daily proCeedings of the aft national Convention Sunday ChiCago, illinois | July 13, 2008 United States. Cortese has served the past four years as AFT executive vice president. Johnson, president of AFTMaryland, also serves as president of the Baltimore Teachers Union's paraprofessional chapter. "The three of us are committed to improving schools, hospitals and public institutions for children, families and communities," Weingarten said. "We will build on this union's great tradition of confronting injustice, embracing the excluded, questioning conventional wisdom, challenging the status quoand working 24/7 to improve the institutions where our members work." A former social studies teacher and lawyer, Weingarten has distinguished herself through her tireless advocacy for students and the union members who work with them in and out of classrooms. She is noted for her continual outreach to parents and community groups, Continued on page 3 Weingarten elected AFT president Cortese will be secretarytreasurer, Johnson executive vice president Delegates to the 2008 AFT convention have elected a new slate of national officers, voting to install Randi Weingarten as president, Antonia Cortese as secretarytreasurer and Lorretta Johnson as executive vice president. Weingarten has served 10 years as president of the 200,000member United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the largest union local in the Weingarten Obama: `Stand up with me' delegates overwhelmingly endorse presidential candidate Shortly after earning the union's endorsement for president of the United States, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama asked AFT convention delegates for their help in securing a new direction in educationone that offers true opportunity for all students and steers clear of attacks on teachers masquerading as public Continued on page 2 Barack Obama addresses the AFT convention via live satellite: "I want to lead a new era of mutual responsibility in education." Cortese together Johnson Continued from page 1 school reform. "I want to lead a new era of mutual responsibility in education, where we all come togetherparents and educators, the AFT, leaders in Washington, citizens all across Americaunited for the sake of our children's success," Obama told delegates in his July 13 address. It was a message that a packed house of cheering delegates were eager to rally behind. Moments before the Illinois Democrat made his remarks, AFT members rose to their feet, waved "Obama 2008" signs, and resoundingly approved a special order of business endorsing the senator's historic run for the White House and pledging "tireless and resolute" support in helping him secure it. The candidate "we elect will make a real difference in our lives," and the AFT has what it takes to bring home victory, AFT president Edward J. McElroy told delegates. "We're ready to do the hard partwork day and night to make that happen." "This election is too critical not to be engaged," said Richard Iannuzzi, president of the New York State United Teachers and an AFT vice president. He introduced the special order of business endorsing Obama and predicted it would springboard the effort among the more than 1.4 million members of the union to provide "the leadership and the foot soldiers who can and will elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States." Also speaking in support of the endorsement was Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union and an AFT vice president. Obama began his public life in Chicago, and CTU was among the first to support Obama as a successful candidate for both the Illinois Legislature and the U.S. Senate. In those years, "he has proven to be a friend to education and to organized labor," said Stewart, who predicted that AFT mobilization will mean that Illinois will soon be known as "the land of Lincoln and Obama." A clear choice "I am running for president to guarantee that all of our children have the best possible chance in life," Obama told delegates in his live satellite address. That begins with providing children, particularly the nation's most vulnerable, with the supports they need: quality, affordable early childhood education; expanded afterschool and summer learning opportunities; fully funded special education; and early intervention strategies that recognize "the forces that lead to a high school student dropping out start well before ninth grade." It also means ending the days of "labeling a school and its students as failures one day and then abandoning them the next." That type of comprehensive approach is nowhere to be found under the current administration, and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain "seems to be recycling tired rhetoric about vouchers and school choice" in his bid to follow George Bush's two terms with a third GOP administration, Obama said. "For someone who's been in Washington nearly 30 years, he's got a pretty slim record on educationand when he's taken a stand, it's been the wrong one." Obama vowed to chart a new approach based on adequate resources for public schools and respect for the professionals who work there. "I am tired of hearing you, the teachers who work so hard, blamed for our problems." Professional responsibilities mean professional compensation, and Obama praised new compensation systems negotiated in such AFT locals as Chicago and Cincinnati. "You've shown that it is possible to find new ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them." The Illinois Democrat outlined steps he would take to keep and build excellence in the classroom, including mentoring programs for new teachers and "service scholarships that say if you commit your life to teaching, America will commit to paying for your college education." This new direction in education can be won, "but I need your help to get there," Obama told delegates. "From your earliest days in Chicago, you've stood up for changewhen minorities weren't allowed full union membership, when parents fought to integrate our schools, when it was time to take the march for civil rights, you stood up. "And if you stand up with me these next four months," Obama said, "we will win this election, we will change education in this country, and we will bring about a better future for our children." 