Massachusetts AFL-CIO Has Powerful Presence at the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention

Union members were out in force all over the city of Springfield last Friday and Saturday for the 2009 Massachusetts Democratic State Convention, where labor won a tremendous victory in strengthening the labor plank of the Democratic Party’s platform after a long night and morning of signature gathering, a rally in support of paid sick days legislation, an AFL-CIO breakfast, and an extraordinary speech to thousands of delegates by Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes.

Paid Sick Days supporters in front of the Democratic ConventionSaturday morning began at 7:30 with a visibility in support of An Act Establishing Paid Sick Days in front of the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. Immediately following the Paid Sick Days rally the Massachusetts AFL-CIO co-sponsored a breakfast with Secretary of State William Galvin inside the MassMutual Center, which brought in well over 700 Democratic activists and elected officials.   Mass. AFL-CIO/Secretary Galivn breakfast at the 2009 DSC

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes opened up the breakfast with remarks on the dire state of the economy and the crucial need to protect and grow the middle class.Mass. AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes  President Haynes explained how the best way to grow the middle class is to make sure the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act, and the best way to protect the middle class is to make sure government and businesses do not fix their budget woes on the backs of their workers. 

Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, co-host of this year's convention breakfast, addressed the large crowd and strongly stated that we must protect pensions and the financial future of Massachusetts' working people and their families. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galivin

Attorney General Martha Coakley, stricken with a case of laryngitis, briefly addressed the delegates, cleverly asking, “What does an Attorney General with laryngitis have in common with a worker who doesn’t belong to a union?” Answering her own question, she said plainly, “No voice” to cheers from the crowd.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo spoke of his work in the legislature defending working families and of his own working family roots, saying, “The Labor Movement is a vital part of ensuring that workers receive the recognition they deserve in building a stronger Massachusetts and stronger America…I am proud to have sponsored the bill providing for written majority authorization cards…Being here reminds me of my parents, who taught me the meaning of hard work. They showed me that unions represent the path to the American Dream in this country. Together, the Democratic Party and the labor movement have helped improve life for the average American.”

Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray highlighted the administration’s efforts to provide high quality education and training and to put people to work with the passage of 9 bond bills and the Massachusetts Economic Recovery Plan. “We know how important it is for the Commonwealth to retain and grow good jobs and we appreciate your work on a range of issues. Labor’s seat at the table is an important one and we look forward to continuing to work with you.”

After an hour of inspiring speakers and breakfast, roughly 3000 delegates and others flooded onto the floor of the convention at the MassMutual Center to hear more speeches and to begin voting on the proposed platform. Convention speakers included Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, Auditor A. Joseph DeNucci, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Lt. Governor Timothy Murray, Governor Deval Patrick, Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe, and Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes.

 Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes spoke immediately after Governor Patrick, delivering what the State House News Service called “…the stem-winder of the day, calling out his fellow Democrats for not doing enough to support labor-backed causes.” President Haynes, without looking down at notes, gave an extremely passionate ten-minute speech about the need to fight for working President Haynes addressing the Democratic Convention Delegatesfamilies and low-income people, citing his own personal story about being brought up in the Cambridge public housing projects and receiving a subsidized public education, which gave him the chance to enter the middle class that he may not have had otherwise. President Haynes said, "…We're about the least among us. We've got to give them opportunities…These times are tough…It's time for those that have to give." Haynes went on to say that Democrats need to go back to being (Franklin Delanor) Roosevelt Democrats and take care of people, indirectly citing the drastic cuts in the state budget that will affect millions of people who rely on these services. "We don't have a spending problem in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we have a revenue problem," Haynes said, drawing applause. He called for the state to freeze its corporate tax reduction rate and to consider other new revenue sources. Haynes also strongly noted the power Massachusetts Democrats have – in that Democrats now hold 35 of 40 State Senate seats, 144 of President Bob Haynes appears on the Jeff Santos Show live at the Democratic State Convention160 State House seats, the Governor’s Office and every other Constitutional Office, the entire Congressional Delegation, and a strong majority in both houses of the U.S. Congress as well as the most Democratic President our country has seen in decades – encouraging Democrats to not grow complacent but to demand positive action from these people that unions helped elect. Haynes warned that if Democrats do not use this opportunity then “…it’s on us. There are no Republicans in the corner office to take the blame.” President Haynes went on to quote President Obama in a 2009 speech the President gave regarding the creation of his Working Families Task Force: "I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem, to me it's part of the solution…we need to level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests, because we know that you cannot have a strong middle class without a strong labor movement.” President Haynes received a 2 minute standing ovation accompanied by thunderous applause. Delegates even called out to President Haynes to “keep going!” as he wrapped up his speech.

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO and other labor activists on the Democratic State Committee executed a strong campaign to strengthen the Labor plank on the Democratic Party’s platform. After researching parliamentary procedures necessary to maneuver the Convention procedures and creating the appropriate signature gathering mechanisms, over 20 union members were out in force Friday night and Saturday morning collecting well over 600 Democratic State Convention Delegate signatures to ensure that the Labor amendment to the proposed Democratic Party Platform was heard on the floor of the convention. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s proposed amendment was so strong and well-intentioned that the Chair of the Democratic Party deemed there was not even debate necessary, it was overwhelmingly passed by a voice vote as soon as it was brought up. The Massachusetts Democratic Party’s platform in regards to labor now reads:

“VI) Labor

Massachusetts Democrats believe that all working people – regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, race, religion, income, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, immigration or refugee status – should have the right to quality, family-sustaining jobs, and access to education and training to make them employable and therefore a contributor to a healthy economy and growing middle class. We believe that the best way to grow the middle class and promote economic equality is to encourage collective bargaining and increased unionization.

Massachusetts Democrats Support:
• The strengthening, enforcement and creation of laws guaranteeing all workers the right to organize, bargain collectively and strike;
• The enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act;
• A decent living wage for all workers, the state’s Prevailing Wage Law and Responsible Employer Ordinance, the use of Project Labor Agreements, and a minimum wage that is indexed to inflation;
• The strengthening, enforcement and creation of O.S.H.A. protections and other current and proposed laws and regulations to promote a safe, healthy and secure workplace for all workers;
• The strengthening, enforcement and creation of laws to discourage and prohibit the outsourcing of Massachusetts jobs to states and countries with lower labor standards, and the use of public funds to pay for the services of union avoidance consultants;
• Increased assistance for job training, workforce development and job creation programs;
• The creation of laws and regulations making high-quality health care accessible to all Americans, and the right of workers to take time off to seek medical care for themselves or their family members without risk of losing their jobs.”

The mission of the Democratic Party and mission of the Labor Movement complement each other in undeniable ways, and both are more successful when they work together. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO continues to urge all labor activists to get involved with the Democratic State Committee so that labor’s voice can be heard even more loudly. Please click here to see pictures of the 2009 Democratic State Convention. Please click here to see a list of the Labor Outreach Members of the Democratic State Committee, and here to see the Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s Labor Outreach Committee page. Click here to listen to Jeff Santos talk about how we can lift the economy by focusing on workers instead of by taking cues from the business interests who created this mess.