Public Employee Press

1,300 Lifeguards join PEOPLE

Lifeguards Local 461 and Lifeguard Supervisors Local 508 worked with the Parks Dept. to implement a vigorous recruitment campaign that resulted in hiring a record 1,331 Lifeguards for city pools and beaches this summer.

Local Presidents Peter Stein and Franklyn Paige went to work signing the lifesavers up in their locals and in PEOPLE, the political action committee of DC 37’s parent national union, the 1.6 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Recently, they presented DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts with more than 1,300 union membership cards and PEOPLE cards.

The PEOPLE program plays a vital role for union members by working to elect progressive candidates who care about issues that are important to working people.

“Our locals believe that political action is terribly important and it takes money to run a successful political campaign,” said Local 508 President Peter Stein.

Both locals have a long tradition of aggressive participation in the program. “It’s especially important for our younger members to understand how important their participation in the program is. It gives us a voice,” said Paige. “We’ll be back again next year with more cards.”