AFSCME

AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) is a major U.S. union and is a part of the AFL-CIO. With 1.6 million members, AFSCME includes nurses, corrections officers, child care providers, and sanitation workers as well as government workers. It is a member of Health Care for America Now.

Overview
In Washington, DC it pushes for everything from improving unemployment benefits to strengthening job security. Among its biggest priorities are raising the minimum wage and battling efforts to privatize public sector jobs. In 2004, AFSCME strongly supported Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, and has actively opposed several of President Bush's second-term initiatives, especially partial Social Security privatization.

Political contributions
AFSCME gave $2,116,093 to federal candidates in the 2008 election through its political action committee - 98% to Democrats, 1% to Republicans, and 1% to other parties.

Lobbying
The union spent $2,870,000 for lobbying in 2009. In-house lobbyists were used exclusively.

Personnel

 * Gerald W. McEntee, President
 * Lee A. Saunders, Secretary-Treasurer

Contact details
1625 L Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036-5687 Phone: 202-429-1000 Fax: 202-429-1293 Web: http://www.afscme.org

Resources and articles

 * John Stauber, The Progressive Movement is a PR Front for Rich Democrats, March 15, 2013, CounterPunch.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 99% Spring
 * AFL-CIO
 * Center for Union Facts
 * Democracy Alliance
 * Service Employees International Union
 * Trades Union Congress
 * UAW

External articles

 * Gerald McEntee, "AFSCME Urges Say-on-Pay for Shareholders", The Huffington Post, July 31, 2009.