RI Council 94, AFSCME Executive Board Unanimously Elects Michael McDonald President  

 

North Providence – Today, Rhode Island Council 94, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO announced that Michael McDonald was unanimously elected President.    

 

Mary Townsend, Executive Vice-President, explained “While we are still grieving the passing of J. Michael Downey, in accordance with our/AFSCME’s constitution the Executive Board unanimously voted last night to elect Michael McDonald, currently the  Union President of Local 528 URI Employees and State-Vice President, to serve as Council 94’s President for the remainder of the term.” 

 

Michael McDonald, has worked as a Landscape Maintenance Technician at the University of Rhode Island, for over 20 years.  Additionally, for the last 13 years he has served as the President of the University of Rhode Island Local 528, which is Council 94’s largest local union and as State Vice-President since 2022.    

 

President McDonald, stated, “I’m humbled and honored to serve as Council 94’s President.  The passing of J. Michael Downey has left big shoes to fill. During the next year and a half, I will focus all of my energy and  passion, on enhancing our Union’s Organizing, Political, and Membership Services.  I believe that working together, we can accomplish all of our goals and build a better, stronger union for all Rhode Island workers.”

 

Council 94, Rhode Island’s largest public employee union, represents over 10,000 active and retired state, municipal, and private sector employees.

A key report shows wholesale inflation slowed last month. The July Producer Price Index shows a rise of zero-point-one percent. The PPI measures prices that businesses receive for goods and services. Economists had been expecting a slightly higher increase, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal.        Over one-point-three million people tuned into Elon Musk's conversation with former President Trump on X last night. Some technical issues delayed the conversation, but the pair still spoke for over two hours. They discussed the attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania, immigration, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the threat of global warming, and more.        Voters are heading to the polls for primary elections in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin today. In Minnesota, progressive Congresswoman Ilhan Omar will defend her seat against former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. The contest comes after two other members of the so-called progressive "Squad," Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, lost their Democratic primaries this cycle.        Tropical Storm Ernesto isn't expected to hit the U.S. mainland as it heads up the Atlantic Ocean. Current forecasts show the storm will bring heavy rain and flooding to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands today. The National Hurricane Center says Ernesto will then head northward and into the Atlantic.        A former Colorado clerk is facing up to 22 years in prison for election tampering. Tina Peters was convicted yesterday and will be sentenced in October. Prosecutors argued she let an unauthorized person access Mesa County's voting equipment in 2021 and make a copy of hard drives, as well as pictures of passwords, and then tried to cover it up.        U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles will not have her appeal heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said it would take away her bronze medal because of a scoring error. Monday, USA Gymnastics said in a statement that it was notified that CAS rules don't allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered.        

Old News Archives