SJR56: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-4547/2

PJD:kmg:rs

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Senate JOINT RESOLUTION 56

January 24, 2002 - Introduced by Senators Risser, Erpenbach, Plache, Grobschmidt and Roessler, cosponsored by Representatives Boyle, Sinicki, Miller, Black, Krug, Berceau, Hahn, Musser, Travis, Turner, Owens, Pocan, Plale, J. Lehman, Lassa, Meyerhofer, Sykora and Townsend. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.

SJR56,1,1 Relating to: the life and public service of Roy Kubista.

SJR56,1,4 Whereas, Roy Kubista, the last surviving member who signed the American Federation of Labor charter granted to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in 1936, died on September 14, 2001, at age 90; and

SJR56,1,6 Whereas, Roy's work over the course of a 70-year career with AFSCME touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of public employees in Wisconsin; and

SJR56,1,8 Whereas, Roy received his master's degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1934; and

SJR56,1,13 Whereas, Roy then became a researcher at what was then the Wisconsin State Employees Association; and in 1935, he was elected the first secretary-treasurer of the AFSCME International Union, a position that he held until 1936, when he agreed to take over temporarily as executive secretary of the Wisconsin State Employees Association, AFSCME Council 24, where he stayed until 1970; and

SJR56,2,3 Whereas, much of Roy's time was spent lobbying to create a retirement system for state employees; and he helped draft the 1943 Wisconsin employee pension plan, and up to the end of his life he continued to visit the AFSCME offices to provide counsel on retirement legislation and contribute his wisdom on issues pertaining to public employees; and

SJR56,2,6 Whereas, he helped win the 40-hour workweek for Wisconsin state employees during the 1940s, 2 decades before the federal 40-hour law was extended to state and local workers; and

SJR56,2,8 Whereas, Roy also negotiated the first state employee cost-of-living bonus in the country; now, therefore, be it

SJR56,2,12 Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature commend the devoted public service that Roy Kubista gave to so many citizens of this state and recognize his remarkable commitment to the betterment of their lives; and, be it further

SJR56,2,14 Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall transmit copies of this joint resolution to Roy Kubista's wife, Lynn Kubista, and to AFSCME.

SJR56,2,15 (End)