[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RETIREMENT OF DAVE NEWBY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a man who 
spent a majority of his career fighting for the rights of Wisconsin 
workers, the current President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, David 
Newby. After years of service to workers in the State of Wisconsin, 
Dave is retiring this year. Although his leadership and dedication to 
the labor movement will be greatly missed, his contributions will not 
be forgotten.
  For 16 years, Dave has led the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, a federation 
of over 1,000 local unions, representing 250,000 Wisconsin workers. 
Dave was determined to achieve economic justice in the workplace and 
social justice in Wisconsin communities, and throughout the years he 
has had tremendous success accomplishing these goals. One issue at the 
forefront of Dave's agenda was to ensure quality health care for 
Wisconsin workers. In 2003, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO created the Wisconsin 
Health Care Partnership Plan, an innovative proposal that strengthened 
the debate in Wisconsin on how to solve the health care crisis. In 
2007, this plan was combined with other health care proposals to become 
``Healthy Wisconsin: Your Choice, Your Plan,'' a plan to provide health 
care for all.
  Dave's passion for equality and helping others goes back to his 
involvement in the civil rights and anti-war movements during the 1960s 
and 1970s. After the movements, Dave taught history at the Tuskegee 
Institute in Alabama before becoming a teaching and project assistant 
at the University of Wisconsin. His first labor leadership role came in 
1982 when he was elected President of the Madison Labor Council. During 
this time Dave literally showcased how far he was willing to go to 
advocate for the labor movement during a strike against Greyhound. Dave 
stood in front of a fast-moving bus driven by a strikebreaker, forcing 
it to come to a screeching stop.
  In 1986, Dave became the secretary-treasurer of the Wisconsin State 
AFL-CIO where his hard work and enthusiasm to help other unions helped 
him win the election for AFL-CIO President in 1994. In addition to his 
commitment to improved health care, minimum wage increases, family and 
medical leave, improved health and safety on the job, and plant closing 
notifications, Dave also spent his years leading the AFL-CIO reshaping 
the labor movement. He recognized that in order to achieve success, it 
was essential to build relationships with local communities and involve 
the general public. This transformation brought increased success and 
visibility to Wisconsin labor.
  The AFL-CIO and the Wisconsin workers it represents will surely miss 
the hard work, courageous advocacy, and genuine dedication of Dave 
Newby. Personally, I will greatly miss his leadership, advocacy and 
vast knowledge. I wish Dave the happiest retirement and thank him for 
the work he has done to support Wisconsin's working families and their 
communities.

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