2 Sunday ELECTION RESULTS the results of the election on sunday, July 13, 2008, for aft president, secretarytreasurer, executive vice president, vice presidents and delegates to the aflCio convention are as follows: PRESIDENT Weingarten, randi ................................ 682,583 SECRETARYTREASURER Cortese, antonia ................................... 681,557 EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Johnson, lorretta .................................. 680,763 VICE PRESIDENTS Malfaro, louis........................................ 733,600 ford, andy ............................................. 733,104 Martin, Merlene .................................... 729,188 Cutler, lee .............................................. 701,233 schroeder, sandra.................................. 700,746 young abrams, shelvy .......................... 699,779 doherty, edward J. ................................ 698,940 donahue, Kathleen ............................... 697,102 santeramo, pat ...................................... 696,929 geppert, ed............................................ 691,574 Brynien, Kenneth .................................. 691,086 hecker, david ......................................... 690,633 Kirsch, ted.............................................. 690,593 Kelly, dennis .......................................... 688,688 Carusosharpe, stacey ........................... 688,057 Bridges, linda ........................................ 687,839 iannuzzi, richard ................................... 687,776 neira, Maria ........................................... 687,415 palmer, sharon ...................................... 686,781 hale, Judy .............................................. 685,825 Burkhalter, elsie ..................................... 684,973 Mulgrew, Michael ................................. 684,913 twomey, ann ......................................... 684,380 newbold, ruby J.................................... 683,288 lubin, alan ............................................ 682,716 rico, laura ............................................. 681,818 dooher, tom .......................................... 681,670 Chavez, Kathy ........................................ 681,536 lawrence, francine ............................... 681,348 owley, Candice ...................................... 680,525 Jordan, Jerry t. ...................................... 678,963 armstrong, Mary J................................. 678,897 Bowen, Barbara ..................................... 678,101 feaver, eric ............................................. 678,019 urbanski, adam ..................................... 677,240 gray, david ............................................ 676,842 smith, phillip.......................................... 676,393 reback, Marcia ...................................... 675,797 stewart, Marilyn .................................... 674,309 AFLCIO DELEGATES Mcelroy, edward J. ................................ 727,003 laCour, nat ............................................ 725,312 iannuzzi, richard ................................... 703,461 lubin, alan ............................................ 699,415 urbanski, adam ..................................... 696,056 stewart, Marilyn .................................... 693,595 rico, laura ............................................. 685,311 schroeder, sandra.................................. 683,804 hecker, david ......................................... 683,662 owley, Candice ...................................... 682,623 gray, david ............................................ 680,952 reback, Marcia ...................................... 680,802 newbold, ruby J.................................... 678,412 Kirsch, ted.............................................. 678,293 hale, Judy .............................................. 677,568 Bridges, linda ........................................ 677,229 Brynien, Kenneth .................................. 676,734 lawrence, francine ............................... 676,552 From left, Weingarten, Cortese and Johnson in action during this year's convention. Continued from page 1 and her success in joining them in effective coalitions. Weingarten has stood toe to toe with governors, mayors and school chancellors on behalf of children and educators, and stands side by side with members in their total commitment to their profession and their communities. During Weingarten's UFT tenure, the public schools saw a marked increase in student achievement. She negotiated a 43 percent increase in educators' salaries that helped the city recruit and retain qualified teachers. And her innovative differential pay programs have fostered teamwork over competition, and have amplified teachers' voices. In 2007, Weingarten mounted the single most successful organizing campaign in recent AFT history, bringing 28,000 New York Citybased home child care workers into the union. Weingarten also has developed a strong national reputation for seeking new and creative ways to address persistent challenges. In that spirit, she has opened two unionoperated charter schools in New York City and partnered with a prounion private charter school operator to open another. Antonia Cortese was first vice president of the now 600,000member New