American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 61 is a state-level council of local government worker unions in Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. AFSCME is the largest member union of AFL-CIO union federation, and is deeply involved in politics, being a major left-of-center advocate entity.¹

Political Activities

AFSCME People is a PAC (political action committee) associated with AFSCME Council 61 and AFSCME as a whole. AFSCME Council 61 and Iowa/Missouri/Kansas political issues specifically are funded through the associated PAC.

AFSCME Council 61 spent $125,892 on political activities and lobbying in 2015. The organizations that received donations larger than $5,000 were Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino ($12,682,) Well Mark Blue Cross Blue Shield ($5,859,) and the Iowa Policy Project, a left-leaning environmental and economic policy advocacy organization which received $5,000. ²

The national union uses the PEOPLE PAC to donate to left-of-center organizations such as the George Soros funded Center for American Progress, Planned Parenthood, the American Constitution Society, and other unions such as Service Employees International Union.³⁴

Leadership

Danny Homan is the president of AFSCME Council 61. Homan has a long history of working with left-leaning organizations. He currently sits as the labor caucus chair for the Iowa State Democratic Party where he previously served as vice chair. He also serves as the vice president at large for the Iowa Federation of Labor, an affiliate organization of AFL-CIO. Homan also served as a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention where he supported failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.^{5 6 7}

Susie Baker is the vice president of AFSCME Council 61. She also serves as the president of the AFSCME Local 2659 branch associated with the University of Northern Iowa.

Membership and Funding

AFSCME Council 61 had 13,968 members in 2015. Membership dues are $20 per member per month and the average income per member is $519 according to the Center for Union Facts, a non-profit organization that seeks transparency and accountability in America’s labor movement.

AFSCME Council 61 spent a total of $7,079,677 in 2015. The largest sum of this money was spent on “Representational Activities” (25%, or $1,769,219.)⁸

Council president Danny Homan was the highest paid employee of the organization in 2015 when he was compensated $169,300.⁹

1. “About Us.” AFSCME Council 61. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.afscmecouncil61.org/about-us.
2. “AFSCME Council 61: Iowa Political Action.” AFSCME Council 61. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.afscmecouncil61.org/iowa-political-action.
3. “The PEOPLE Program Visibility.” AFSCME. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.afscme.org/members/conventions/resolutions-and-amendments/ieb-resolutions/the-people-program-visibility.
4. “AFSCME Council 61: Iowa Political Action.” AFSCME Council 61. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.afscmecouncil61.org/iowa-political-action.
5. “Danny Homan: 2016 Democratic National Convention.” Ballotpedia. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://ballotpedia.org/Danny_Homan.
6. “Executive Board: Danny Homan.” Iowa AFL-CIO. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.iowaaflcio.org/executive-board.
7. “Danny Homan.” AFSCME Council 61. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.afscmecouncil61.org/about-us/danny-homan.
8. “Spending: AFSCME 61.) Center for Union Facts. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.unionfacts.com/lu/513272/AFSCME/61#spending-tab.
9. “Leadership and Compensation: Danny Homan.” Center for Union Facts. Accessed May 24, 2019. https://www.unionfacts.com/local/employee/513272/AFSCME/61/DANNY/HOMAN/.