Excitement is building as AFSCME's young activists prepare for three days in Milwaukee that will help them grow as leaders while making a difference in the community.  Read more here.

Want to join the fight for additional federal aid that is needed to protect Wisconsin's public structures, like schools and vital public services.  Check out this conference hosted by the Institute for Wisconsin's Future and partner organizations.  Read more here.

Wisconsin has received more than $11 billion in federal Recovery Act aid since 2009, helping people, businesses and communities weather the worst recession in 75 years.   A new website shows where the money has been invested. Read more here.

Investing in public services is the most effective way to create jobs, according to a new study by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachussetts, Amherst.  Though its researchers focused on New England, many of the conditions they found resemble the upper Midwest.  Read more here.

With their H.R. 1586 vote on Aug. 10, Wisconsin’s Democratic members of Congress helped save thousands of public and private sector jobs, helped keep teachers in the classroom and first responders on the beat, and helped keep Wisconsin’s economy moving forward at a critical time, all while actually reducing the deficit. Read more here.

When members of Council 24 came together for their 78th Annual Convention in Appleton, they brought not only their enthusiasm -- they brought generous donations for a local food program.  Read more here.

With their votes in favor of H.R. 1586 on Aug. 4, Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl helped save thousands of public and private sector jobs, helped keep teachers in the classroom and first responders on the beat, and helped keep Wisconsin’s economy moving forward at a critical time, all while actually reducing the deficit.  Read more here.

Statement of AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee on the U.S. Senate’s 61 to 38 vote this morning to end the filibuster on the Jobs Bill

AFSCME activists from all three Wisconsin Councils are coming together to sharpen their skills at Wisconsin’s Advanced Campaign Training Institute.  The Institute will be held in Appleton, Sept. 24-26.  Read more here.

Delegates to the 39th AFSCME International Convention in Boston staged a massive rally to protect public services and push for additional public investment to combat joblessness.  In addition to making a strong public push a recovery that includes all, not just the bankers, AFSCME delegates also tended to some important internal matters at the convention.  Read more here.

Delegates to the 39th International Convention of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, (AFSCME), today elected Lee Saunders to be the next Secretary-Treasurer of the union representing 1.6 million public service workers.

AFSCME activists rallied Wednesday on Boston Common, in solidarity with Council 93, to prevent the loss of critical public services and to pass the jobs bill now stalled in Congress.

The Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) has granted the Department on Children and Families (DCF) the ability to begin implementing YoungStar, the child care quality ratings and improvement system.  However, before doing so, JFC made significant modifications, largely in response to the efforts made by AFSCME members across the state urging the committee to take out harmful aspects of the program and make needed improvements.  Read more here.

AFSCME International has created a new television ad that it is airing in key states to convince U.S. Senators to continue recovery aid for states and local communities. "More jobs equal less debt, even our kids can understand that," the ad maintains. See the ad and read more here.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Milwaukee faith, labor, and community leaders highlighted economic development successes brought about by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at a June 3 news conference outside the Century City (A.O. Smith/Tower Automotive) site in Milwaukee.  AFSCME Council 48 Executive Director Rich Abelson spoke about the role of federal assistance in helping state and local governments weather the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. While last year's federal action helped the country turn the corner, more help is needed, Abelson said.  Read more here.

Like school systems all across the country, Wisconsin's schools are facing a crisis deepened by the lingering effects of the national recession. Districts around the state are announcing painful layoffs and planning for a future of increased class sizes and fewer course offerings for students.  It doesn't have to be this way.  Read more here.

Attacks from anti-tax zealots on public service workers have been relentless in recent years.  Especially in times of economic duress, a chorus of critics is always quick to contend that public service workers have a sweet deal.  But a new report sets the record straight.  Read more here.

Most union conventions feature plenty of speeches from union leaders and elected officials.  The 67th Annual Convention of Council 40 held on April 17-18 had its share of high-powered speakers.  But for delegates, this convention was about much more than listening -- it was about standing up, speaking out and having your voice heard.  Read more here.

Spring elections matter, and AFSCME members mattered in this spring's local elections. AFSCME mounted an unprecedented effort in the April 6 election this year, endorsing candidates or referenda in 192 municipal and county races across Wisconsin.

There were no statewide races on the ballot, but local races are important because for many AFSCME members, we have an opportunity to elect our bosses. Or, it is where we can become bosses.

AFSCME members stepped up to run in a number of races. Thanks to a lot of hard work, 15 of our brothers and sisters came out winners.

Registered members may read more by clicking on the above headline.

Tom Barrett didn't paint any rosy pictures about the tough challenges Wisconsin faces when he spoke on the opening day of Council 24 Local 2748's Education Conference. But, despite some frank talk about the impact of the lingering economic crisis on Wisconsin families, the Milwaukee mayor gave his audience of 600 many reasons to feel optimistic. Registered users may read more by clicking on the article headline.

When more than 450 front-line public service and health care workers from around Wisconsin converged on the State Capitol on March 3 for AFSCME Lobby Day, the message was clear: quality public services are fundamental to creating the conditions for economic recovery.  Read more here.