York State United Teachers before coming to the AFT in 2004. She began her education career in Rome, N.Y., where she taught fourth grade and served as a school social worker. A member of numerous national education and service organizations, boards and commissions, Cortese also serves as the AFT's liaison to Special Olympics, the union's designated charitable foundation. Lorretta Johnson began her career as a teacher's aide in the Baltimore City schools, where she organized a union to improve the work situation of paraprofessionals like herself, and has subsequently become a leading voice for Maryland's working families. Over her career, she has played a leading role in the national development of standards for the employment and training of classroom paraprofessionals, highlighting the importance of these positions in the ultimate success of schools. "Working together, Toni, Lorretta and I will fight every day for our members, and the children, families and communities we serve," Weingarten said. "We will never waver in our commitment to our public schools, our healthcare centers, our public institutions and our labor movement." Delegates also elected 39 AFT vice presidents. Ten, listed below, were elected for the first time: Mary Armstrong, president of AFT St. Louis; Elsie Burkhalter, president of the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees; Thomas A. Dooher, president of Education Minnesota ; Ed Geppert, Jr., president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers; Dennis Kelly, president of the United Educators of San Francisco; Fran Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers; Merlene Martin, president of the Oregon School Employees Association; Michael Mulgrew, vice president of career and technical high schools at the United Federation of Teachers (N.Y.); Sharon Palmer, president of AFT Connecticut; and Phillip Smith, president of United University Professions (N.Y.). Sunday 3 McElroy and LaCour wind up long careers at AFT Delegates bid farewell to AFT president Edward J. McElroy and secretarytreasurer Nat LaCour Sunday afternoon, July 13, in a session filled with videos and tributesand long and enthusiastic standing ovations. McElroy winds up his AFT career after four years as president, 12 years as secretarytreasurer, and almost 20 years before that as an AFT vice president. AFT executive vice president Antonia Cortese introduced both of the retiring leaders, relating lighthearted reminiscences of some of her interactions with each of them. McElroy was an important source of continuity for the AFTa "rock," Cortese saidthrough the illnesses of his predecessors, Albert Shanker and Sandra Feldman. "He has created a political program, bar none, involving every level of the AFT that has given us political clout," she said. The careers of McElroy and LaCour were highlighted in video tributes that showed the impressive contributions both men have made at the local, state and national levels in everything from education and labor to politics and human rights. AFT vice president Randi Weingarten (who later that day was elected to succeed McElroy) introduced special orders of business honoring both retiring leaders and giving them the titles of president and secretarytreasurer emeritus. "You have made this union what it is," Weingarten said of McElroy. "We will always, always be grateful for your friendship and leadership." McElroy told the delegates that he has loved all of his jobs in education and labor, from being a teacher to leading the AFT. "I have tried to make a difference in how you do your jobwith adequate resources, training, support, respect and payso that you can love your work and do it all." He concluded by thanking the delegates "for your trust in me to lead this wonderful union. It has been an honor beyond compare." LaCour's career as a national AFT leadervice president, executive vice president and secretarytreasureralso dates back more than 30 years. In introducing the special resolution in his honor, Weingarten highlighted LaCour's role as a master organizer, from his early days in winning collective bargaining rights for New Orleans teachers to chairing the AFT's organizing committee. "He has been one of the masterminds of the AFT's organizing success at a time when most unions are losing members." LaCour urged the delegates to rededicate themselves to doing their jobs in ways that improve the lives of the people they serve, whether students, patients or members of the public. "I am encouraged to know that this important work to which I have committed so much of my life will continue because this union has so many dedicated leaders," he said. Union urges restoration of workers' rights AFT delegates on Sunday, July 13, approved a resolution that calls for affiliates to work with the AFLCIO on lobbying and grassroots activity to support passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Private sector workers experience the intimidation of the antiunion campaign like no other group, said AFT vice president Candice Owley, who urged support of the EFCA resolution. EFCA would restore fairness and balance by establishing stronger penalties for violation of the law when workers seek to form a union and during firstcontract negotiations, and by providing mediation and arbitration for firstcontract disputes. It would also allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation. If this law were in effect, Resurrection Health Care workers in Chicago wouldn't have spent five years trying to organize with AFSCME, Owley noted. She also encouraged delegates to sign up for the AFLCIO's millionmember mobilization for EFCA. Renee Setteducato, a member of the Federation of Nurses/UFT, also spoke in support of the resolution. The arbitrary assignment of nurses as "supervisors" jeopardizes their union standing, said Setteducato. Hospital management uses these assignments to "insidiously draw nurses into the world of leadership" and take them away from patient care on the floor. "It's their way of depleting our unions." AFT vice president Candice Owley and Federation of Nurses/UFT delegate Renee Setteducato explain the difficulties of organizing in the private sector. 