Thank You County Sector Delegates to the AFSCME Council 5 Convention

On Thursday, September 30, I had the honor of being elected to the 43-member statewide AFSCME Council 5 Executive Board, during the 2010 Council 5 Convention.  I was one of five elected to represent AFSCME members from the County sector.  My Local's President, Jean Diederich, was re-elected to the Board herself, representing members who live in the West Metro, which includes Hennepin and Anoka Counties.

Cliff Robinson, who retired in August, nominated me, and did a wonderfully moving job of highlighting my career with AFSCME and his expectation that I will be able to provide the Board with continuity after his departure.  Thank you, Cliff, for your very kind words!


The Convention assembly heard from Bill Lucy, the retired AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer on Friday, then from DFL Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday morning.  Resolutions were passed, including one I assisted in the composition of, prioritizing dealing with Workplace Bullying on the AFSCME legislative agenda.  Local 34's Katie Farber was honored with the Rick Scott political organizing award, we each attended workshops on Friday morning, and I learned that the West Metro will screen me for AFSCME endorsement on October 9th.

AFSCME Council 5 Convention - September 30 - October 2

I'm headed to the AFSCME Council 5 Convention this afternoon.  We'll be meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Bloomington.  I'm serving on the Credentials Committee, and will be working at the Registration table, both this evening from 6-9pm and in the morning, from 7-9:30am.

I am a candidate for a Council 5 Executive Board seat representing the County Sector.  Nominations are being held Thursday afternoon, with voting in the evening.

Here's the Convention notice from the Council 5 website:

http://afscmemn.org/it%E2%80%99s-convention-time%21


And here's the Convention schedule, including speeches by Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton on Saturday morning, and from retired International Secretary-Treasurer, Bill Lucy, a great favorite of the Minnesota delegation to this summer's convention in Boston.


Convention Opens Sept. 30Council 5’s annual convention runs Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at the Sheraton Bloomington hotel. Here is an outline of major events (subject to change):

• Registration: Sept. 29, 6-9 p.m., and Sept. 30, 7-9:30 a.m. (Note: Delegates not registered by this time cannot vote in Council 5 elections)
• Convention opens: Sept. 30, 9 a.m.
• Sector and District nomination meetings: Sept. 30, 1:15-3 p.m.
• Policy committee meetings: Sept. 30, 3:15-5:15 p.m.
• Elections of Officers and Executive Board: Sept. 30, 5:15-7:15 p.m.
• Training and workshops: Oct. 1, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
• District meetings, Oct. 1, 1:30-2:15 p.m.
• Convention reconvenes: Oct. 1, 2:30 p.m., including address by Bill Lucy, AFSCME International’s secretary-treasurer emeritus 
• Convention reconvenes: Oct. 2, 9 a.m., including address by Mark Dayton, AFSCME-endorsed candidate for governor