Local Voices at the Convention: Energy, Diversity, Next Generation

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Local Voices at the Convention: Energy, Diversity,  Next Generation(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

"The energy in the room was just wonderful," said Doris Reed (ASASP, at right in photo), who took time off from her vacation to stop by the AFL-CIO convention in Los Angeles on Tuesday. "People were really feeling it. We came out of the room knowing that we're all in the same movement, we know where we need to go and what we need to do, and I think people realize that if we don't come together, the labor movement is not going to survive." Reed also pointed out that "it's mainly the leadership that comes to these conventions and we need to involve more of the rank and file back home to get people fired up and enthusiastic, to give people something to look forward to and something to fight for." AFSCME MD Council 67's Glen Middleton said the convention was "about building for the future, and I'm so glad that President Trumka talked about the next generation and how important it is for us to build this labor movement with young workers." Mark Dudzic, National Coordinator for the Labor Campaign for Single Payer -- and Co-Chair of the DC Labor Filmfest -- said that he's "really excited at the promise this convention shows towards  bringing in a broad and diverse constituency to ensure that the AFL-CIO is a movement of all working people, so I'm really very hopeful that we're going to come out of this with a bigger and more organic movement." The IBEW's Jim Spellane agreed, saying that "The movement is really opening itself up and building the way for future strength. It's great that we're going to have more energy and more participants to get that done." 
- Chris Garlock

 

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