SCFL Exec. Board Represents all Sectors of Labor

Recent elections for the South Central Federation of Labor’s Executive Board offered Union Labor News an opportunity to introduce the Labor Council’s leaders and their diverse union backgrounds.

SCFL’s Board provides guidance and oversight for the coordinating arm of the local labor movement that brings union members together around political and legislative action, labor education and community service, and when needed – solidarity support for unions during contract struggles and organizing drives.

Many on the SCFL Board are long-term, experienced leaders. Together they represented a variety of unions in the public sector (teachers, city, county and state workers); and in the private sector, they represent workers in service occupations and industries like manufacturing and the construction trades. In recent years representation on the Board also includes a wider geographic area.

Here’s the rundown:

Reelected, January 18, SCFL President Jim Cavanaugh (AFT Local 3732) was first elected in late 1986 after a brief stint as Recording Secretary. Cavanaugh, who heads up the Labor Council on a day to day basis, succeeded David Newby when he was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, which he now serves as President.  

Also reelected this January were SCFL’s Vice President David Mandehr (Madison Teachers Inc.) after four years in that office, and Recording Secretary Joan Grosse (DALU Local 24111) who continues to serve after eight years in the office.

SCFL delegates also reelected Financial Secretary Ann McNeary (Communications Workers of America-Wisconsin Political Council) who has served in that capacity since 2005. Before that she served six years as Recording Secretary and three years as Trustee. McNeary’s day job is AFL-CIO Labor Liaison for United Way of Dane County.

SCFL Treasurer Kim Genich (SEIU Local 150) was reelected after eight years in the post, as was Sergeant-at-Arms Louie Pody (Plumbers Local 75) after three years in the office.

The Board also has representatives from SCFL’s two area Chapters. Jim Giedd (Machinists Local 873) represents the Dodge County Chapter, and Jim Garity (AFSCME Local 655) represents the Jefferson County Chapter. Both have served for the last two years following the implementation of the New Alliance, a reorganization that expanded SCFL’s geographic jurisdiction. As a result, union member activities in those counties is ramping up, particularly in the political arena.

The newest addition to the SCFL Executive Board is a new Trustee, Joel Shoemaker, a delegate from IBEW Local 159. After eleven years in the electrical trade, Shoemaker is now an electrical apprenticeship instructor at Madison College (MATC) and is also a member of AFT-W Local 243. Shoemaker, the youngest member of the Board at 42, has been a delegate to SCFL from the Teaching Assistant’s (AFT-W) Local 3220 and also from OPEIU Local 39 (now OPEIU Midwest United Local 2009). As a student in the early mid-1990s, Shoemaker was one of the founders of the Student Labor Action Coalition.

Filling out existing terms on the Board are Trustee Dave Poklinkoski (IBEW Local 2304 at MG&E) who has served since 1995, and Trustee Anne Habel (AFSCME Local 171 on UW campus) who has served since 2006.