Ohio AFL-CIO president urges working families to vote

By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

May 06, 2008 07:25 pm

— JEFFERSON — Ohio AFL-CIO President Joseph Rugola believes it’s imperative that working families vote in November.
Rugola was the featured speaker Tuesday night at the Ashtabula County AFL-CIO Central Labor Council’s “Get Out the Vote” dinner held at the Ashtabula County Joint Vocational School.
“Today’s economy is not working for working people,” Rugola said. “Our nation needs a new direction, especially on health care and jobs.”
In the past year, the economy has been the most important issue to voters, followed by the war, he said.
Rugola said labor needs to focus on other electoral battles as well, including three seats in Ohio’s U.S. congressional delegation, which possibly could shift from Republican to Democratic, as well as 12 seats in the state legislature.
Rugola also served as executive director of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) for 19 years. Under his leadership, OAPSE grew from more than 25,000 members to more than 38,000.
Raymond Gruber Jr., president of Ashtabula County’s Labor Council, said he was pleased and excited to have Rugola speak at Tuesday’s dinner. Rugola boasts one of the most successful organizing records in the labor movement today, Gruber said.
Rugola also serves as an international vice president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents 1.4 million workers in the public and nonprofit sectors.