When you speak with Patrick Paschall, it’s hard to believe that the 1199SEIU delegate and new City Councilmember from Hyattsville, Maryland is just 28 years old. While he’s a relative newcomer to the union, having worked as a policy counsel with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington, DC, for two years now, he brought energy and maturity to the bargaining table when he helped negotiate a new union contract at the Taskforce earlier this year.“I learned a lot in bargaining,” said Patrick. “It was my first time doing any real negotiations. I learned how to get to what’s really important, and how to know what would and would not be effective. I gained insights into people and what motivates them.”He extends this love of learning and problem-solving into his burgeoning second career in public service, which began when he was appointed to the Hyattsville City Ethics Commission. When a City Councilmember was thinking of retiring last year, Patrick’s friends and colleague in city government urged him to take his contribution to the next level.Patrick was elected in May to the City Council and is elated to serve Hyattsville. “I love my community,” he explained recently. “It’s an adorable city with a thriving arts district and great neighborhoods. People here are so welcoming and neighborly.”Patrick was elected to be one of his shops 1199SEIU delegates a little over a year ago. He and fellow delegate Kathy Plate worked closely with coworkers at the Taskforce to set priorities for bargaining and see most of them realized.“There’s a lot to be proud of in this contract,” said Patrick. “We know the economy is tough and healthcare is expensive. But we did a great job of holding the line on healthcare. That’s a huge win. We were able to negotiate four weeks of paid family medical leave.”He’ll have lots of opportunities to put his new negotiating skills to the test on the Hyattsville City Council. Because the council is larger than most – with 10 members and a mayor, and the need to secure 6 votes to pass anything – everything is a negotiation, according to Patrick.He knows that he and his fellow councilmembers have real work ahead of them, as the city faces reduced revenues and as several rookie councilmembers, Patrick included, get up to speed.He calls his first months in office “interesting, fun, exciting and daunting – but incredibly rewarding." Patrick is currently working at the Taskforce to ensure that health insurers that participate in state health benefit exchanges under the Affordable Care Act are not allowed to discriminate against policy holders based on gender identity.- See more at: http://www.1199seiu.org/1199er_patrick_paschall_joins_hyattsville_md_city_council#sthash.wVe0BcQ9.dpuf