The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2014

54 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS STATE VP VOICE | BY MATTHEW ASADA AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP. Contact: asadam@state.gov or (202) 647-8160 In the summer of 2011 a small magazine issued a call to “Occupy Wall Street.” The purpose was to highlight the growing income inequality in America. Demonstrators railed against the “1 percent,” the financial elite, and its co- option of the financial system to the detriment of the work- ing class. Members of the “99 percent” staged sit-ins in various cities around the world to highlight abuses and call for change. ZUCOTT I PARK In November of that year, I visited Zuccotti Park in New York City, ground zero of the Occupy movement. People from across the U.S. were there—some from labor movements, others indepen- dent actors—all motivated by a common cause. I was impressed by the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of those present and captivated by their conversations, amongst one another and with their Wall Street “foes.” I returned to Washington, D.C., inspired by their conviction and action, and more conscious of their underlying message. However, within the year, the protesters had dispersed and the leaderless movement had run aground. Occupy Wall Street had failed, prov- ing that an idea and rallying call was not enough to elicit change; a social movement needed leaders and institu- tions to succeed. Occupy was Occupy AFSA: Get Involved dead—or was it? Two years later, I visited New York again. The city had just elected its new mayor Bill de Blasio, whose platform promised a more progressive and inclusive city. His cam- paign had tapped into the lingering discontent and con- cern about income inequality that OWS had articulated two years earlier. George Packer had won the National Book Award for his exploration of the theme in The Unwinding , and Pope Francis had issued his own clarion call for economic justice. Occupy may have lost a name, but its spirit lived on, inspiring Americans who had never been political or social activists, to take action. Personally, it challenged me to think more about what AFSA could do to get more people involved in improv- ing the Foreign Service’s professional standing and the working conditions of its members. IMPROV I NG UNDERSTAND I NG/ PART I C I PAT I ON Our Foreign Service cul- ture is consensus-oriented and rarely has shown any activist tendencies—with one notable exception: the unionization of the Foreign Service 40 years ago (see my November 2013 column) . However, today, there is a general lack of understanding about what AFSA is (yes, it is a “real” union), what it does and why it matters. There is also a general apathy within its ranks, whether evidenced by the low voter numbers or the paucity of candidates for AFSA office (last summer, the State vice president position was the only one contested, the remaining positions ran unopposed). Of the approximately 14,000 Foreign Service employees worldwide, less than 1 percent currently serve as AFSA elected officers, Governing Board representatives, post rep- resentatives or committee participants. This group rep- resents the Foreign Service in a labor-management context, negotiating all Foreign Ser- vice terms of employment. They are democratically accountable to you through the election and appointment process. WHAT DOES AFSA DO? On your behalf, an AFSA post representative might meet with post management to discuss the mission’s compliance with departmen- tal regulation and federal law governing premium compensation for untenured employees. In Washington, an AFSA State representa- tive might meet with col- leagues to discuss concerns regarding career paths for the new Diplomacy 3.0 or Diplomatic Readiness Initia- tive generation. An AFSA Vice President might meet with agency officials to negotiate new clearance procedures or advocate for employees’ ability to write and speak in a private capacity. Given the limited number of individuals involved, and the impact these people can have on negotiating employ- ment policies, it is important that they are representative of the entire Foreign Ser- vice, knowledgeable about labor relations and human resources, and held in high regard by membership. Simply put, AFSA needs a greater diversity of candi- dates (women, specialists and minorities) who have labor management and human resources expertise. AFSA needs the Foreign Service’s best and bright- est to represent it vis-à-vis department management, on the Hill or with the American public. It also needs its mem- bers to hold it to account. THE CAL L As we begin 2014, I chal- lenge you to think more about AFSA and how you can get involved with your union and professional associa- tion. Later this year, when AFSA solicits interest for State representatives, post representatives or commit- tee volunteers, please think about stepping up, serving and “occupying” AFSA. Next month: Improving the Quality of Work/Life. n