A Special Message from C13 Executive Director, David R. Fillman

November 5, 2008

Brothers and Sisters:

              Thank you to all who volunteered at any time during this election cycle. Seems like it has been going on forever.

              I’m proud that AFSCME, and especially Council 13, was a major part of this historic moment in presidential history.

              For the last 5 weekends, I traveled to District Council Educational Seminars from the Poconos to Pittsburgh; from Erie to State College.   I spoke to members about the importance of this election and the impact on working women and men. Over 1,000 of our Local leaders attended those 5 separate conferences.

              I told them of the hope and pro-union positions of Senator Obama and Senator Biden. I told them of the help we all need at a time when we are bailing out the banks at a price tag of over $750 Billion. I told them of the help some of our members need, as they may be a part of over 2 million home foreclosures. I told them of the costs of fuel that erases any wage increase we may negotiate. And it goes on. Health care cost increases. Pensions decimated. Unemployment at a record 5 year high.  I spoke about the need for Barack Obama as President of the United States, because he knows what it is like to be working poor. Because he will be a true advocate for working families as we work our way out of this economic cesspool – he won’t be one to just give hand-outs to Wall Street.   

              I also talked about how we need Barack Obama to stop the attacks on unions.  About how John McCain took his campaign to new lows to take on our members, as if we were a part of the problems of this country. Mitt Romney spoke at the Republican National Convention of “going after public employee unions.”   John McCain said in his nomination acceptance speech that he will “take on the Union bosses.” And on the Tuesday before the election, in an interview in Hershey with MSNBC, John McCain said if he were President and the Employee Free Choice Act was put on his desk, he would veto it “in a New York minute.”

              John McCain visited Pennsylvania over 20 times since June. In the last week his negative ads played into race and threatened that the United States would be attacked with an Obama presidency.   McCain’s strategy of lies, fear tactics, negative ads and, especially, the Union bashing failed.   And the double-digit defeat in Pennsylvania shortly after the 8PM poll closing gave Obama Pennsylvania “in a New York minute!”

              Let this be a warning to ANY candidate running for public office - no matter what party - if you make it a part of your campaign strategy to take on working men, working women, and unions, we will do everything to make sure you don’t get elected.

              All of our hard work: phone banks, labor walks, and educating our members on the issues, paid off.   I’m thrilled that the citizens of Pennsylvania rejected, in significant numbers, the campaigning of negativity and lies. Thank you for uniting for change in the true spirit of solidarity that is AFSCME.

In unity,

David R. Fillman

Executive Director

AFSCME Council 13