Executive Council Statement
On the Passing of Gerald W. McEntee
… workers in Philadelphia. McEntee made an art form of building power for working people, and he had an unwavering vision to lift up the voices of public service workers in particular. He was the driving force behind securing collective bargaining rights for Pennsylvania state employees, organizing more than 75,000 of them to join the AFSCME family in the early 1970s. As executive director of AFSCME Council 13, he negotiated strong contracts for … and building its political muscle. The foundation he built as chair of the AFL-CIO Political Committee continues to guide our movement’s fight for equality for all workers. McEntee also threw his passion into health care reform, and …