Organizational history

In the 1930s, during the depths of the Depression, a small group of government workers in Wisconsin banded together to protect their jobs and the public services they provided. AFSCME grew out of this association. In 1936, AFSCME received a charter from the American Federation of Labor.

AFSCME had 240,000 members in 1964. Over the next two decades AFSCME grew to a membership of one million and established a national reputation as a progressive and democratic union, fighting for the interests of all working people.

AFSCME is the largest union in the AFL-CIO
with 1.3 million members.

In Illinois, the first local union was formed in 1942, with just 20 members. During the '50s and '60s, dozens of groups of city, county and school district employees formed AFSCME local unions and negotiated contracts. But AFSCME members had no legal guarantee of their right to collective bargaining. Management could always refuse to negotiate with the union.

But in 1973 AFSCME won a major breakthrough when Gov. Daniel Walker agreed to grant union rights to state employees. With a base of local unions already functioning in most state corrections and mental health facilities, AFSCME launched a massive organizing drive among state workers in 1974 and 1975. This resulted in the organization of 40,000 employees and the formation of AFSCME Illinois Council 31.

After years of intense legislative work, in 1983 AFSCME won passage of laws granting union rights to virtually every public employee in Illinois. Winning these rights touched off another tremendous wave of organizing across the state, which increased the number of AFSCME-represented public workers in Illinois from 40,000 to 60,000.

Over the last 15 years Council 31 has grown to 75,000 members and expanded its presence in the political and legislative arena. AFSCME is now a leading voice for working families in the state of Illinois.  Today the union is organizing public service workers and winning new benefits for the employees it already represents.

Council leadership

Henry Bayer Executive Director

More than 25 years ago, Henry Bayer became an organizer with AFSCME in Chicago. Soon after, in 1976, he directed the successful campaign to win representation rights for 12,000 state para-professional and professional employees.

He's been aggressively building the numbers and the influence of Council 31 ever since, assuming his position as Executive Director in 1993.

A native of New Hampshire, he moved to Chicago in 1968 to teach in the Chicago Public Schools. He soon moved into the labor movement, though, accepting an education position with the Amalgamated Meatcutters Union before joining AFSCME.

Roberta Lynch Deputy Director

Roberta Lynch came to Council 31 after serving as Research Director of the Chicago Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. Her first post with the Council was as Public Policy Director, a position she assumed in 1984. She became deputy director in 1993.

Lynch’s career has been dedicated to the rights of working people, to equal opportunity, to economic justice. A Philadelphia native, she is a graduate of Duquesne University and was previously involved in a number of community and political organizing efforts.

She is also the co-author of  Rusted Dreams: Hard Times in a Steel Community, which chronicles the decline of the steel industry in Southeast Chicago.

Council 31 Executive Board Officers

Lori Gaston
Dixon CC, Local 817
State Executive Vice-President

Herdastine Williams
Cook County Hospital, Local 1111
City/County Executive Vice-President

Dorinda Miller
U of I Clericals, Local 3700
University Executive Vice-President

Barney Franklin
City of Chicago, Local 2946
Secretary

Caryl Wadley-Foy
Shapiro DC, Local 29
Treasurer

Board Members

State Conference Board Co-Chairs
Gloria Arseneau, (RC-14), Northeastern Illinois State employees, Local 2794
David Ford, (RC-63), Murray DC, Local 401
Ken Kleinlein, Western CC, Local 3567

Private Sector Public Service Worker Conference Board Chair
Harriet Baker, Will County UCP, Local 3237

Region I Vice-Presidents
(Cook and Lake Counties)
Alyce Bond, Ludeman DC, Local 2645
Patricia Ousley, Department of Employment Security, Local 1006
Sam Rossi, Departments of Revenue and Lottery, Local 2467
Ed Schwartz, Cook County DCFS, Local 2081
Evelyn Stewart, City of Chicago, Local 1215
Ray Summers, City of Evanston, Local 1891
Laverne Walker, City of Chicago, Local 505

Region II Vice-Presidents
(Nothern Illinois)
Penny Carlson, Knox County, Local 1047
Rob Fanti, Sheridan CC, Local 472
George Walker, Pontiac CC, Local 494
Ralph Portwood, Stateville CC, Local 1866
Tom Van den Eeden, Winnebago County, Local 473
Mike Vanover, Will County, Local 1028

Region III Vice- Presidents
(Central Illinois)
Gary Kroeschel, Sangamon County State employees, Local 2224
David Morris, Illinois State employees, Local 805
Joanne Jordan, City of Peoria, Local 3464
Ed Good, Decatur CC, Local 632
Hewitt Douglass, Capitol Area Human Services and Public Aid, Local 2600
Kim Pahlmann, Morgan and Cass Counties State Employees, Local 38
Penny Carlson, Knox County Employees, Local 1047

Region IV Vice-Presidents
(Southern Illinois)
Jeff Hohlbauch, Lawrence CC, Local 3600
Randy Hellmann, Pinckneyville CC, Local 943
Patty Peterman, Southwestern CC, Local 3654
Ty Petersen, Shawnee CC, Local 3605
Elaine Broomfield, SIUC, Local 878

Retiree Chapter 31 Representative

Doris Clark

Trustees

Hector Cruz, City of Aurora, Local 3298
Kathy Lane, Northwestern Illinois State Employees, Local 448

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