4 Sunday AFT honors courageous teachers in Zimbabwe ei general secretary presents award to teacher union leaders The world has watched in horror as the government of Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and his ruling party, the ZanuPF, have waged a campaign of increasingly brutal repression, violence and intimidation on the people of Zimbabwe. That horror was brought home to delegates through the screening of a moving documentary "Zimbabwe, My Zimbabwe!" followed by the presentation on Sunday of the Bayard Rustin Human Rights Award to the teachers of Zimbabwe. The AFT has had a longterm fraternal relationship with the national Zimbabwe teachers union, dating back to the launching of the AFTAfrica AIDS Campaign, noted AFT president Edward J. McElroy. He introduced Thulas Nxesi, president of Education International and general secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union, to present the award. Nxesi traced Bayard Rustin's history in Africaand the AFT connection further back: Rustin was an outspoken voice in opposition to apartheid in South Africa and opposed British colonial control of Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia. Today, said Nxesi, "there is no greater human rights issue in our region than the reestablishment of democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe." At one time, there was hope that Mugabe's stranglehold over his country could be ended through the democratic process, said AFT president Edward J. McElroy. Yet, after an election on March 29, 2008, in which the ZanuPF and Mugabe lost their majority rule, that hope died as a crackdown and suppression of voting results ensued. The military announced a June 27 runoff election between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the former secretarygeneral of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. The preelection violence was so extreme that Tsvangirai pulled out before it took place. "By the simple act of manning the voting stations for the March 29 presidential election, the teachers of Zimbabwe became the target of Robert Mugabe," Nxesi explained. "Teachers were the ones who helped ensure that the election would be free and fair, that the votes would be counted accurately and Education International president Thulas Nxesi, at right, presented the AFT human rights award honoring the teachers of Zimbabwe. Above, Nat LaCour shows the award to delegates. that the results of the election would be transparent to the people of Zimbabwe. "For this the teachers were condemned, arrested, tortured, humiliated, driven from their homes and their communities, and even killed," Nxesi continued. The repression has had implications for the entire African region as fleeing refuges have put economic pressure on neighboring countries with scarce resources, said Nxesi. He presented the AFT's Bayard Rustin award collectively to the Zimbabwe teachers. The delegates then passed by acclimation a resolution titled "Zimbabwe: Political, Trade Union and Human Rights." It condemns the brutality against Zimbabweans and trade unionists and adds AFT's voice to others in the international community calling on Mugabe to relinquish power and restore democracy to Zimbabwe. It calls for the human and labor rights of trade unionists to be honored. It calls for the immediate release of trade unionists and others arrested and imprisoned while exercising their rights of free speech, association and political belief. And, it puts the AFT in solidarity with labor unions in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa that have refused to deliver shipment of Chinesemanufactured arms to the government of Zimbabwe. Delegates later passed a broad resolution on democracy and trade union rights, noting that workers and unions in places like Burma, Iran, the Republic of Georgia, Ukraine and Zimbabwe have been in the forefront of the fight for human and workers' rights. It calls on the AFT to lobby the next president and Congress to "reinstitute support for the spread of democracy and human rights in the world as a major tenet of American foreign policy." It also urges the AFT to "continue to protest violations of human and trade union rights at home and abroad." Sunday 5 AFT backs peer assistance and review for new teachers The AFT took bold steps to take charge of the teaching professionand to check mindless, testdriven "teacher quality" schemeswhen delegates overwhelmingly approved a resolution on July 13 urging all locals to consider engaging in peer assistance and review programs (PAR) for new members. The resolution explains that PAR is a professional induction and evaluation program for teachers that recognizes "experienced, expert teachers are the people who are positioned to offer the best assistance to probationary teachers and to make the most credible judgments about their capabilities." A trailblazer in this approach has been the Toledo (Ohio) Federation of Teachers, which in the early 1980s negotiated a plan based on peer coaching and evaluation. The Toledo plan provides an intern program for all new teachers, in which they are assigned mentorsconsulting teachers who are themselves excellent teachers. The mentors provide both professional development and evaluation to new teachers, and they also conduct a complete evaluation of the intern's progress in meeting the AFT vice president Marcia Reback of Rhode Island, right, and