Jos Williams. “We look forward to working with him to build support for our brothers and sisters in the public sector.” One thousand convention attendees joined Las Vegas union activists outside an August 14 GOP fundraiser attended by Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan to draw attention to the devastating budget cuts the congressman has proposed. Outgoing AFGE National President John Gage led the protesters in a chant denouncing the Romney-Ryan economic plan, shouting "Romney Hood, Ryan Hood, not in our neighborhood." Union activists held signs reading "Paul Ryan: Hustling for the 1%," "Romney/Ryan Road to Ruin," and others. Cox rises to the union's top position after serving two consecutive terms as AFGE's National Secretary-Treasurer, where he helped the union add more than 52,000 new members and expand the size and scope of AFGE's political action committee and its legislative action fund. Cox said he would work on strengthening the union by embracing the union's diverse membership and building consensus among members. "The strength of unity is the only way we are going to fight back against the anti-government and anti-union forces that want to dismantle the vital programs and services federal employees provide each and every day to millions of Americans," Cox said. "I am honored and humbled that AFGE's members chose me to lead this fight." The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 650,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. photo at left courtesy AFGE