Corporate interests that attack retirement security for front-line workers are hardly making news, despite the breathless media attention given reports cranked out by corporate-funded “think tanks”.  In response to the latest bit of pension bashing, Council 24's Marty Beil fired back.  Read more here.

Continued investment in services is critical if states are to continue recovering from the worst economic slump since the Great Depression.  AFSCME leaders were joined by State Sen. Jon Erpenbach and others at a Feb. 22 Capitol news conference to highlight the importance of Congressional support for additional federal aid to states.  Read more here.

The myth of Wisconsin as a high tax state has been relentlessly pushed by a so-called "non-partisan" group that calls itself the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.  Now, a watchdog group has launched a website that reveals the built-in bias of the group behind the myth.  Read more here.

A new report shows the clear advantage that belonging to a union can mean for working men and women.  Unions substantially raise wages and benefits for their members in every state.  Read more here.

The youth movement is on in Wisconsin as all three AFSCME Councils are expanding their engagement in AFSCME’s Next Wave initiative.  Read more here.

Members of AFSCME Wisconsin's political action committees held a joint meeting in December to ask hard questions of the candidate they would go on to endorse to be Wisconsin's next governor.  Registered members may read more by clicking on the title above.

Tough times have led to a lot of tough calls about public services at every level in Wisconsin. Not only has the state imposed furloughs and other cutbacks, many cash-strapped cities, counties and school districts have been solving their budget woes on the backs of public employees -- imposing furloughs, layoffs and wage cuts. In the best cases, communities are taking a hard look at all options and turning to worker concessions only as a last resort.  Read more here.

Times are no better in Wood County than they are in any other part of the state. The economy in this central Wisconsin County is taking the same hammering counties coast to coast are experiencing due to what is being called the Great Recession.  But while other local governments are forcing workers to take furloughs and other cutbacks, Wood County just completed a budget in which it closed a big gap without taking it out on the people who deliver vital services to county citizens.  Read more here.

For the second time in less than six months, 1,500 Dane County employees represented by AFSCME Council 40 have reached a negotiated agreement in an effort to help the county address a severe revenue shortfall due to the unprecedented national economic downturn.  Read more here.

Citizens in another Wisconsin County have voted to increase their own taxes to continue to support public ownership of their local nursing home.  Read more here.

A new study says privatizing the Milwaukee Water Works could cost water customers dearly. Opponents, including AFSCME Council 48, have long argued that selling the water works would mean higher costs and less accountability. The new study puts spells out the costs in detail. Read more here.

As Congress prepared to act on comprehensive health care reform, front-line workers made a stand to make sure the final product controls costs and expands access. AFSCME leaders and members stood up for real reform in two Wisconsin press conferences on Nov. 4.  Read more here.

Despite the way scapegoat-seeking politicians (like Scott Walker) try to blame public employees for budget woes, real numbers paint a very different picture. In October the U.S. Census Bureau issued data on state and local government employment and payrolls in 2008. The Wisconsin Budget Project has analyzed Wisconsin's rank in public sector employment. The numbers contradict politicians who deliberately spread the idea that WIsconsin has a large number of government employees and/or a large public sector payroll compared to other states. Fact is, only nine other states have a leaner public sector than Wisconsin. Read more here.

As Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker continues to drive the machinery of government that is his responsibility deeper into dysfunction -- despite the often-heroic efforts of front-line workers to save a sinking ship -- his ambitions clearly are set on destroying public services statewide.  Read more here.

AFSCME is committed to empowering members to become effective leaders in their workplaces and within their union.  To help members gain the tools necessary to be stronger leaders, the International union and AFSCME Councils in Wisconsin all offer many training opportunities.  The flagship of Council 40's training program is its annual week-long Leadership Training Institute.  You can read about it and other opportunities here.

Even in these tough times, delegates to this year’s Wisconsin PEOPLE Conference Convention had a lot to celebrate. But that celebration was tempered by a sobering look at the challenges ahead -- challenges the delegates committed to meeting head on.  Read more here.

Not every AFSCME member gets pictured on the cover of Time magazine.  Of course, not everyone finds himself leading a platoon of soldiers looking to disarm roadside bombs in Eastern Afganistan.  The exploits and heroism of Sgt. First Class Chet Millard as a member of Wisconsin National Guard's 951st Engineering Company brought him to the attention of the national magazine.  When not fighting on the front lines, brother Millard works on the front lines of public service in Wisconsin as a Correctional Officer at Jackson Correctional Institution where he is a Council 24 Local 219 member.  Read more here.

AFSCME members helped win an Oct. 6 referendum that saved the county-run nursing home in Green County. Voters there were asked to allow the county to exceed its property tax limit by 7.8%. That means a potential 13.3% increase to keep Pleasant View Nursing Home operating in county hands.  Read more here.

As state and local governments across the nation grapple with declining revenues caused by the national economic downturn, a familiar debate is playing out over and over. 
Read more at laborweb.afscme.org/sites/WI_C_11/index.cfm