Don’t Sacrifice People’s
Needs, Local 893
Convention Tells Governor
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa
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Local 893 convention delegates;
pictured at right, Pres. Bill Austin. |
The union is in good shape, but the State of Iowa is not,
declared Pres. Bill Austin, in his "state of the union"
address to the annual convention of UE Local 893, Iowa United Professionals,
here Oct. 6. Governor Vilsack’s call for across-the-board budget cuts has
drastically affected the bargaining units represented by UE, he said.
The women and men who belong to Local 893 are employed in the
public sector, mostly by the State of Iowa.
PROTECTING WAGES,
WORKING CONDITIONS
Delegates composed letters to the Governor stating displeasure
with the recent negotiations and the importance of providing adequate funding
to allow workers to continue to protect the children of Iowa and provide
services to the elderly and families in need. Political Action Dir. Chris
Townsend addressed the group and provided direction for the upcoming
legislative battles to protect the wages and working conditions of the
members.
District 11 Pres. Carl Rosen, brought the delegates up
to date on developments within the District and the National Union. Mary
McElroy, Sub-Local 2 president from Waterloo, reported to the delegates on
her recent trip to Mexico and the union women’s school in Kansas City (see:
Educating and Counseling in a Border Metropolis (Juarez, Mexico).
The convention unanimously approved the amendments to the
National constitution.
Delegates reelected current officers: Pres. Bill Austin, Vice
Pres. Becky Dawes, Sec. Eric Marcks and Treas. Gary Walker.
Also elected were trustees Mary McElroy, Mary Lou Welter, and Neal
Boeding.
The convention ended with a presentation on the Highlander
Folk School. Sub-Local 1 hosted a reception.
UE News - 11/01
