Oct
8
2019
THANK YOU to all who attended our First Biennial Conference and Board Member/Officer Election on September 25th. It was a great kickoff to the upcoming election year!!
AFL-CIO President Bill McCarthy gave us a rousing start. In his speech he paid tribute to Tom Dwyer, a founding member of the Retiree Council, as Tom leaves the council after 22 years of service to Retirees in Minnesota. Thank you Tom! We stand on the shoulders of giants like you.
Senator Tina Smith was unable to be there in person but sent a video thanking retirees for their hard work and support in her election. She asked us to continue to reach out to our friends, families and neighbors. To ask and listen about what issues are important to them. To make our “strong voices” heard in the 2020 election to protect Social Security, Medicare and many senior’s safety net programs.
Presentations from Buddy Robinson of the Minnesota Citizens Federation NE; Rose Roach, Executive Director of the Minnesota Nurses Association; and, Elaine Rothman, Chair of the Minneapolis Regional Retire Council Census 2020 Complete Count Committee set the stage for discussion in small groups about what attendees were ready to do to insure our voice is heard; and, how we will win representation that supports retirees in the 2020 election.
Attendees ranked health care costs, pension security, Social Security and Medicare as the most important issues for retirees in the 2020 election. We will continue our strong voice on these issues by participating in the Labor 2020 program of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. Carol Freeman has agreed to continue as our Election Work Coordinator. She will again lead our efforts in making sure retirees participate and are recognized for their hard work in electing candidates who support retirees and our issues. She’s already organizing our strategies for the 2020 elections. Please agree to participate when she calls.
I can tell you that the current administration in Washington, D.C. and the majority in the U.S. Senate are not friends of retirees and actively work to undermine and eliminate safety net programs vital to the health and longevity of all seniors. That’s why I am calling on you to get active! Work with your retiree organization, or form one, so we can enlist the help of all seniors to elect representatives that will protect and improve programs for seniors.
Retiree councils/groups in the regional labor federations and area labor councils are one way that we can multiply our efforts in this area. If your area doesn’t have one let’s work together to form one. If there’s one in place please sign up to work towards our common goal.
Thank you for confidence in me by re-electing me to serve as your President.
In Solidarity,
Ken McInnis
President