UNION MEMBERS ROLL INTO LAS VEGAS FOR AFGE NATIONAL CONVENTION

AFGE staff provided members with information about where to vote as part of the union’s AFGE Defends Democracy campaign.

More than 1,500 federal employees and union activists from across the nation have converged on Las Vegas for AFGE’s 39^thNational Convention.

Members began checking in Saturday afternoon. Dozens of members volunteered as Sergeant in Arms to assist delegates with the registration process, even handing out waters to members waiting in line to check in. AFGE staff set up exhibit booths to educate members about the various services and programs available to them. Members stopped by the Communications table to pick up copies of AFGE’s publications, learn about our social media outreach and visit with AFGE “Inside Government” producer and host Jason Fornicola. The AFGE Defends Democracy table provided members with general election information such as state voter requirements, volunteer cards, poll worker and monitor forms, and information on voter protection.

Staff from the Field Services and Education department met with department employees to discuss representation efforts, contract campaigns, contracting out, health and safety, and member education/leadership development.

At the Information Technology table, members were introduced to LaborWeb, a new initiative that provides Locals and Councils with an easy to use website at no charge. The General Counsel’s Office had staff on hand to discuss AFGE’s Legal Rights Attorney Program, which offers free attorney representation in cases brought by AFGE Locals and Councils on behalf of AFGE members.

Staff from AFGE’s PAC department educated members about being politically engaged this election season.

At the always popular Membership and Organization Department’s Union Fair, members shopped for AFGE merchandise, ordered AFGE organizing materials and entered several drawings for prizes. Members also stopped by the PAC table to sign up for PAC and offer financial support to AFGE’s political outreach efforts.

The Women’s and Fair Practices department distributed a newly designed and updated Coordinator, information on FMLA, discrimination, disability and sexual harassment, and two brand new manuals on domestic violence and MD-715.

New to the AFGE convention this year was the Y.O.U.N.G. AFGE Training Summit, a two-day training conference designed to introduce AFGE members into the union structure and keep them engaged in what’s at stake for working class Americans.