Member delegates to the AFSCME 43rd International Convention re-elected Elissa McBride as International secretary-treasurer Thursday by an overwhelming margin.
McBride received 956,433 votes, or nearly 98 percent, defeating challenger Donna Stern from AFSCME Council 25, Michigan, who got 19,372 votes. Delegates cast ballots on behalf of members back home.
“I am so grateful for the confidence you’ve shown in me, for this opportunity to serve our great union. I am honored to work alongside you, to march in solidarity with you, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you,” McBride said in a statement. “I consider myself lucky to be a part of this family, a part of this movement. And I’m especially proud to stand with you right now.”
McBride, who issued a call for unity following the election, brings a wealth of experience in organizing and training strategy at a key moment in AFSCME’s history. As secretary-treasurer, McBride is working to ensure that the billionaires and corporate CEOs who pushed to get the Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 case before the U.S. Supreme Court fail to achieve their stated goal of “defunding” public service unions.
Toward that end, McBride has used her platform to focus the International Union on becoming an even better steward of our members’ resources and to boost the training and support available to affiliate and local secretary-treasurers so public service workers can continue to build power through AFSCME.
In the other election decided Thursday, for International vice president for the Southern New England Legislative District, Jody Barr of Local 2836, Council 4 (Connecticut) won by a wide margin against Charles Della Rocco of Local 749, Council 4. John Westmoreland of Local 600 Council 5 (Minnesota), who ran unopposed, is the new International vice president for the North Central Legislative District.