Vice President A1 Gore Highlights Speakers List For Annual Treasury Union Legislative Conference

Press Release February 10, 1999

Washington, D.C.-- Vice President A1 Gore, who has spearheaded the administration's efforts to reinvent government and who is a strong supporter of improved federal sector labormanagement relations, will be the featured speaker at the annual legislative conference of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) later this month.

The Vice President is scheduled to address more than 300 NTEU legislative activists at the Holiday Inn, Capitol, at lunch on Tuesday, February 23. The three-day meeting begins on Monday, February 22, with remarks by NTEU President Robert M. Tobias and National Executive Vice President Colleen M. Kelley, and runs through Wednesday, February 24.

Tobias, who heads the nation's largest independent union of federal employees, said he is "extremely pleased that the Vice President accepted our invitation." He called his appearance "a welcome opportunity for NTEU members to hear from a leader of the administration whom we know understands the value of the work done by federal employees and the importance of our issues and concerns."

In addition to the Vice President, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson will address delegates on Monday, as will Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), ranking member of the House Civil Service Subcommittee; Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), chairman of the Democratic Congressional

Gore to Speak at NTEU Legislative Conference--Add One Campaign Committee, and Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL), chairman of the House Civil Service Subcommittee, are expected to speak at the Wednesday session

Tobias said delegates will spend much of their time meeting with their home state senators and members of Congress, raising with them NTEU's priority issues for the current session of Congress.

These include the continuing effort to close the private-public sector pay gap, which is especially appropriate in light of large budget surpluses that are projected to continue; the need for a rational, reasoned approach to changes in the Social Security system; a long-standing need to make child day care in federal workplaces affordable for the people who work there; and concerns over attacks on collective bargaining rights in the federal sector.

"Each one of these issues, and others, significantly impacts everyone we represent," Tobias said, "and our intention is to keep the needs of our people and of all federal employees in front of the legislators who have so much of an impact on the lives of these working people." NTEU represents more than 155,000 federal employees in 20 agencies and departments.

Here is the legislative conference speaker's schedule. All events are at the Holiday Inn, Capitol, at 550 C St. SW, Washington, D.C.

Monday, February 22, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., NTEU President Robert M. Tobias, National Executive Vice President Colleen M. Kelley, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

Tuesday, February 23, 11:30 a.m., Vice President Al Gore.

Wednesday, February 24, 11:30 a.m., Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL).

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