AFSCME Council 65 is as strong today as ever before. We can be proud of what we have become over the last 60 years. Our Council was chartered in 1963, but some locals, like the cities of Hibbing and Huron, date back to the 1930s. They fought for workers long before the legal protections we are so accustomed to today. These early pioneers laid the foundation for the strong and influential labor organization that AFSCME Council 65 is today.
With a deep history of advocating for workers' rights and fair working conditions, our council has continuously fought for the well-being and dignity of public service employees. As we look towards the future, we remain committed to continue empowering workers in Minnesota & South Dakota.
Looking back, the last 10 years could have been a struggle that the labor movement hasn't seen in a generation. Still recovering from the Great Recession, we faced some of our greatest challenges. Anti-union forces accelerated their campaign to dismantle public service unions, culminating in the Janus V. AFSCME decision in 2018. Rather than give in, members mobilized so that we not only survived, but we became stronger. 2020 brought a global pandemic, and it was AFSCME 65's members on the frontline keeping us safe and healthy. Despite these struggles, we are still here, fighting to lift up workers in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Together we turned a decade of struggles into one of opportunity. We will always continue this fight.
Shannon Douvier
Executive Director
AFSCME 65
Download a digital copy of our 60th Anniversary Book:
60 Years of AFSCME 65 (17.77 MB)
