Danvers, MA- More than 200 AFSCME Council 93 leaders, activists, and staff gathered in Danvers, MA this past weekend for Council's 23rd Biennial Convention.

The three-day event, held November 3-5, provided delegates with an opportunity to help chart the union's course for the next few years and featured a wide-range of training programs aimed at helping our members prepare for the challenges that are expected to arise from a pending United States Supreme Court decision on the legality of agency fee.

Council 93 President Charlie Owen and Executive Director Frank Moroney opened the convention by speaking to delegates on the importance of our AFSCME Strong Campaign. Formed directly in response to right-wing legal challenges to agency fee, the campaign is designed to build the ranks of dues-paying members and reinvigorate our union by engaging members in issues and fostering more communication between leaders and rank and file members.

In his opening remarks, Moroney stressed that the likely negative court decision would make us all vulnerable to the types of attacks we are seeing in states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. "All the challenges, all the struggles, that we have faced in the past are nothing compared to what we are facing now," Moroney told delegates. "The future of the public sector labor movement is in very real and very imminent danger. And for those of you who are thinking that your local or your state won't be impacted because you only have a handful of free riders, let me tell you something. You're dead wrong."

Owen urged delegates to be proactive by taking full advantage of the training programs and resources provided throughout the weekend. "I cannot stress enough the value and importance of these workshops," he said. "The things you will learn and the tools you will be given to help your locals, will be absolutely critical over the next few years. We are counting on you not only to attend, but to also bring the knowledge and skills you gain back to your local."

The threat to public sector unions from the impending Janus versus AFSCME Supreme Court Case was a frequent topic of conversation- from featured guest speaker AFSCME International President Lee Saunders to workshops on best practices for local leaders to the breakfast table and everywhere in between. While Janus is indeed a very real threat, everyone left the convention with a renewed sense of purpose to continue fighting and to make AFSCME Council 93 stronger than ever. Convention delegates made a commitment to the AFSCME Strong campaign to sign-up more members and grow the union.

During Saturday's session, AFSCME International President Lee Saunders and Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steve Tolman were the honored guests and convention speakers.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Tolman warned of the "dangerous, insidious, and corrupting influence of dark money" in our political system geared towards weakening the labor movement at all levels. He reminded everyone in the hall that the power and strength of organized labor is in its members joining together to speak up for the rights of working people everywhere and joining together to elect politicians that respect and honor the work that union members do day in and day out.

AFSCME International President Lee Saunders addressed the convention and highlighted the strength and power the 1.6 million member "mean, green AFSCME machine" has even in the face of adversity. Saunders spoke of AFSCME members waking up to serve and better their communities through the work they do every day. He urged all convention goers to "to fight for our union, to fight for our public services, and to fight for our country," because if we "fight back and make our voices heard we can win."

Workshops were offered throughout the weekend to teach delegates best practices on building strength in their locals, teaching new employees about the many benefits of AFSCME membership, and financial responsibilities for Secretary-Treasurers. These well attended workshops gave convention goers the tools and skills necessary to make their locals stronger over the coming years.

The evening banquet was held Saturday evening and featured award presentations. During the dinner, the AFSCME Council 93 Memorial Scholarship Fund gave out its annual scholarship awards. Awarded in memory of all of our departed members, the scholarship is renewed for each year the recipient is enrolled in an accredited higher education program. This year's recipients were: Amanda Lobo- who is studying Psychology at Westfield State University, Jillian Connelly- who is studying Liberal Arts at Greenfield Community College, and Samantha Jones - who is beginning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Joanne Cooke, Local 72 President, was honored during the dinner with the Memorial Leadership Award for her decades of dedication to her members, the community she serves, and to Council 93. In a speech nominating Cooke for the award, Local 72 member John Lewis noted that she has worked tirelessly for over four decades to stand up for her members, a quality exemplified when she helped lead the fight to save Taunton State Hospital. Her efforts in that campaign not only saved the jobs of her members, but also served to keep the only source of inpatient mental health beds in southeastern Massachusetts open.

Because of her efforts in mobilizing her members and community support, Joanne led the charge that blocked Governor Deval Patrick's closure plan three separate times. Joanne continues to fight for the safety, protection, and well-being of her members and the vulnerable population that they serve. She is currently spearheading an effort to get the Department of Mental Health to install metal detectors to prevent weapons and contraband from being smuggled into the hospital.

The convention came to a close Sunday morning with the election of a new Executive Board Member from Suffolk County and the winners of the Memorial Scholarship Fund raffle prizes. Local 296 President Walter Woodberry was elected by acclamation and was sworn in by Executive Director Moroney at the executive board meeting following the convention. The Memorial Scholarship Fund raised nearly $10,000 through the sale of gift basket raffle tickets, the baskets were generously donated by a number of locals and individuals, and the ever popular 50/50 drawing.

In his closing remarks, Executive Director Frank Moroney reminded convention goers to stay vigilant, noting that "united we're strong, divided we're gone."