Oct
8
2019
Participants at the September 25th 2020: Eyes on the Election meeting provided a great deal of input for the Retiree Council to use in developing our Labor 2020 program, learned much information to use themselves, and elected officers and board members. Summaries:
- ISSUES SURVEY. A survey asked attendees to rank 1-5 the top 5 of 14 issues the Retiree Council should emphasize in 2020. Seventy-six surveys were returned that could be counted. The results showed the following seven issues received the most points weighted by rank given: 1. Health care costs, 190 points; 2. Pension security, 179 points; 3. Social Security, 174 points; 4. Medicare, 145 points; 5. Health care access and quality, 78 points; 6. Medicaid, 74 points; 7. Census, 67 points. After the census, there was a major drop-off in points earned.
- ELECTIONS. Delegates re-elected the current 5 officers and all incumbent Board members seeking re-election. Officers are Ken McInnis, president; Louise Sundin, vice president; Charlie Rike, corresponding secretary; Mary Sansom, recording secretary; Russ Thornell, Treasurer. New Board members elected are: Tim Gella (TCU/IAM), Wes Volkenant (AFSCME), Bill Weissinger (NALC), Carol Freeman (MRRC).
- THANKS AND CELEBRATION. There were six Board members who did not run for re-election and thanks for their years of service were expressed. Those retiring members are: Tom Dwyer, Gregory Kinne, Richard Mans, Thomas Pederson, John Raplinger and Steve Baribeau. The crowd was treated to cake, decorated with a train, in honor of Tom Dwyer who was a Board member from the Retiree Council’s founding in 1997. Tom has been a leader in the active and retired labor movement for way over 50 years. Two other founding Board members were recognized for their service – Erv Neff and Walt Munsterman. Both continue as Board members, Walt a Director and Erv a President Emeritus.
- PLEDGES AND INPUT. Participants were asked to think about what they could do for the Labor 2020 campaign and to make commitments to do what they could. Issues raised for pledge: activity in a labor retiree group in your area; help build a labor retiree group if there is none in your area; help retiree groups find speakers and programs about issues; participate in training sessions to prepare for Labor 2020. In discussion groups attendees also provided input about items that need to be addressed for retirees in the Labor 2020 plan, including what training should be provided. Details of that input are too voluminous to report here, but Retiree Council leaders received much information to carry forward in planning for Labor 2020.
Thanks to all who participated for your work on September 25, 2019!