This is a GREAT! letter from AFSCME – they rock! Thank you so much!
Dear Editor: AFSCME Local 60 currently represents almost 1,400 city of Madison workers, and has represented city of Madison workers for 75 years. We thank those concerned for our members’ safety in regards to the increased homeless population seeking warmth in the City-County Building. However, an enforcement-only approach is not in line with the values of our union or our community.
AFSCME has a long history as a voice for the under-represented. From the civil rights movement, to fighting for equal pay for women, to working to end apartheid, AFSCME has been on the front lines for the ostracized.
As Wisconsin faces seven straight months of job losses and record foreclosures, no one needs a voice more than those living in poverty and without a home. Recognizing this, Local 60 members volunteer time and money for local nonprofits like the Tenant Resource Center, which serves those facing eviction and homelessness in Dane County.
As federal and state funding for services for the homeless and poor are slashed, local elected officials, community leaders and labor must take the lead in advocating for the poor and attack the root causes of homelessness in our community. We must find an immediate, humane solution to help those who are now seeking refuge in the City-County Building, and invest in local infrastructure such as showers, lockers and permanent indoor spaces so we can serve our entire community. We must ensure that everyone has access to sanitation which is safe, hygienic, secure and ensures dignity. We must stand for the basic human rights of all.
Tim Birkley, vice president, AFSCME Local 60
Don Coyier, president, AFSCME Local 60
Right-on! It is so good that this union local cares so much for the community that it serves. I am glad these people want to contribute their efforts towards the greater good. Keep up the good work, Local 60.