A simple knock on the front door by an AFSCME organizer in 2010 would have a significant impact on the life of Mary Huschle and her co workers. It was clear her job classification needed to be represented through collective bargaining powers and collective “people power” that a union provides workers of all backgrounds and job types. That simple conversation would spark an organizing campaign to unionize speech language pathologists - and they won!
For the last 36 years, Mary’s job has been to work with infants from birth to age 5 who endeavor to overcome feeding and swallowing disorders and children under the age of 17 who struggle with traumatic brain injuries. “I have the privilege of working one-on-one with my patients whom I absolutely love. And to see them improve makes my job so rewarding,” she said. “Our union fights not only for my colleagues and workplace, but for our patients and the wider HCMC community to improve people’s lives and ensure they live life to the fullest.”
In early 2020, HCMC management proposed a plan during negotiations to strip new employees access to the dental trust, therefore negatively impacting the overall plan and harming new employees’ financial and physical health. That proposal rightly yielded significant union opposition and caused Mary, her coworkers, and allies to take action! “After a huge collective action on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the employer took the proposal off the table after dozens of employees and allies passed out fliers about what was happening to HCMC employees by their employer. Management had to face the backlash for what they proposed to do and ultimately did what was right because of organized people power and the power of their union and dropped the proposal,” said Huschle.
Beginning in July 2020, Mary will be retiring from the profession that she loves and the children to whom she has dedicated her entire career. Mary said, “Retiring is bittersweet. I love my colleagues and staff, patients, and my union - AFSCME! I will miss coming into work every single day with some of our state’s most dedicated, loyal, and compassionate public servants and, of course, our trusting patients. I have been able to watch children I cared for grow up and become beautiful, successful adults who give back to our communities and inspire others. And that makes all of the long hours and stressful work days totally worth it.”
As she looks towards the future, Mary has her retirement years to plan! She deeply knows the importance of a guaranteed, defined-benefit pension that she will be able to use to live a dignified retirement. She earned it! “My union has long fought to secure our pensions and knowing this earned pension is there for me every single month gives me the financial security that I will have basic living expenses covered. In addition to their defined-benefit pension, I would encourage active workers to take advantage of any additional retirement plans if available,” she said. “These pensions are not extravagant as some would like the public to think, but they are critical to live a well-earned, secure retirement.”
There are constant attacks on public employee pensions and our union will never stop fighting to protect and strengthen them. Living wages, strong benefits, a connected workplace family, and enjoying a dignified, secure retirement are cornerstones of the labor movement.
When asked about what advice she has for active union members, she had one clear message: “There will be many ups and downs with your employer and management, but if you are part of the union, you have a powerful voice to change that. Many things will change over time, but one thing is constant: Your union is always there for you. Things will always get better when you work together as a union family.”
On behalf of the 43,000 union members of AFSCME Council 5 we want to wish Mary Huschle a happy retirement and thank her for her nearly 40 years of selfless service to children in our state.
Mary Huschle is the Secretary of AFSCME Local 2474 at Hennepin County Medical Center.
