Something You Should Know!

By Sheryl Moore, Local 3090 Newsletter Editor

Our Union, AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), is one of the largest and strongest Unions in the country. And we can thank the political activism of our Union for the benefits we enjoy. Too often we take these benefits for granted, especially those of us with less than 15 years of service who didn’t see how hard the union had to fight for its members in the 80s.

This Union’s activism politically allows us to attain these victories. It also allows us to support candidates who we believe will fight for the rights of working families. When we believe that elected officials are working to repeal our basic rights, we work to remove them.

Local 3090 fought and broke ground here in Los Angeles in:

Pay Equity – A gardener caretaker salary once paid more than a clerk typist; at that time, the skill, knowledge and ability levels were the same but it was a male-dominated classification. Local 3090 took on the fight to end this disparity and won.

Family Medical Leave – Before it was a Federal Law, we negotiated this benefit to give members protection from being penalized due to illness. It also gave members the ability to have paid time off and benefit continuation to care for themselves or a family member.

Catastrophe Illness Bank – After rejecting a proposal at 3090’s bargaining table, the City recognized the need to assist members by granting additional time off to be used during a major illness.

Protection for Victims – In time of need, members have a safety net of services and on the job protections.

These are just a few of the hard-fought battles that Local 3090 took on in the early 80s and forward. Unions in the City and around the country have adopted similar language to protect their members’ basic rights. If AFSCME was not involved politically at all levels of government, speaking for working families, where do you think you would be right now?