In announcing the winners of AFSCME’s PEOPLE awards Friday at our union’s 46th International Convention in Los Angeles, Ona C. Rivero Winfield from Illinois Council 31 delivered both congratulations and a challenge.
“I come to you from Illinois with good news and bad news,” Rivero Winfield said.
The good news?
“So many members around the country understand the importance of political action and are contributing to AFSCME’s PEOPLE fund,” said Rivero Winfield. “We get that when we support lawmakers who support us, we’re investing in our jobs and in our communities.”
Rivero Winfield issued a challenge as well.
“We need to do more. A lot more. Anti-union politicians continue to come after us. They want to destroy our union, slash public service budgets and raid our pensions. They are well funded, determined to hurt working families and dead set on crushing unions,” she said.
Rivero Winfield called on delegates to do more, to step up their PEOPLE game, by not only contributing, but becoming PEOPLE MVPs.
“No workforce has a bigger stake in politics than we do,” Rivero Winfield said. “Decisions made by politicians at all levels affect our lives and livelihoods. They are often the ones sitting across from us at the negotiating table. It would be malpractice not to have a say in who those folks are.”
Click here to see the full list of AFSCME’s 2024 PEOPLE Fundraising Award winners.
Illinois Council 31 members cheer during the PEOPLE Awards ceremony Friday, as their council was recognized for contributing the highest amount to PEOPLE. Photo credit: Khalid Naji-Allah
