The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO GAYLE GRIFFIN, AFGE'S DISTRICT 7 WOMAN OF THE YEAR
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HON. GWEN MOORE
of wisconsin
in the house of representatives
Monday, March 8, 2021
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the career and ongoing legacy of Gayle Griffin, a retired nurse formerly employed at Milwaukee's Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center and President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3. She is an exemplary voice in our community and has consistently used her position to defend others. I want to congratulate her on her recent selection as AFGE's District 7 Woman of the Year.
Gayle is the first African American to ever be elected president of her Local AFGE branch. During her time in AFGE leadership, she has continually used her position to advocate for her members against anti-
union executive orders, racism, and other inequities as a fierce champion for social justice.
Throughout her eleven-year career as a nurse serving our veterans at the Milwaukee VA, Gayle was one of many Black nurses who endured racism in her workplace. However, rather than backing down, she resolutely sought to protect and defend the rights of workers at the Local AFGE branch. She has spoken out about the tremendous struggles that VA nursing staff are facing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and has repeatedly called for more honest communication from the Department of Veterans Affairs with its employees.
On February 21, 2021, Gayle was selected as AFGE's District 7 Woman of the Year. This important award is granted to those who exhibit selfless dedication to union solidarity, public service, and workplace health and safety. This is an honor that Gayle has truly earned. She has fought tirelessly to protect the health of veterans, for workers' rights, and for commonsense workplace safety and equity--especially during the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her altruistic spirit and inspiring dedication to her colleagues and community are why Gayle is so deserving of the title of AFGE's District 7 Woman of the Year. Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District, and the veterans who depend on the VA for their health care, have been made better as a result of Gayle's phenomenal work. I sincerely respect her determination and applaud her accomplishments. Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor my constituent and her recent accomplishment and celebrate the great work that she and others in AFGE District 7 are doing in service to our veterans, our country and the state of Wisconsin.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 43
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