WFSE leaders from 41 different locals across Washington gathered on May 31 and June 1, learning the best ways to organize for success within their locals.
Local delegates, executive board members, and member of PEOPLE, our union's political action fund, came together on April 27 to decide which candidates our union endorses in a critical 2024 election season.
It’s easy to say that the 2020 election is the most important of our lifetimes, but hearing this firsthand from AFSCME Retirees, many of whom have dedicated their lives to public service and making America a better place to live, shows the urgency to us all.
The following statement was released by WFSE President Mike Yestramski and Executive Director Leanne Kunze:
Dear WFSE siblings,
Last week, Sean Smoot from 21CP Solutions facilitated a follow-up conversation between WFSE leadership and DOC members regarding unintended impacts from statements released by our executive committee. These statements called for racial justice for all of our siblings while denouncing systems of oppression.
Vancouver, WA—Tyler Close is a Public Benefits Specialist (PBS) 4 for the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in Vancouver and a shop steward. Like many public employees, Close is dedicated to service and to helping those in need. That includes his job at DCYF, anti-racism work, and volunteering.
As a PBS, Close works to bring federal reimbursements into Washington to support and bolster DCYF’s work. “The better I do my job, the more funding the department has, which overall affects the whole mission of DCYF,” Close said.
If there’s one thing the 2020 election has in spades, it’s choices – and not just the choices between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, and choices up and down the ballot. In a year when our jobs, our families, and every aspect of our lives have felt the impact of a pandemic, there are lots of ways to make your voice heard at the polls.
