National organization will fight to stop export of American jobs and to restore worker’s rights

State Senator Spencer Coggs

Madison--State Senator Spencer Coggs became President of the National Labor Caucus of State Legislators (NLC) at their annual meeting this summer in Boston. The NLC is a bipartisan organization formed in 2001 for the purpose of providing union member and union friendly legislators with an opportunity to share ideas and develop a common working family’s agenda. NLC is an auxiliary of the National Conference of State Legislatures whose meeting is running concurrently. Participation in the NLC is open to all elected members of state legislatures, regardless of political affiliation, who have demonstrated an interest in a commitment to working families.

"I am looking forward to building the membership of the National Labor Caucus and to working with other state legislators across the country who are committed to fighting for working families by stopping the export of American jobs, making health care more affordable, and creating good jobs to build strong communities," said Senator Coggs.

The National Labor Caucus has been a strong proponent of quality, affordable health care for everyone in the nation. Recently, Wisconsin Senate Democrats included a provision in the state budget to make health care available to all residents of Wisconsin at rates lower that current costs of private health care plans.

The different versions of the budget as passed by the State Senate and Assembly are currently being debated by a Joint Legislative Conference Committee.

Senator Coggs, who is a member and former Chief Steward of his American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) local 1091, was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1983 and served there until winning a special election for the State Senate in 2003.

He is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections, and Urban Affairs. Senator Coggs also serves as co-chairman of two Governor’s Commissions--the Business Opportunity Advisory Commission and the Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Wisconsin Justice System.

The work of the National Labor Caucus is supported by the national AFL-CIO and its affiliates, who are committed to increasing the number of public officials concerned about the issues working people face at home and at the job. Through its Target 5000 program, the AFL-CIO has worked to elect pro-worker candidates and actively assist union members running for public office. In 1998, nearly 600 union members ran for office; more than 800 ran for office in 2000. In 2000, 2,141 union members held public office or ran. Today, more than 2,500 union members hold elected office.

"I am proud of my union background and am glad to be able to use that background to lead the National Labor Caucus. This country was founded on the blood, sweat and tears of its labor families, and I intend to fight for their interests both in Wisconsin and nationally as President of the National Labor Caucus," Coggs concluded.