[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 188 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1588-E1589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MR. ELIOT SEIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 16, 2017

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Eliot Seide, 
for his thirty-eight years of public service to the citizens of the 
Fifth Congressional District, to the 43,000 members of American 
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 5, 
and to the great state of Minnesota. Mr. Seide was the first in his 
family to attend college, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from New York 
University. In graduate school, Mr. Seide realized that he was tired of 
talking about making a difference and decided it was time to take 
action.
  Mr. Seide's father Julius, was a leader of the Printers Union in New 
York City. Eliot followed in his father's footsteps when he went to 
work for AFSCME and its President, Jerry Wurf, in 1979. Mr. Seide came 
to Minnesota in 1980. He was central to helping state employees in 
AFSCME Council 6 wage a successful strike in 1981. He worked to 
strengthen AFSCME in local government in the Twin Cities metropolitan 
area by helping form AFSCME Council 14 in 1982. Over the next 12 years, 
Mr. Seide was instrumental in building power for working people in 
Minnesota and improving the quality of public services in Minnesota 
through a strong and progressive labor movement.
  In his thirty-eight year career with AFSCME, Mr. Seide has fought 
hard for a better Minnesota for everyone. He worked his way up in the 
union, serving in many capacities as field representative, legislative 
director, international area director, and as Executive Director of 
both AFSCME Council 14 and AFSCME Council 5.
  In 2004, Mr. Seide became the executive director of AFSCME Council 5, 
one of the largest unions in the state of Minnesota. In 2006, Mr. Seide 
was also elected AFSCME International vice president. Governor Mark 
Dayton has shared these words about Mr. Seide: ``He's a tireless 
advocate for his members, and he has that New York edge to his style 
but believes fiercely in doing what's right for his members.''
  The state of Minnesota will long remember the work of Mr. Eliot Seide 
as a leader of not only Council 5, but for all Minnesotans around 
issues of fair taxes, decent wages, responsible investments in 
transportation, clean water, a strong education system, and healthy 
families. He believes deeply that we all do better when we all do 
better. I thank Mr. Seide for his many years of service to Minnesotans.

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