Hello Sisters and Brothers,
I am writing to you as the election portion of NFFE’s 51st National Convention has come to a close. 2020 has presented tremendous challenges, but despite those challenges, I am proud of all NFFE has achieved. Among our achievements, it was important for our Union to exercise its democratic principles, and through our virtual convention and election, that is precisely what we did. We elected our leaders, and we should all be proud of that.
I want to congratulate our Union on electing an extremely talented and capable National Executive Council (NEC). Delegates elected Randy Erwin (myself) to serve a second term as National President, David Stamey to a second term as National Secretary/Treasurer, and seven At-Large National Vice Presidents (in alphabetical order): Melissa Baumann, Bob Beckley, Lisa Foust, Boyd Hinton, Karen Mora, Charles Vickery, and Lisa Wolfe. NFFE also re-elected National Trustee Damaris Miller. This is a tremendous group of NFFE leaders that I know will work tirelessly for NFFE-IAM members for the next four years. Our Union is in very good hands. Congratulations to all those elected! Please join me in welcoming all NFFE’s newest elected officers.
I also want to thank all the other candidates that ran for NFFE National positions. Your willingness to serve the membership of this Union is appreciated and valued. We thank you!
Personally, I am humbled and full of gratitude for being elected to serve a second term as your National President. Serving in this role has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am proud to serve in this capacity for another four years. Moving our great Union forward is a tremendous responsibility and one that I take very seriously. I love this Union and all of its members, leaders, Locals, and Councils. I will stop at nothing to improve the lives of NFFE-IAM members and federal employees everywhere. Thank you for putting your trust in me.
I believe our Union has reason for optimism going forward. We have gotten through a very difficult period and are well-positioned to thrive in the years to come. I believe the incoming Biden Administration will be far more friendly to federal workers and Unions. I believe we will be able to reverse some of the harmful Trump-era policies that have made it very difficult to represent our members. I am optimistic we can begin to move forward with proactive policies that will make NFFE-IAM members’ lives better. I also look forward to growing the membership so we can represent NFFE-IAM members in new and better ways.
Make no mistake, in order to move this Union forward we will need to come together. Following every Union election there is a need to put differences (and sometimes hard feelings) aside to come together for the good of the membership. I look forward to this process and am committed to it. I respect everyone in this Union and am committed to continuing to work with all. Also, our members deserve it. With solidarity, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Federal employees deserve dignity and respect in the workplace, and NFFE will continue to bring the fight for our members through effective representation at the worksite, at the negotiation table, in the halls of Congress, and within the Administration.
Now, let us come together and use the aftermath of these hard-fought elections, both within our Union and our nation, to start fresh with renewed hope, enthusiasm, and commitment. I am committed to that, and I hope you will join me.
Again, thank you for the trust you have placed in me to continue serving as NFFE’s National President. I will not let you down.
In Solidarity,
Randy Erwin
National President
National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW, AFL-CIO