The American Federation of Government Employees also is airing commercials in the Twin Cities featuring President John Gage blasting the failures of the Bush administration, from the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina to the cuts in services for veterans and seniors.
"The disabled, veterans and working people are the ones paying for this (national) deficit, this war and corporate greed," Gage told AFGE members at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis. "I\'ve had enough and I\'m hoping you\'ve had enough, too."
The union represents 600,000 workers in federal departments and agencies in Washington, D.C., across the nation and overseas. In Minnesota, Gage met with AFGE members at the VA Hospital, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Defense and three offices of the Social Security Administration. His mission was two-fold: To sign up new members for the union and rally them to get involved in electing pro-worker candidates.
The radio commercials, which can be heard on WCCO radio and the union\'s website, www.afge.org, don\'t explicitly mention the Bush administration, candidates or this fall\'s election. Gage said they are directed to members of his union. But their message is unmistakable: The nation is in trouble and something must be done about it.
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AFGE President John Gage joins union members at a Minneapolis phonebank. Photo by Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review |
Gage, a Pittsburgh native who had a brief stint as a professional baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, began his career in federal service as a disability examiner for the Social Security Administration. He became active in the union, eventually being elected national president in 2003 and recently re-elected to a second term.
AFGE members are witnessing firsthand "the undercover dismantling" of federal services, Gage said. The Minneapolis VA Hospital, one of four "polytrauma" units in the nation, is treating some of the most seriously wounded in the Iraq War, but has been underfunded for the last six years. The Social Security Administration is seriously considering a 10-day shutdown because of budget cuts, Gage said.
"We\'re very concerned about cuts happening in some of the key agencies in this country," he said. "They are putting political appointees in high level positions, regardless of their experience or seniority. We can see how that worked at FEMA," the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where a political appointee botched the government\'s response to Hurricane Katrina.
All the while, the multi-billion-dollar cost of the war in Iraq is draining resources from programs that serve working families, Gage said. Because the changes are taking place with little or no public notice, the cuts in federal services amount to an underground dismantling of public programs, he said.
While in Minnesota, Gage participated in a phone bank at the Minneapolis Labor Center to turn out the union vote in November.
Vicky Sirovy, president of AFGE Local 1969, said Gage\'s visit builds on local efforts to engage members.
"We\'ve been signing up lots of new members," she said. "We\'ve actually got people pumped up here."
Local 1969 represents housekeeping, LPNS, nursing assistants, lab workers and other staff at the Minneapolis VA. Overall, the AFGE represents about 12,000 federal employees in the region that includes Minnesota.
For the past 25 years, federal employees have struggled to do their jobs without enough people or resources, but the current situation is the worst he\'s ever seen, Gage said. Smiling ruefully, he added, "I don\'t even remember Ronald Reagan any more."
For more information
Learn more about the AFGE in Minnesota at the Local 1969 website, www.afge1969.org
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The American Federation of Government Employees also is airing commercials in the Twin Cities featuring President John Gage blasting the failures of the Bush administration, from the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina to the cuts in services for veterans and seniors.
"The disabled, veterans and working people are the ones paying for this (national) deficit, this war and corporate greed," Gage told AFGE members at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis. "I\’ve had enough and I\’m hoping you\’ve had enough, too."
The union represents 600,000 workers in federal departments and agencies in Washington, D.C., across the nation and overseas. In Minnesota, Gage met with AFGE members at the VA Hospital, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Defense and three offices of the Social Security Administration. His mission was two-fold: To sign up new members for the union and rally them to get involved in electing pro-worker candidates.
The radio commercials, which can be heard on WCCO radio and the union\’s website, www.afge.org, don\’t explicitly mention the Bush administration, candidates or this fall\’s election. Gage said they are directed to members of his union. But their message is unmistakable: The nation is in trouble and something must be done about it.
|
|
AFGE President John Gage joins union members at a Minneapolis phonebank. Photo by Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review |
Gage, a Pittsburgh native who had a brief stint as a professional baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, began his career in federal service as a disability examiner for the Social Security Administration. He became active in the union, eventually being elected national president in 2003 and recently re-elected to a second term.
AFGE members are witnessing firsthand "the undercover dismantling" of federal services, Gage said. The Minneapolis VA Hospital, one of four "polytrauma" units in the nation, is treating some of the most seriously wounded in the Iraq War, but has been underfunded for the last six years. The Social Security Administration is seriously considering a 10-day shutdown because of budget cuts, Gage said.
"We\’re very concerned about cuts happening in some of the key agencies in this country," he said. "They are putting political appointees in high level positions, regardless of their experience or seniority. We can see how that worked at FEMA," the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where a political appointee botched the government\’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
All the while, the multi-billion-dollar cost of the war in Iraq is draining resources from programs that serve working families, Gage said. Because the changes are taking place with little or no public notice, the cuts in federal services amount to an underground dismantling of public programs, he said.
While in Minnesota, Gage participated in a phone bank at the Minneapolis Labor Center to turn out the union vote in November.
Vicky Sirovy, president of AFGE Local 1969, said Gage\’s visit builds on local efforts to engage members.
"We\’ve been signing up lots of new members," she said. "We\’ve actually got people pumped up here."
Local 1969 represents housekeeping, LPNS, nursing assistants, lab workers and other staff at the Minneapolis VA. Overall, the AFGE represents about 12,000 federal employees in the region that includes Minnesota.
For the past 25 years, federal employees have struggled to do their jobs without enough people or resources, but the current situation is the worst he\’s ever seen, Gage said. Smiling ruefully, he added, "I don\’t even remember Ronald Reagan any more."
For more information
Learn more about the AFGE in Minnesota at the Local 1969 website, www.afge1969.org