SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
May 13, 2025
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/15/25
In this edition:
*RIP AFT 716
*Solidarity
*Willems for Attorney General!
*Pope Leo
*Did You Know?
*RIP AFT 716
Writing this post makes me very sad. Unfortunately, my union local - American Federation of Teachers Local 716 (AFT 716) is folding.
This deserves a bit of additional context. Nobody is losing a job, or healthcare, or pensions. AFT 716 was a bit of a unicorn in the world of organized labor. We were not a “bargaining unit,” and that is an important distinction. We never sat down with employers to bargain wages or benefits.
So why did AFT 716 exist at all? Back in 1984, the folks at the UI Labor Center felt they needed to belong to a union in order to bolster the organization. They knew even then that they would not be bargaining wages and benefits, so they had to find a union that was comfortable having a local with this arrangement. All of the staff had teaching and/or research backgrounds, and some had experience with AFT on a national level. AFT was a very active, progressive union (it still is) so it seemed like a natural fit.
Over time, AFT 716 added a member here and there, but it remained primarily as a way for staff at the UI Labor Center to be card-carrying union members. Longtime Labor Center Director Roberta Till-Retz served as the President of our local, and saw benefit in bringing in various other friends of labor. We got to know each other in the early ‘90s through mutual friend Gary Sanders, and Roberta was thrilled to learn of my long labor history. She soon signed me up, and I became a member in 1994. (Meaning I just celebrated 30 years of membership.)
AFT 716 had a high profile in some ways. Longtime Iowa AFL-CIO President Mark Smith was an AFT 716 member. Congressman Dave Loebsack was an AFT 716 member. There was definitely a time where we punched above our weight.
I was extremely proud of my AFT 716 membership. For the past 20 years, I have also been one of two AFT 716 delegates to the Iowa City Federation of Labor, the Central Labor Body for Johnson County. I have taken that role very seriously. I rarely missed a meeting in 30 years, and I felt that I did a good job of fighting for the wants and needs of my brothers and sisters in the labor movement.
Unfortunately, AFT 716 just wasn’t viable any longer. There were only around 20 members, and only about 6 of us were still working. Retirees don’t pay much in monthly dues, so the organization just didn’t have a lot of money. In addition, work wasn’t getting done. Our President was a busy labor lawyer. We had no Secretary, and no one was stepping up to fill the role. Our longtime Treasurer wanted to stop (he had more than earned the right!) but again, no one was stepping up. Some in the labor community questioned if we were a “real” local, deserving of votes at labor meetings. After considering all these factors, AFT 716 voted unanimously to disband.
I recognize that this might not mean much to most of you. But it is profound for me. AFT 716 was home to a lot of people I consider mentors. AFT 716 was home to some of my best friends. It feels a bit like the death of a longtime friend.
In addition, I may end up without a union. I am really struggling with that possibility. I am a Sullivan. We hold union cards. That is how things work. I have a couple ideas, but I am resigning myself to the idea that I may not be a union member for the first time in a long time.
So what is next? Communications Workers of America Local 7108 (CWA) has kindly offered to sign up the folks from AFT 716 who wish to join them. Some of my brothers and sisters are going to go that route, and I am really happy for them. I respect CWA, and appreciate the kind offer. But I am just not sure it feels right for me. I have no connection to CWA, and I don’t want to be dead weight. I felt as though my participation was important for both AFT and Iowa City Fed. And maybe the folks at City Fed will continue to value my ongoing participation. I guess we’ll see.
Meanwhile, RIP AFT 716. You will be missed, but the work goes on.
*Solidarity
I just mentioned that I am a longtime labor guy. One of the words that the labor movement has used since at least the mid-19th century is “solidarity.” (It goes back to the origin of trade unions in France.) This word has long been the call of union members – an injury to one is an injury to all.
I came across the following ancient story, and it was so appropriate to the moment that I had to share it:
“A lion used to prowl in a field where four oxen lived. The oxen remained safe, because every time the lion approached, they turned their tales together and warded her off. But soon the oxen began quarreling, and they decided to go to separate corners of the field. The lion proceeded to eat them one by one.”
-Aesop, 6th Century BCE
Labor has always needed a strong commitment of solidarity. Where I would most like to see greater solidarity right now is within the Democratic Party. The Republican Party (otherwise known as Trump) has never been this bad. Ever. Democrats *NEED* to win. And that means a greater focus on solidarity.
There are going to be lots of Democratic primaries in June of ’26 in Johnson County – US Senator, US Representative, State Senate, probably State Representative, 5 County Supervisor races, and probably County Attorney. And Presidential politics will follow soon after.
So by all means, study the candidates, pick a favorite, and support that person. But try to do so in a way that does not tear others down. And once a nominee is selected? Either get on board or get out of the way! 2026 is an existential election!
*Willems for Attorney General!
Like I just noted, 2026 is going to be a busy political year! Here is another race I want to get on your radar: Nate Willems for Attorney General!
Willems, 45, is an attorney from Mount Vernon. He is originally from Anamosa, then attended Georgetown and the UI College of Law. Nate served two terms in the Iowa House from 2008-2012. He is a partner with Rush Nicholson PLC in Cedar Rapids, where he has taken on big businesses who abuse workers, fail to pay workers, ruin the environment, and more. In one high profile case, Willems won $15 million in back wages for 11,000 nurses and other UIHC employees who were not being paid for doing extra work. Nate’s wife Maggie is a teacher and very successful coach at Mount Vernon High School.
I am really excited about this candidacy! I have known Nate a long time, and he is a genuinely good guy. He really cares about people, and always fights for the little guy.
Our current AG has been on the wrong side of everything Iowans care about. While Nate focuses on making the wealthy pay up, she is committed to attacking the LGBTQ+ community. I think Iowans know that Nate will be on their side.
I have already made my contribution. I hope you will do the same!
*Pope Leo
I was going to write about the significance of the last Pope Leo, and what it might mean for the new Pope. But Heather Cox Richardson beat me to it.
“New popes choose a papal name to signify the direction of their papacy, and Prevost has chosen to be known as Pope Leo XIV. This is an important nod to Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903 and was the father of modern Catholic social teaching. He called for the church to address social and economic issues, and emphasized the dignity of individuals, the common good, community, and taking care of marginalized individuals.”
“In the midst of the Gilded Age, Leo XIII defended the rights of workers and said that the church had not just the duty to speak about justice and fairness, but also the responsibility to make sure that such equities were accomplished. In his famous 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, translated as “Of New Things,” Leo XIII rejected both socialism and unregulated capitalism, and called for the state to protect the rights of individuals.”
*DID YOU KNOW? There are two main teachers unions in the US. The National Education Association (NEA) has about 3 million members, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) with about 1.8 million. Iowa is an NEA state.
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 9:14 AM
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