It was with great shock and a deep sense of loss that WisCOSH learned recently that long time Board member and retired AFSCME local president Dave Eisner has passed away.
Long before Dave joined WisCOSH‘s Board of Directors he was known as someone you did not want to go up against in a confrontation. It would not go good for you. And if you weren’t prepared to go against Dave it often be humiliating. Not because Dave would go out of his way to humiliate you but because he would offer you a chance not to humiliate yourself first. If you didn’t take that chance it was your poor choice.
Brother Eisner was a fighter from the get go. He fought tooth and nail for his members. All of them. If you liked Dave or you didn’t. Whether you were happy to be in a union or if you weren’t. Whether it was the worker’s fault or not. Regardless of personal feelings. If you had Dave Eisner in your corner you had all the help you could want or need. Dave wasn’t a lawyer or attorney but he spend many days and nights in rooms with them and Dave seldom came out with the short end of the stick. Even when he wasn’t able to prevail and win the day you seldom faced the potential outcome(s) you would have had Dave not been there fighting for you.
Dave was much the same way when it came to fighting for and safeguarding worker’s right to safe work in a healthy work environment. Whether you were exposed to physical, chemical, psychological or any kind of hazard at work Dave would fight for you. Through many campaigns over the years Dave was never shy nor retiring. If you were looking for Dave you need look no further than the front row. Whether arguing with an employer, the city, county or state Dave was in it to win it and win it he did far more often than not.
Even now it doesn’t seem possible that Dave has left us. A speeding vehicle hitting him couldn’t keep him down and in fact barely slowed him down. Dave was a force of nature and an inspiration to many.
Rest In Power, Brother Eisner for surely you have earned it.