Tracy Castro of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, above, join in the debate over peer assistance and review. ChicagoShorts IT'S THE BLUES, BROTHER "probably the most recognizable cultural signature this city has produced." that's how the encyclopedia of Chicago describes the Windy City's unique brand of blues music. the genre's emergence in the 1920s coincided with the migration of africanamericans from the south to northern urban centers. But it was during the 1950s that Chicago blues flourished, developing the signaturesuse of rhythm sections and amplification, reliance on guitar and harmonica leads, and routine reference to Mississippi delta styles of playing and singingthat identify it today. here's legendary blues guitarist Buddy guy's take on the city and the music: "this is the place where people just like myself came from the south to create new lives and a new kind of music. the generation just before mine came up here playing folk music. But soon they traded in their acoustic guitars for electric instruments. and when they plugged them in, they created a new urban sound that we call Chicago blues." THE BIRTH OF DEEP DISH one of the signature food items associated with Chicago is deepdish pizza. the classic version features a thick dough that is laid into a deep, round pan, pulled up on the sides (around two inches high), and loaded with cheese and toppings before being baked. a typical deepdish pie might contain a pound of cheese. uno Chicago grill (originally known as pizzeria uno), at the corner of ohio street and Wabash avenue, takes credit for inventing the deepdish style in 1943. a stuffed version of the pie, which has also become popular, was created by two Chicago pizzerias in the 1970s. note that both versions tend to be eaten with a knife and fork because of the messiness factor. thincrust fans, don't worry; plenty of good options are available for people who still want a pie they can pick up with their hands. Besides the original uno, other noted deepdish favorites include gino's east, edwardo's, Connie's, giordano's, Carmen's, pizano's and lou Malnati's. performance standards of the school system. "A highquality peer assistance and review program for new teachers can profoundly improve hiring decisions, teaching quality and teacher retention," the resolution notes. "Peer assistance and review for new teachers should play a major role in our continuing drive to strengthen the teaching profession, and the American Federation of Teachers resolves to make it a Continued on page 7 Resolution `captures very real anger'over NCLB efforts to reforM the no Child left Behind act, "the failed reiteration of the elementary and secondary education act," have proved unsuccessful, and aft delegates on July 13 asked the union to harness the collective wisdom of teachers to put federal law back on track. a resolution that delegates adopted overwhelmingly directs the union "to immediately develop a proposal that builds on the intent of esea to ensure that our nation's most vulnerable students get the excellent education they deserve." teachers, especially in lowincome and rural areas are being unfairly criticized when schools do not make socalled adequate yearly progress under nClB. they are "rightly angry and frustrated by those aspects of nClB that have impeded their work," the resolution stresses. Colleen Callahan, of the rhode island federation of teachers and health professionals, spoke in support of the resolution, which "captures the very real anger" about what has been done to educators, to students and to schools under nClB. 6 Sunday Union honors Porter scholars AFT executive vice president Antonia Cortese announced the 2008 Robert G. Porter Scholars Program winners during the general session Sunday, July 13. The program was established in 1992 as a living memorial to AFT's former secretarytreasurer, who died in 1991. Under the annual program, four $8,000 scholarships are awarded to Porter high school seniors who are the dependents of AFT members; and $1,000 grants are given to members pursuing courses in labor relations, education, government service or healthcare. Nearly 450 high school seniors competed for the four scholarships. 2008 HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS Sheila Firoozan, daughter of Sara Nassiripour, a member of the Herricks (N.Y.) Teachers Association; Kelsey Miller, daughter of Catherine Chandler, a member of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers; Laura Murray, daughter of Patricia Murray, a member of the Fairfax County (Va.) Federation of Teachers; and Marcus Way, son of Sonja Way, a member of the Honeoye (N.Y.) Teachers Association. 2008 GRANT WINNERS Continued from page 6 priority to support affiliates seeking to establish such programs." Peer assistance and review is a strong defense against those who would measure teaching quality through student test scores, said AFT vice president Marcia Reback, who is also president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health professionals, and chair of the AFT's task force on peer assistance and review. Teachers, like other professionals, "should take charge of our profession and not call in others to do it," she said. Concerns that teacherled evaluations would be divisive are illfounded, said Fran Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers, who rose in support of the resolution. Surveys of teachers in Toledo show that 90 percent of them support the model, and 72 percent of AFT members are positive about PAR programs for new teachers. Lawrence told delegates: "Brothers and sistersthat is solidarity!" Concerns that peer assistance and review amount to abdication of dueprocess "couldn't be farther from the truth," said AFT vice president Randi Weingarten, who is president of the