Gerald W. McEntee
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Gerald McEntee is the President[1]of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). He is one of the co-founders for the Economic Policy Institute and served on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Quality and Consumer Protection in the Health Care Industry during the Clinton presidency.
DSA Health Care Speakers Tour
In the keynote of the Democratic Socialists of America Health Care Speakers Tour, Audrey McLaughlin, Leader of the New Democratic Party, met with members of Congress, trade unionists, and media in Washington, D.C. Democratic Socialists of America, AFSCME, and the American Solidarity Campaign organized a Congressional breakfast, press luncheon and labor reception for McLaughlin. They also set up meetings with House Majority Whip David Bonior, Congressman Marty Russo, UMWA President Richard Trumka, and AFSCME President Gerald McEntee.[2]
Campaign for America's Future
In 1996 Gerald McEntee, AFSCME was one of the original 130 founders of Campaign for America's Future.[3]
AFL-CIO socialist takeover
Circa 1994, AFSCME president Gerald McEntee approached the AFL-CIO with his idea for Project '95, a coalition effort aimed at retaking the House, for the Democratic Party, but AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland demurred. With that, McEntee and fellow Democratic Socialists of America supporter John Sweeney began canvassing their colleagues about Kirkland's removal. In short order, they amassed support from a coalition that included not just the core of the old CIO (the Auto Workers, Steelworkers, Mine Workers), but the Machinists, Ron Carey's new-model Teamsters, the Carpenters and the Laborers.
What began as dissatisfaction among top labor leaders with the Big Sleep of the Kirkland era evolved in the course of the year to the most profound move to the left since the founding of the CIO. Sweeney formally joined DSA and assumed the presidency of the U.S.s largest labor federation.[4]
"Changing of the guard"
Democratic Socialists of America leader Jose LaLuz told DSA's Democratic Left, of Fall 2000;[5]
- "Im reminded of Jeremy Brecher's article A New Labor Movement in the Shell of the Old in which he raised some critical issues regarding the need to transform the culture of unions and the Federation when John Sweeney became elected President. I have the utmost respect and admiration for brother Sweeney and his leadership team, Linda Chavez-Thompson and Richard Trumka.
- AFSCMEs role, and more specifically Gerry McEntee's leadership, was instrumental in the changing of the guard.
"Progressive coalition"
According to Democratic Socialists of America member and journalistHarold Meyerson, the "progressive coalition" of labor unionists which ousted conservative AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland in 1994-95 and replaced him with DSA member John Sweeney was led by Gerald McEntee, John Sweeney, Richard Trumka, and George Kourpias (all identified DSA affiliates). The coalition selected Trumka as Sweeney's running mate against the conservative faction's choice Tom Donahue.[6]
Democratic Socialists of America member?
AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee and International Secretary/Treasure William Lucy placed an advertisement in Democratic Socialists of America's Democratic Left, Issue #4 1998, page 10, "AFSCME proudly salutes Democratic Socialists of America"
In 1999 San Francisco Democratic Socialists of America member Michael Pugliese wrote (in reference ot Gerald McEntee)[7];
- BTW, for what it's worth McEntee, is one of the DSA notables in the labor bureaucrat column. As is John Sweeney.
Economic Policy Institute
Gerald McEntee serves[8]on the Board of Directors of the Economic Policy Institute-led by Democratic Socialists of America member Lawrence Mishel.
Wellstone Action
In 2009 Gerald McEntee was listed as a member of the Advisory Board[9] of Wellstone Action, a Minnesota based organization based on the political legacy[10] of that state’s late ‘progressive” Senator Paul Wellstone.
- Wellstone Action and Wellstone Action Fund combine to form a national center for training and leadership development for the progressive movement. Founded in January 2003, Wellstone Action's mission is to honor the legacy of Paul and Sheila Wellstone by continuing their work through training, educating, mobilizing and organizing a vast network of progressive individuals and organizations.
References
- ↑ http://www.epi.org/pages/board/
- ↑ DEMOCRATIC LEFT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1991, pages 8-10
- ↑ CAF Co-Founders
- ↑ Dem. Left, July/August 1995, page 22
- ↑ Dem. Left, Fall 2000
- ↑ Dem. Left, July/August 1995, page 8
- ↑ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/1999/1999-December/021208.html
- ↑ http://www.epi.org/pages/board/
- ↑ http://www.wellstone.org/about-us/board-directors
- ↑ http://www.wellstone.org/about-us/our-mission-goals
