AFGE Invited to March with President Obama, President Bush in Selma
March 13, 2015
Categories:
Labor, Civil Rights
You guessed it. AFGE was honored to be the only union invited to join a group of civil right leaders and activists led by President Barack Obama to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge last weekend to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the civil rights march. Joining President Obama and AFGE President J. David Cox Sr. were the First Family, former President George W. Bush, Rep. John Lewis, Rev. Al Sharpton, and other original “foot soldiers” who were there on the bridge 50 years ago. “AFGE always stands for civil rights and workers’ rights. To be a part of this is an amazing moment,” President Cox said.
“Boss man, it’s time for a raise.”
Before the march, President Obama shook hands with everyone in the group. President Cox thanked the president for funding Homeland Security and told him that federal employees deserved a raise after five years of no or low increases. “I told him, Boss man, it’s time for a raise.”
We Never Forget Our Border Patrol Agents
President Cox also got to talk to former President Bush. He thanked him for commuting the sentences of two former Border Patrol agents imprisoned for shooting a drug smuggler, who admitted to smuggling several hundred pounds of marijuana and later pleaded guilty to two other smuggling attempts. President Bush pardoned the two agents on his last full day in office. “It was the right thing to do,” he told President Cox, adding, “I believe this is the first time AFGE has ever thanked me for anything.” Then he turned to President Obama and said “Give these guys a raise.” Obama responded, “This is the second time they asked me for a raise today.”
