Mark Froemke

Mark Froemke

Mark Froemke is a Minnesota/North Dakota Communist Party USA member and is president of the Western Area Labor Council (AFL-CIO), which represents union members in 11 North Dakota counties and 7 Minnesota counties. He is married to Lavonne Froemke.

Father of Gus Froemke.

Labor history

Mark Froemke represents the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union, AFL-CIO. He spent 22 years in the sugarbeet industry in the factory in East Grant Forks, Minnesota.

Froemke on Walz

After weeks of speculation, it’s finally official. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been selected to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic Ticket.

Local AFL-CIO President Mark Froemke told us that labor unions in Minnesota have been able to work with the Governor well, securing what he says has been crucial and important legislation for working class people.

“Legislation that we passed in Minnesota, under the Democratic Party and Governor Tim Walz, who’s done an outstanding job.”

MSUM Political Science Professor Dr. Barbara Headrick believes that this also played a role in his selection.

“She’s picking somebody who’s seen as fairly pragmatic. Somebody who gets things done for middle and working class people. If you look at his record in Minnesota, things like free school lunches, Pre-K, those sorts of things.”

Froemke added that he’s excited by what Walz will bring to the national stage.

“It would be good for Minnesota, because we’d be giving our best of the best to not only help our country, but to help guide it. So we would be very proud,” Froemke said.

“She couldn’t pick a better person.”

Walz connection

Mark Froemke, Tim Walz, Dale Moerke.

Lobbied by communist Mark Froemke

Minnesotans were well-represented at the June 25, 2009 Washington DC rally for health care reform. Among the union members urging Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Walz and Rep. Collin Peterson to support health care reform that will "offer quality affordable health care to America now" were: Linda Slattengren, president of MNA, Laura Askelin, president of SE MN ALC, Mark Froemke, president of the Western Minnesota ALC and Tim Lovaasen, president of the CWA State Council.

Midwest comrades

Joe Henry and Mark Froemke.

"Talking Socialism" blog

In 2021 members of the "Talking Socialism" blog team included John Case, James Boyd, Tina Shannon, Carl Davidson, Scott Marshall, Steve Noffke, Mark Froemke, Patience Wait, Mike Diesel, JB Christensen.

CPUSA Farm Commission meeting

In December 1999, a Communist Party USA meeting was held at the May Day Bookstore in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the purpose of re-establishing the Communist Party USA Farm Commission.

Party members present were Erwin Marquit, Helvi Savola, Jack Brown, Peter Molenaar, Morgan Soderburg, Bill Gudex, Mark Froemke, Scott Marshall, Gary Severson, Mike Madden, Becky Pera, Charlie Smith and Tim Wheeler.

Mark Ritchie (now Secretary of State for Minnesota) also attended and addressed the meeting. In a written report on the meeting by Tim Wheeler, Ritchie is referred to as a "non-party friend" of the Communist Party. The report was marked "not for publication". Click here for the entire report.

Communist Party conference

In July 2001, Mark Froemke, of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union , addressed the Communist Party USA convention in Milwaukee.

AFL-CIO

As at Nov. 14, 2003, Froemke was president of the Northern Valley Labor Council AFL-CIO that covers adjacent counties in North Dakota and northern Minnesota. As at Feb. 11, 2005, Froemke was the Vice President for Minnesota AFL-CIO.

Supporting Mark Ritchie

In 2006, four leaders of the Minnesota/Dakotas Communist Party USA - Mark Froemke, Doris Marquit, Erwin Marquit and Peter Molenaar were listed as supporters of the Mark Ritchie Minnesota Secretary of state campaign.

Communist Party organizer

In 2008 Mark Froemke, was a District Organizer of the Communist Party USA.

Endorsed Al Franken

On July 14, 2008 the Al Franken for U.S. Senate campaign announced that four new labor organizations have "joined its ever-growing coalition that’s fighting to send a senator to Washington who will stand with Minnesota’s middle class".

The new endorsements were;

• Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union
• Minnesota State Council of UNITE HERE!
• Minnesota Postal Workers Union
• International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local Union 1

“Minnesotans need a senator who understands the needs of Minnesota families, and who won’t abandon them in a time of need,” declared Mark Froemke, education director of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union, Local 167G.

