AFSA Pres. Baxter Atkinson Elected to AFL-CIO Executive Council.

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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2004

Baxter Atkinson, National President of the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), AFL-CIO -- the only national labor union for public school principals, assistant principals, administrators, and supervisors -- has been elected to the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO.

AFL-CIO Officers and Executive Council members unanimously elected President Atkinson and three other union presidents to the Council during their winter meeting last week in Bal Harbour, Florida. They were sworn in immediately following the vote.

"Baxter Atkinson has a long and distinguished record as an outstanding advocate for public school education," said John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO said. "I'm confident he will effectively serve this Council and the labor movement. We are pleased to have him with us."

"I am deeply honored to have a seat at the table with the greatest labor leaders in the world," said President Atkinson. "I will do my best to represent AFSA members as they guide the education of our youth, and their students. I will also continue the fight for quality public school education, and union rights."

The AFL-CIO Executive Council consists of the presidents and other top officers of affiliated unions, and is the chief decision-making body of the 13 million-member labor federation.

During the winter meeting, the Council's agenda included 'Labor 2004', an unprecedented, concerted program by the labor movement to defeat George Bush and elect John Kerry as president of the United States. The massive grassroots campaign already in progress, aims to register new voters, educate the public, and mobilize more members than ever before. The Council is also working to help pass legislation making it easier for employees to form unions without employer interference, known as the "Employee Free Choice Act," as well as advance union organizing initiatives.

Also elected to the Council were AFGE National President John Gage; Joe Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers; and William Young, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers. They filled vacancies created by retiring members.

The AFL-CIO Executive Council considers labor movement agenda and priorities, union movement business, programs, and policies. They issue statements on legislative measures, workplace issues, ongoing struggles for employee justice, and other concerns affecting working families. The Council supports the mission of the AFL-CIO: to bring social and economic justice to our nation by enabling working people to have a voice on the job, in government, in a changing global economy, and in their communities.

President Atkinson was elected AFSA National President in July 2003. His career as a principal, administrator, teacher, and union officer/member spans 34 years. Previously he was president of the Hartford Principals and Supervisors' Association, AFSA Local 22, and principal of Mark Twain Elementary School in Hartford, Conn.

Born and raised in Smithfield, North Carolina, he resides in the greater Washington, D.C. area, and in Windsor, Connecticut.

AFSA works for quality public school education. For more than 25 years, AFSA continues to provide labor, legislative, professional, occupational, and leadership services to nearly 20,000 principals, assistant principals, administrators and supervisors throughout the United States and U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, see www.admin.org.

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