Alma Wingard is an expert on attending AFSCME Conventions and being an AFSCME retiree. She’s been doing both for more than two decades.
“I enjoyed Conventions because I never came away without learning something new,” said Wingard, who retired from the Chicago Public Library system 22 years ago. “You’re always able to pick up something because you’re never too old to learn.”
Wingard’s city is home to AFSCME’s 47th International Convention, where thousands of her fellow AFSCME members will come ready to expand their union skills, network with people from other affiliates, and get inspired to face the challenges ahead.
“Conventions bring people in from all over the United States, and we are able to talk to them and learn from them,” said Wingard. “We get information that opens your mind to something; maybe you get an idea, maybe it will be helpful in a situation you have back where you live, and all of that comes from AFSCME bringing us together.”
Wingard is vice president of the Chicago retiree subchapter 60, which is part of AFSCME Retiree Chapter 31 and AFSCME Council 31. She’s been to eight conventions since her retirement as supervisor of the acquisition division at the Chicago Public Library, and she attended many more while she was still working.
She makes a point to attend every general session, roundtable, speech, workshop and caucus that she possibly can during Convention week.
“We’re out there representing how many hundreds of thousands of people?” Wingard said. “We’re there to take that information back home.”
Wingard worked for the city for nearly 40 years.
“I’ve always been union, to this day,” she said. “When I was a steward, I had pretty good teachers who showed me what AFSCME was about. The union and the opportunities at the library allowed me to retire with a comfortable pension, a pension that I earned. It allowed me, through AFSCME, to take care of and raise my children and give us a life.”
Wingard was one of those retirees who saw an increase in her Social Security benefit after former President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act and ended unfair benefit cuts for certain public service retirees.
“AFSCME shows they are able to make us whole, even this late in life,” she said. “It took a long time, but AFSCME did not back off.”
In addition to all the work at the Convention, Wingard is also looking forward to being inspired.
“The speakers and the energy that is put out there, it just grabs you and makes your heart feel good,” she said. “All these people, all of one accord. We’re here to make a difference for everyone in our community.”