“Norm Coleman had a chance to support the families of the Red River Valley on CAFTA and, instead, he supported President Bush,” Froemke noted. “Al Franken will stand with farmers and workers and Minnesotans, and that’s why we stand with him in this election..”

Communist Party commentary

In a Peoples World article, November 22, 2008 Barb Kucera wrote of the controversial Minnesota U.S. Senate election, quoting both Mark Ritchie and his known associate Communist Party USA member Mark Froemke .

Whether Minnesota labor's massive effort to mobilize members in the 2008 elections was a success will ultimately turn on the results of a recount in the U.S. Senate race, Labor 2008 coordinators say.

While most AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions backed Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) challenger Franken, a few labor organizations–notably the Carpenters and Pipe Trades--endorsed Coleman. After all the results were turned in, Coleman led Franken by only 215 votes out of just under 3 million cast. An official recount began Nov. 18 and could take a month, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said.

Franken’s race against GOP incumbent Norman Coleman is important nationally. To get pro-worker bills through the Senate, workers and their allies need 60 votes, out of 100 senators, to cut off GOP filibusters. That includes a presumed GOP talkathon against the Employee Free Choice Act, which is designed to help level the playing field between workers and bosses in union organizing and bargaining first contracts...

Independence Party candidates made the difference in the Bachmann and Paulsen races and definitely affected the Senate race, said Mark Froemke, president of the West Area Labor Council that spans the western half of the state. 'The Independence Party got a better number than I would have expected in this area,' he said. Negativity of campaign commercials in the final days of the Senate race also had an effect.

Campaigning for Obama in 2008

Mark Froemke campaigning for Obama in 2008

Mark Froemke actively campaigned for Barack Obama in 2008.

Supporting Obama health care plans

AFL-CIO delegates from Minnesota unions were enthused by President Obama’s speech to the labor federation’s national convention in September 2009.

“It’s the right shot of energy at the right time for working people,” said Russell Hess, a Laborer and secretary-treasurer of the Southeast Area Labor Council based in Rochester.

Delegates interviewed by Workday Minnesota said union members and working people across the country need to hear messages of hope in these difficult economic times.

“It’s easy to get discouraged,” said Louise Sundin, a teacher and delegate from the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation. “The president’s speech was very positive.”

“I think it was inspirational,” said Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation. “It feels positive, exciting, like we’re moving forward.”

Bree Halverson, delegate from the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, also praised Obama’s energy. “I think the speech was amazing,” she said.

For the most part, delegates who were interviewed were pleased with Obama’s statements on health care, the economy and support for unions. Linda Hamilton, who supports single payer health care, said she believes Obama’s plan for a public option is a good first step.

“I felt exhilarated that we might finally get the health care that we need,” said Hamilton, a registered nurse and member of the Minnesota Nurses Association and United American Nurses.

Obama has reached out to labor – and now union members must respond, said Mark Froemke, a member of the Grain Millers union and delegate from the Western Area Labor Council in Crookston.

“It’s for us in the unions to push hard to make sure the public option (for health care) is there in the end,” he said.

Lobbying Democrats for healthcare

HCan lobbyists with Sen. Klobuchar

Minnesotans were well-represented at the June 25, 2009 Washington DC rally for health care reform. Among the union members urging Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Walz and Rep. Collin Peterson to support health care reform that will "offer quality affordable health care to America now" were: Linda Slattengren, president of MNA, Laura Askelin, president of SE MN ALC, Mark Froemke, president of the Western Minnesota ALC and Tim Lovaasen, president of the CWA State Council.

Active in the D-F-L

Mark and LaVonne Froemke are both active in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, the Minnesota affiliate of the Democratic Party.

Supporting Mark Dayton

Mark Froemke, Mark Dayton, January 14, 2010

In October 2009 Mark Froemke was the Fargo Moorehead organizer for a 10 Days of Labor Action campaign for Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

The time is now. We have an opportunity to build a Better Minnesota by electing Mark Dayton as Governor and all our other labor-endorsed candidates. But, we need your help. That’s why on Saturday, October 23, we’re kicking off 10 Days of Labor Action.

