Arizona AFSCME

AFSCME's 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in hundreds of different occupations—from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers—AFSCME is the voice of the dedicated workers who take care of America and is a leading advocate for all working families.

On this Web site, you can learn more about AFSCME and Local 3111. You can find out some benefits to being a member. Most importantly, you can get information on upcoming events, recent victories, and long-term campaigns—you can learn how to make a difference in the lives of working men and women, and how AFSCME has made a difference in your life.

Your Job is at Stake in Fiesta-Bowl-Type Cronyism

UPDATE: see the Local 3111 president, Sheri Van Horsen, argue against the Goldwater Institute and other proponents of the personnel-reform bill in this PBS video.

  • See our statement on the governor's proposal to give employees pay raises if they give up their job protections by clicking here.
  • Fact v. Fiction on HB 2571. Click here to learn the facts about the governor's proposal.
  • Opinion piece Governor Brewer's personnel-reform proposal. Click here to read President Sheri Van Horsen's opinion piece on the proposal.

Governor Jan Brewer is proposing to eliminate job protections for tens of thousands of state employees. Your job could become at-will, meaning that you can be fired for any reason or no reason. No grievance, no challenge, no appeal.

Brewer's plan to extend Fiesta-Bowl-type corruption to state jobs will open the door to political cronyism in state government. You could lose your job due to politics or privatization.

For more information, please click on this link.

AFSCME wins lawsuit to protect your pension

Last year, the Legislature and Governor Brewer changed the pension contribution rate for public employees. Instead of splitting the contributions evenly (50%/50%), the Legislature increased the burden on employees, who had to pay 53% of the cost.

AFSCME and other organizations sued to end the violation of the Arizona Constitution, which prohibited changes to the public retirement system. We won, and state employees will benefit! For more information, click here.

AFSCME wins Wrongful Termination Cases

AFSCME won another wrongful termination case against the state for two employees. In a court decision, the judge found that the Department of Transportation and State Personnel Board acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner in firing or upholding the termination of our members. For more information, click here.

Join Us

To learn how to join us or to get information about AFSCME membership, please click here for contact information.

News & Events

Below is a list of recent news and events. For a full list, please visit the News & Events section of the Web site.

  • AFSCME wins lawsuit to protect your pension
    AFSCME and other organizations sued to end the violation of the Arizona Constitution, which prohibited changes to the public retirement system. We won, and state employees will benefit! (Posted February 7, 2012.)
  • Press conference on anti-worker bills
    Join union leaders, public employees and community leaders. Stand up to the attacks on union members and their families. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, Arizona Senate Lawn. (Posted February 7, 2012.)
  • Governor's Proposal for Pay Raises is Classic Bait and Switch
    Rather than substantively address state employees' lagging salaries, the governor's budget proposal would take away your employment protections. (Posted January 13, 2012.)