Who is AFSCME Local 2629?

AFSCME Local 2629 is made up of 400+ employees of Louisville Metro Government across 13 different departments. They serve the public in health care, public safety, parks and recreation, social services, building development, information technology, and even the zoo. They strive daily to provide exceptional public service to their community.

What is AFSCME?

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is a union of over 1.6 million members in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. It is currently the largest union in the AFL-CIO. http://www.afscme.org

AFSCME has been fighting for civil service for 75 years. Want to learn more?                                                                                                                           Check out their 75th Anniversary Website:  http://75.afscme.org/history

What is a Council?

Councils are a part of AFSCME’s administrative structure. They assist locals in negotiating contracts, handling grievances, arbitrating, educating and providing public relations, and working on legislative and political action. Often, AFSCME local unions within one state, city or county pool their resources to form a stronger council. AFSCME has 59 councils. Our current council is the AFSCME Indiana-Kentucky 962.  http://www.afscme962.org

What is the AFL-CIO?

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is the voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions, representing more than 11 million working women and men of every race and ethnicity, and from every walk of life. These unions include the International Association of Machinists (IAM), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Operating Engineers (OE), and many others. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families — to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. http://www.alfcio.org

What is the Central Labor Council?

A central labor council is a local organization under the umbrella of the AFL-CIO that includes most of the local unions in an area, typically one large county or several (or many) smaller counties. Increasingly, central labor councils include both local unions that are affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and ones whose parent unions are not, in order to achieve the maximum labor unity on labor issues in their area. The purpose of central labor councils are to promote united action by organized labor on local economic and political matters, to provide interventions in labor disputes and strike support, and otherwise assist the locals that are their affiliates.

What Does the Union Do for Me?

Unions are the platforms that allow workers to band together and get their issues heard by others. In the case of Louisville Metro's public sector employees this means not only Metro Government's management and administration, but also in state legislatures and at Metro Council. The union brings together many voices to help improve wages, benefits, workplace safety, and much more.

Why Do I Need the Union Now?

Big corporations and anti-worker politicians are attacking public employees and the services we provide. Their goal is simple: Privatize our jobs, strip us of our rights and dismantle the public sector. They’re going after our wages, our pensions and our health care.

What is AFSCME Advantage?

AFSCME Advantage offers discounts on health and legal services, travel, insurance, and more. It also can help with mortgage rates, auto loans, scholarships, credit counseling, and a plethera of other services for Members.  http://www.afscme.org/members/advantage

What Do the Local 2629 Constitutional Officers Do?

The President, in accordance with the AFSCME Officer's Handbook and L2629 constitution, presides over membership and executive board meetings, is a member of all local committees, except the election committee, counter-signs checks drawn against the local's funds, appoints all the local's committees' (subject to the executive board's approval), and reports to the membership as to the "state of the local." The President is also tasked as the Chief Contract Negotiator for our local. They often coordinate with stewards in the absence of a Chief Steward Officer.

The Vice-President also does much more than the normal duties of a local vice-president as well. Beyond assisting the president, presiding at meetings and performing other duties of the president when the president is unable to do so, they also counter-sign checks drawn on the local's funds, is the Chief Negotiator in the absence of the president, and is the Committee Leader for the Membership Committee.

The Recording-Secretary keeps record (minutes) of, and creates the agendas for all membership and executive board meetings, handles the local's official correspondence, performs other duties tasked to them by the executive board, and maintains/updates the local's website and grievance tracking system.

The Secretary-Treasurer acts as the custodian of the local's property. They prepare and co-sign checks for the local's expenditures, recieves and tracks the deposit of all the local's money, prepares and presents a monthly report of the local's financial transactions to the membership, and submits all required financial reports to the International Union. They are also tasked with setting up financial audits as required by our local constitution.

What Do the Trustees Do?

Trustees are responsible for auditing the local's financials at least semi-annually and reporting the results to the membership.

What Does the Executive Board Do?

The Local Executive Board acts as the governing body of the local union except when meetings of the local union are in session. They decide matters affecting policies, aims and means of accomplishing purposes of the local not specifically provided in the constitution or by action of the membership.