Council 75 Treasurer Jeff Klatke reports: The resolution forwarded by the members of Local 328 (OHSU), urging AFSCME support for marriage equality, passed overwhelmingly! It included a speech in support of the resolution by a member of the Conservative Caucus from Washington Council 28.

Voting for president and secretary-treasurer has concluded; we await the announcement of the results. It will be sometime today, but we don't know exactly when. Our delegation was in line at 6 a.m. for the voting process.

Council 75 Field Services Director Greg Schneider reports: No matter how the election comes out we have reason to be proud. Council 75 turned out more locals to this convention then ever before. More new members got to watch their union in action. We brought 24,212 votes to the fight. That means only 123 votes were left behind. A great job by all of our local leaders and staff!

As you can see in the accompanying photo by Bryan Branstetter of Local 3361 (Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution), even with the early wake-up call the line to vote was huge and lengthy.

Council 75 Treasurer Jeff Klatke reports: The AFSCME International Convention is well underway and Oregon AFSCME is here to represent! We have over 150 delegates, alternates and guests from all but seven of our locals, carrying 99.6 percent of our Council's voting capacity. We mean business.

Earlier this week, in an unexpected move, Marty Beil, the Executive Director of once-large Wisconsin Council 24 (before Gov. Scott Walker decimated that Council) withdrew his controversial motion that would have called for adding several thousand non-members to the voting strength of his Council — because of the Walker situation. This motion was contrary to the International Constitution and illegal according to the Landrum-Griffin Act, but the somehow Credentials Committee passed the motion anyway. Without the withdrawal of this motion the first major fight of the convention looked immanent.

Local 1246 President Brian Lewis reports: Vice President Joe Biden absolutely nailed his speech supporting AFSCME and all working people. So many of our jobs are providing essential services, and Biden did a great job acknowledging that we are all valuable and deserve better treatment. We must defend everyone to regain the middle class.

Council 75 Executive Director Ken Allen, with former AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer Bill Lucy at his side, nominated Alice Goff to be the new International Secretary-Treasurer. She is the running mate, so to speak, of presidential candidate Danny Donohue. The debates between the candidates are happening today (June 20) with the election slated for Thursday. So far the verbiage has been civil.