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Member & Staff Update 4-17-08

 

MEMBER AND STAFF UPDATE

April 17, 2008

VOTE – Tuesday, April 22, 2008

CORRECTION from my last report – hatched members CAN attend rallies, town hall meetings, etc. for a candidate and CAN wear a shirt or button for a particular candidate on your off time but NOT on work time!!!

  1. Obama News – Please be tolerant of the phone calls, literature, and canvassing for the Primary Election. There are SEIU members and volunteers in Pa. from as far away as Hawaii to get out the vote for Senator Obama. It is an incredibly exciting time for Pa. to be a key state in this historical election. It took over 1 year of research, polling, interviews, and questionnaires to endorse Senator Obama, the candidate the union feels is the best for working families and for the future of our country. As a community organizer, he understands public services. In a conference call with Senator Obama Thursday, April 10, 2008 (a call that many of you were on) he thanked SEIU for our support to his campaign and to his vision for the future. You may have also seen me and our now TV star members Roxanne Hoag and Cheryl Reaves from Elwyn on an Obama TV ad and on the literature being sent. Many of our members have had the chance to meet and to talk to this amazing man.
  2. URGENT ACTION NEEDED! The current proposed federal budget eliminates funding for the State Employment Service. This would privatize this service and eliminate our member’s positions. Please visit the website at www.SEIU668.org to see how you can help our brothers and sisters and urge the federal government to continue Wagner-Peyser funding.
  3. Delaware Children and Youth – over 100 members at Delaware CYS are facing a possible strike as negotiations have not gone well. A final proposal is expected from management by Friday, April 18, 2008. Please be prepared to help out our brothers and sisters at Delaware CYS.
  4. Berks County – members in Berks County are also having difficult negotiations. The county is trying to strip the rights of the grievance procedure from probationary members, reduce vacation and sick leave and increase insurance co-pays. A rally is being held Friday, April 25, 2008 at 6pm at the Riverside Beneficial Association in Reading. Please join us!
  5. Meeting with Auditor General Jack Wagner – The Union will meet Friday, April 18, 2008 to discuss the Deloitte contracts, how and why they were granted and to demand a full investigation of a $400+ million system that is not user friendly for staff at the County Assistance Offices or employer friendly to those that work in the offices of Vocational rehabilitation and Employment Security.
  6. Linda Andrews – our own Linda Andrews, retiree from the Washington County Assistance Office, has been appointed to the new Labor Advisory Board of the Washington Democratic Party.
  7. The Budget – we do not expect a budget to be passed by July 1, 2008 and we have serious concerns that no COLAs have been included in the budget for the vital public services we provide in nearly every agency we represent. In addition, caseload sizes continue to increase with no relief in sight. Our June 23, 2008 Lobby Day will address these and other issues that affect our members – plan to attend and have your voice heard – the registration form is online.
  8. AFL-CIO Per Capita payments – As you know, SEIU 668 is very active in both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win. We have members and staff that serve as officers in the Central Labor Councils, ALF’s, etc. The California Nurses Association ran and continues to run anti-union campaigns in Ohio and Nevada and are threatening the same in Pa. that are denying healthcare workers the opportunity to become part of the union. The campaign in Ohio affected 8,000 workers and there is currently a decertification campaign in Nevada to encourage nurse members to leave SEIU. SEIU has made strong appeals at the national and local levels for the AFL-CIO to intervene and uphold the Solidarity Charters without an effective response. We have been asked by the Leadership of the SEIU International to withhold payment of per capita to the AFL-CIO State Federations and Labor Councils until the National AFL-CIO enforces the Solidarity Charters. At this time, we are not withdrawing affiliation under the Solidarity Charter agreements only withholding per capita payments.
  9. Working on – numerous Corrections issues with the Corrections Committee Chair and Corrections Business Agent, a 40 hour work week proposal with research and help from Rocco Reynolds from BDD, a meeting with Governor Rendell on County Assistance Office issues.

Dues money cannot be used to support a candidate! Your COPE contributions can make the difference in this election and in November. If you already give to COPE – THANK YOU, keep up the support and consider increasing your very appreciated contribution to at least $5 per pay. If you do not give to COPE, please contact your Business Agent to obtain the card to fill out – only takes a minute but could make a difference for the rest of your life by getting candidates into office to support working families! We CAN make a difference for a better future!!