Longtime Labor Activist Debbie Dornish Moving Out of State

We wish longtime labor activist Debbie Dornish the best as she moves down to Virginia to live with her sister. Despite not driving herself, Debbie didn’t let that stop her from participating in events as far ranging as Central Maine Labor Council meetings, Solidarity Harvest in Brewer, Labor Day in Winslow or Lewiston, tabling at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, MSEA annual meetings and Maine AFL-CIO conventions in various locations, and knocking on hundreds (maybe even thousands!) of voters’ doors during election seasons.

If a union friend had room in the car, Debbie was there! She also often called the Maine AFL-CIO office just to ask “Is there anything I can do to help?” and has volunteered her clerical skills on more than one campaign or project. Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney offered the following tribute to Debbie and her work in the movement:

“Besides her positive presence at any event she participated in, another great thing about Debbie is that she knows a ton of people and I don’t think she ever forgets one of them! It was not at all unusual at an event for her to be introducing me to people she thought the president of the Maine AFL-CIO should know – sometimes people she herself had known for a long time, and sometimes someone she had just met but they had mentioned something about themselves that she found significant. Political door knocking with her was such fun because this same skill led to many friendly conversation starters about people she knew in common with the household we were canvassing. We are definitely going to miss Debbie and wish her the best in her new chapter.”

Debbie previously worked as a clerk for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and retired a few years ago. She credits fellow MSEA brother Steve Keaton for getting her more involved in her union and it’s an experience she has always treasured. However, she said she intends to stay involved in the labor movement through her local labor council in the Washington DC area. As she gets ready to make her move, Debbie wished all of her union brothers, sisters and siblings well.

"Solidarity! Fight fight fight for good wages and health care,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure knowing and working with all of you.”