Breakfast for Dayton

During the 2010 elections, Mark Froemke helped to organize a breakfast meeting for gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

Anyone who has ever worked a campaign knows that the days start early and end very late. Today was no exception. Dana Anderson, our campaign manager and of course gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton, and I hit the road at 7:30 am for a week of talking to voters, working families and business owners – all of which are vital to helping our economy recover.

A special thank you to Mark Froemke for helping to organize a breakfast with members of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 167G. We had a great conversation, and we really appreciate Mark’s help in putting this event together.

Working with Al Franken

Al Franken (left), Mark Froemke

Mark Froemke, Al Franken, 2016

U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., left, and Mark Froemke, an AFL-CIO representative, left the Grand Forks International Airport on Tuesday January 11, 2012, after Franken flew into Grand Forks to spend two days talking to locked-out American Crystal Sugar Co. workers in the Red River Valley.

2013 May day celebration

More than 50 people gathered Minneapolis May 3 2013 for a celebration to mark International Workers Day. The event was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!. In a festively decorated hall, the celebration began with a dinner and slide show that highlighted the struggles of the past year.

Deb Howze, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!, welcoming audience.Jess Sundin, a Twin Cities leader of FRSO, gave the opening speech. “This day, International Workers Day, is celebrated by the working class in every corner of the world. This great holiday, a communist holiday, is marked with protests and marches, and also with meetings and celebrations. It’s been more than 125 years since May Day began, and struggles by U.S. workers and our unions have won the eight-hour work day, the 40-hour work week, health and safety rules at work, the right to unionization, unemployment insurance, welfare and Social Security, minimum wage and much more. These things are threatened in workplaces and government halls every day.”

This year’s May Day celebration had a strong emphasis on the employed and unemployed sections of the working class. Mark Froemke, the president of West/Red River Valley Area Labor Council, talked about the heroic struggle waged by the workers who had been locked out at Crystal Sugar. More than $400 was raised for their support.

Joe Burns, author of an important book on the way forward for the labor movement, Reviving the Strike, talked about the key elements of class struggle unionism. Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, spoke about attacks on public employees and the need for resistance. Angel Buechner and Ebony Harris of the Welfare Rights Committee gave a riveting account of the fight to raise public assistance grants.

Francisco Segovia of Mesa Latina, and a key organizer of the 1000-plus Saint Paul May 1 immigrant rights march, spoke on the need to fight for demands of the undocumented.

Other speakers included leaders of the Anti-War Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Acton Committee.

MFU

Lavonne and Mark Froemke joined the Minnesota Farmers Union in 2013.

Chatting with Rick Nolan

Rep. Rick Nolan, , center, talks with Mark Froemke, right, and Wayne Fleischhacker, of the AFL-CIO, during a fish fry and fundraiser at the Northland Arboretum in Baxter, Minn, October 2016.

New member phone bank

New member phone bank Public · Hosted by Communist Party USA.

Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 11 AM - 4 PM EDT

Your living room

We're organizing a phonebank to our new members on Saturday and we need your help. The callfire service allow you to make the calls from home, using your smartphone, laptop or deskstop. You'll get a real charge from talking to them! Aint' nuthin like it!! Please click "going" if you can make calls! Thanks!

Those invited to participate on on Facebook included Mark Froemke.

National Party Building Conference

National Party Building Conference Hosted by Communist Party USA and People's World.

Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 12 PM – 6 PM EST

Join Communist Party activists and members in a national conference.

The conference will take place November 11th to 12th to plan our work in the fight against the Trump Administration and its white supremacist ruling class backers. Find information here about how to participate. http://www.cpusa.org/2017-national-party-building-conference-resist-organize-vote-grow/

The conference will be streamed from Chicago to regional meetings in New Haven, Los Angeles, and Orlando. Whether you’re on the East Coast, West Coast, in the MIdwest or the South, you’ll be able to participate.

Those invited on Facebook included Mark Froemke.

Comrades

Judith LeBlanc, Libero Della Piana, and Mark Froemke.

Young comrades

Mark Froemke with Kelly Sparks.