News

AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the White House’s announcement Thursday that the Biden administration will forgive student loans for an additional 78,000 borrowers — including many AFSCME mem

Last year, after nearly 25 years of working hard at her job at the University of Michigan, Deborah Van Horn was forced out of work by health issues and soon found herself in need of financial assistance.

“I was put on disability, but after a while you only get about 50 percent of your normal wages,” she recounts. “It was important to me to cover general expenses and keep my credit in good standing.”

EMS Week is a time to recognize the sacrifices that EMS professionals make for their communities and to honor these skilled heroes who rush into danger when we need them most. AFSCME EMS professionals play an essential role in the emergency response system, but their stories—and the wounds they suffer on the job—are often overlooked.

AFSCME Labor Management MSH

May 16th 2019 1230PM

Administration Building

 

Attendance: Adam Castle, Marvin Sullivan, Crystal Kreklow, Emilio Florez, Matt Stenger, Steve Wilking, Ryan Cates, Lisa Vanderveen, Alli Kuhlman, Scott Melby, Roxanne Portner, Carol Olsen

 

AFSCME MSOP Labor Management

May 9th 2019

MOJ

12PM

 

Attendance: Adam Castle, Ryan Cates, Jamie Sheppard, Molly Kennedy, Michelle Sexe, Troy Sherwood, Bonnie Wold, Michelle Breamer, Andrew Cole, Crystal Kreklow, Andrew Cole, Tine Schwamberger, Paul Rodriguez, Michelle Breamer

 

AFSCME AGENDA ITEMS

Some people have wild stories about their coworkers. Jill’s, though, are unique.

Jill Erzar is a zookeeper at Como Zoo in St Paul. Her coworkers are giraffes, bison, reindeer, kudu, zebra, and other hooved animals of all shapes and sizes.

Growing up, Jill always loved animals. She considered becoming a veterinarian, and was studying animal health in college before she took an internship at Como Zoo.

“By Day Two, I was a goner,” Jill said. “I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

Minnesota winters are tough. In Rochester, several blizzards brought the entire town to a standstill. Major roads and highways were closed, sometimes for days at a time.

When weather makes it unsafe to travel, Jeff Paulson – better known as Scuffy – hits the road. Scuffy works at MnDOT District 6, which covers Southern Minnesota. In the summer, Scuffy and his MnDOT team inspect bridges, maintain signage, and fix potholes and other road damage. But in the winter, they plow snow.

Members of AFSCME’s law enforcement community take countless risks to keep our communities safe. When those brave heroes make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, our obligation is to never forget them.

National Police Week is a time to honor fallen law enforcement officers, as well as a time for the law enforcement community to stand in solidarity with each other.

General Membership Meeting-AFSCME 404

April 18th 2019

3PM Redmen Club

Present:

Adam Castle, Emilio Florez, Ryan Cates, Kurt Crosby, Crystal Kreklow, Antonino Guerrero, Jamie Sheppard, Jake Schoenecker, Matt Stenger, Alex Florez, Al Smetana, Toby Lenard, Mason Meyer, Katelyn Thiry