United Federation of Teachers. Assistance and evaluation from excellent, effective teachers achieves the right balance between support for professionals and preserving quality in the profession, she said. And it is the best form of protection in a testfixated climate where "a new teacher is cut" if students do poorly on test scores. The resolution also pledges AFT efforts to increase member awareness and understanding of PAR programs, directs the union to identify and pursue ways of providing policy and financial support to these programs, and calls on the union to "project a national voice on this issue." AFT honors its COPE stars The union celebrated the growing participation of affiliates in the AFT's political fundraising program with a reception Saturday evening. Affiliates that are on the 2008 Partners in Political Education "honor roll" of locals and state federations raising voluntary political funds for the AFT's Committee on Political Education (COPE) were honored at the event, which featured lively Dixieland music. More than 1,000 affiliates are now participating in COPE. "AFT members know the work of a democracy starts long before we reach the ballot box," wrote AFT president Edward J. McElroy in a booklet listing the affiliates, noting that AFT members are registered to voteand do vote on Election Dayin much higher percentages than the general public. Almost 200 members applied for the program's continuing education grants. The grant winners are: Tracy Benedict of Cory Rawson Education Association in Ohio; Helen Byington of AFT Granite in Utah; Raymond Croff of the Browning (Mont.) Federation of Teachers; Carol Anne Germain of United University Professions in New York; Christine Gilbert of Manchester Paraprofessionals/ Tutor Association in Connecticut; Shannon Jacobi of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals; Maren Allison Johnson of the North Dakota Public Employees Association; Pamela O'Brien of the Wisconsin Professional Employees Council; Edith Ouellet of the University Health Professionals in Connecticut; and Isabelle Saber of the Glendale College Guild in California. Mel Stern, center, president of the Half Hollow Hills Teachers Association in New York, is joined by other delegates and guests at the COPE reception. Sunday 7 Action on Resolutions Resolution 6support a national preK12 labor education plan and Conference, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 7peer assistance and review for new teachers: taking Charge of our profession, adopted as recommended by committee. Resolution 11supporting the repeal of the no Child left Behind act, substitute resolution, no Child left Behind act, adopted as recommended by committee. Resolution 39against the Current u.s. policy of permanent and `preemptive' War, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 40democracy and trade union rights, adopted as amended from the floor. Resolution 45opposing u.s. expansion of the War into iran, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 51Make the Cesar Chavez holiday a national holiday, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 52Medicare prescription drug reimbursements for public employers, including school districts, adopted as recommended by committee. Resolution 53Minimizing the impact of gasB statement 45, adopted as amended by committee and from the floor. Resolution 62protest repression against puerto rican teachers, substitute adopted as recommended by committee. Resolution 63public employee Collective Bargaining rights, adopted as recommended by committee. Resolution 65support the employee free Choice act: restore Workers' rights, adopted as recommended by committee. Helping a coworker in need After delegates heard the heartwrenching story on Saturday from Emma Escobedo, a hospital housekeeper who was fired by Resurrection Health Care for her union activity, they opened their hearts and their wallets, collecting $7,600, which will be given to Escobedo. On Sunday, delegates were also urged to sign petitions that will be delivered to senior management at Resurrection on behalf of the entire AFT. The petition calls on Resurrection to recognize the right of employees to talk to union representatives; to abandon the use of highpriced, workerbashing "consultants"; to reinstate employees who have been unfairly dismissed for supporting the organization of a union; and to "live up to your charitable mission and obligations to the community by increasing the level of charity care." Add your name to the petition; copies will be available for signing Below, staff count and outside the convenbundle cash donated tion hall entrances to Emma Escobedo by delegates; at right, a through noon on delegate signs the Monday. petition. CREDENTIALS REPORT #2 ChairBruCe sMith neW yorK state united teaChers retiree CounCil loCal 9502r REGISTRATION AS OF 5:00 P.M. SATURdAY, JULY 12, 2008 TOTAL dELEGATES...........................3,350 locals represented551 state federations27 councils1 executive council exofficio3 TOTAL ELECTION vOTES ..............801,249 (includes 49,351 sequestered votes) TOTAL ALTERNATES ..............................41 the daily summary is prepared by the aft communications department: Kris Kemmerer, director; Trish Gorman, consulting editor; Laura Baker and Jane Feller, copy editors; Adrienne Coles, Roger Glass, Daniel Gursky, Annette Licitra, Barbara McKenna, Mike Rose and Kathy Walsh, staff writers; Dave Berver and Barbara Tobias, aft online staff; Charles Glendinning, art director; Pam Wolfe, graphic designer, Sharon Francour and Sharon Wright, production coordinators; Shawnitra Hawkins, production assistant. photography by Lee Balgemann, Michael Campbell and Russ Curtis. illustrations by William Coulter. 8 Sunday
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