Union Election Transitions

February 7, 2019

Jay Blumenthal  -  AFM International Secretary-Treasurer

In the December 2016 issue of the International Musician, I devoted my column in part to union election transitions. It seems like a good time to revisit the topic. We think of December as the month that brings the year to a close and January as a month that sets the stage for new beginnings. Many union elections take place in December, and from time to time, new union officers are elected to take the reins of their local. On occasion, the election can be preceded by contentious campaigns that leave the outgoing officers feeling unappreciated.

If labor unions are truly democratic, change is inevitable. Though change can be difficult and can often be a hard pill to swallow for incumbents who are not re-elected, evolution can be healthy, if those newly elected understand and respect the hard work done by those who came before them. Let me assure outgoing officers, your time in office is greatly appreciated. You’ve spent evenings attending meetings, building community relationships, and visiting with bargaining unit members; weekends traveling to conferences; and seemingly endless negotiations accompanied by sleepless nights worrying about a bargaining unit that is about to or has actually gone out on strike. These are but a few of the responsibilities, and at times stressful moments, a union leader takes on when becoming an elected official. There truly are no words to thank you for the time, dedication, and devotion you have so generously given to the AFM.

What some officers forget is that it is not about any particular individual or administration. What it is about is maintaining the health and wellbeing of the local and its members. Creating a smooth transition benefits the members and should be our highest priority. We have all worked so hard to create a democratic union. If we truly believe in our mantra, “You are the Union,” then casting ballots at election time is the collective voice of the membership.

We should focus our energy on attacks from outside our union. Infighting weakens us and provides an ideal entry point for management to exploit and supplant our interests with their own. You can be sure those who wish to dominate our workplaces are waiting for these opportunities.

Another important responsibility of all union officers is to make sure we have trained members in place to step up in union leadership roles. Some officers are reluctant to do this. They believe training someone is tantamount to setting the stage for their own defeat. If your main goal is re-election, term after term, then you are ignoring your responsibility to the local to develop capable future leadership. Believe me, the members will decide when your time is up, whether or not you’ve met your responsibility to support succession. It’s not about what’s good for us as officers, but rather what’s good for the membership.

I know only too well that someday I will need to take my own advice. When that day comes, I know it won’t be easy, but focusing on the accomplishments achieved during one’s term(s) in office and passing the torch is much healthier than focusing on the hurt. 

And for those who challenge incumbents, but are unsuccessful, we need you to stay involved. If you cared enough to run for office, your caring shouldn’t stop because you didn’t get elected. The more membership involvement we have, the stronger we are as a union.

The AFM has been around since 1896. There have been many local and Federation elections. Some administrations are better than others, but whatever the case, we will carry on and thrive as long as there are those who care and are willing to do their part to help keep our union healthy, relevant, and strong.

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