In the Spotlight: Local 528 Annual Holiday Raffle
RI Council 94 would like to commend Local 528 on its continued work in helping those in need in the community.Local 528 recently held its annual Christmas Basket Raffle, which is held each year to benefit the Johnnycake Center located in Peacedale, RI. The goal of the J...
Council 94 Responds to Use of Training School Youth Assessment Center as New Forensic Unit
PRESS RELEASE-EMBARGOED UNTIL MON. 10/30/17, 9:00 AM EST Embargoed until 10/30 @ 9 AM: Contact: Jim CeneriniOctober 30, 2017 (401) 724-...
Kenneth "Kenny" Morrissey
Brothers and Sisters, It is with great sadness that I regret to inform you of the passing of Brother Kenneth “Kenny” Morrissey who passed on August 30, 2019. Brother Morrissey was a dedicated, hardworking union member of Local 2409, Deputy Sheriffs, RI Council 94, AFSCM...
Joseph V. Riccardi, Sr.
Brothers and Sisters, It is with great sadness that I regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Joseph V. Riccardi, Sr., father of Joseph Riccardi, Jr., of Local 1491-1, Town of North Providence, Department of Public Works. Joseph Sr. served in the U.S. Army during th...
Arthur Cunha
It is with great sadness that President Downey and I regret to inform you of the passing of Cindy Leblanc’s father, Arthur Cunha. Mr. Cunha passed on November 20, 2019. Mr. Cunha proudly served our country in the Korean War and worked as the Director of Zoning for the C...
Nancy Alice Ricci
Brothers and Sisters, It is with great sadness that I regret to inform you of the passing of Sister Nancy Ricci, 56, who passed on Thursday, September 12, 2019.Sister Ricci was a dedicated and hardworking union member of RI Council 94, AFSCME, Warwick Independent School...
House Bill Simplifies and Fixes PSLF, Overhauls Higher Education
A bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives would simplify the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for current and would-be participants.
Directory of Union Goods & Services
As the holiday season approaches RI Council 94 wants to encourage all members to purchase Union Made Goods and Services. It is important that we continue to support our Union Brothers and Sisters across the State. For a detailed Directory of Union Goods and Services t...
A Decade Later: Four Ways Working People Are Still Paying for the 2008 Financial Crisis
It was 10 years ago this month that the 2008 financial crisis kicked into high gear. When storied Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers shut down, bankers walking out of the building carrying cardboard boxes of their possessions made the perfect image for TV cameras.
Robert J. Knox
Brothers and Sisters,It is with great sadness that I regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Robert J. Knox, 88, who passed on Monday, December 2, 2019. Robert was the father of Mary Townsend, Municipal Vice President for RI Council 94, AFSCME and President of Local...
RI Council 94 Winter 2020 Training Dates
RI Council 94's Fall 2019 Training is live and underway. The remaining dates are as follows:Union 101Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PMTuesday, January 28, 2020 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM - CancelledMonday, February 10, 2020 - 5:30 PM to 8:30 PMSaturday, Februa...
Dan "Danny Boy" Pereira
Brothers and Sisters,It is with great sadness that I inform you of the tragic death of President Dan Pereira “Danny Boy” of Local 1010, Narragansett Bay Commission. Dan was a very kind man, husband to Helen and father to Zachary and Alexandra. He was the President of Lo...
John Silva
It is with great sadness that I regret to inform you of the passing of Brother John Silva, Jr. who passed on October 29, 2019.Brother Silva was a dedicated and hardworking union member of Local 528, University of Rhode Island, RI Council 94, AFSCME.John worked in in Fac...
Caught in Limbo: AFSCME Member Struggles with Student Loan Forgiveness
As a public librarian for the Philadelphia Free Library, Sheila O’Steen embodies what we think of when we imagine a public service worker. Every day, she interacts with members of her community. Whether her patrons are young or old, affluent or impoverished, O’Steen sha...
Brett Kavanaugh: No R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Women’s and Workers’ Rights
Like others around the world, I mourned the death last week of Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul set a new standard for enduring classic songs with both artistic and political impact, like her mega-hit “Respect,” which became an anthem for both the civil rights and wom...
2020 Minimum Wage Hikes to Benefit 7 Million Working People
The new year brings good news for millions of working Americans. Nearly 7 million of them are in line to get pay raises this year thanks to state and local minimum-wage hikes.
Injured on the Job, Corrections Officer Links Safety with Collective Bargaining Rights
The day after he was released from a hospital, a bruised and swollen Kelvin Chung told a state Senate committee that state employees like him need collective bargaining rights to advocate for safety on the job.
“I want you to see my face. We need a voice on the job, so...
Believe It or Not, Congress Seeks More Tax Cuts for the Rich
At a time when our country needs real investments in infrastructure, education and public services, congressional leaders are doubling down on tax cuts for the rich.
RI Deputy Sheriffs Local 2409, AFSCME Urges Administration to Hire Academy Recruits Without Delay
PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release: RI Deputy Sheriffs Local 2409, RI Council 94 AFSCME Urges Administration to Hire Academy Recruits Without Delay
Cool Under Pressure
The work Joe Martinez does for the Los Angeles County Fire Department is emblematic of countless AFSCME members: he’s never in the spotlight and he’s always under pressure while lives are on the line.
Across the Nation, Workers Are Striking Like It’s 1986
Last year, nearly half a million workers went on strike across the nation, the largest number since 1986, when the country’s union membership rate was considerably higher (17.5%) than it was in 2018 (10.5%).
Our Turn: John R. Grasso and Carly B. Iafrate: Sheriffs Division Blameless for Injuries
In its Feb. 27 editorial (“Getting R.I.’s sheriffs in line”), The Providence Journal criticized Rhode Island’s Division of Sheriffs on the grounds that large numbers of sheriffs have been out with injuries, some for years, collecting pay tax-free. It characterized the p...
Court Case Threatens Health Care for Millions
Today, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act will unfold at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, where oral arguments in Texas v. Azar will be heard. The case threatens the future of the ACA, which prov...
Public Charge Rule Would Turn American Dream into Nightmare for Millions
This summer, I joined thousands of union members at a rally in Philadelphia to speak out against the Trump administration’s family separation policy. I was there to represent our union’s vision and values. We reject an immigration policy based on fear and cruelty. We em...
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: A Broken Promise
Megha Desai is a public defender in Multnomah County, Oregon. In a given week, she might work upwards of 60 hours. Right now, she has about 145 open cases.“It's like a conveyor belt. Every day you work on your assigned cases, new ones roll in,” said Desai, a member of L...