Hello 668 Brothers & Sisters.  My name is Patti Defibaugh. I am running for Trustee.  Many of you already know me as I have been Chapter 5 Chair for            23 years & I have been a member of the Statewide Executive Board for many years.   Chapter 5 covers the counties of Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, & Somerset. We are in the South-Central region of Pennsylvania.  Currently, I am the Chapter 5 COPE (Committee on Political Education) and the 668 Retiree Committee Chair. Recently, I was a member of the Statewide Negotiations Team for the 2023-2027 contract.

Let me tell you a little about myself, my career & my volunteer work for SEIU 668. I began my career as a LIHEAP clerical worker in November 1986. In January 1988 I was promoted to a full-time clerical worker. As a clerical worker I was a member of AFSCME.

In March 1989 I was promoted to Income Maintenance Caseworker. I joined PSSU/SEIU 668 when hired. As a caseworker I carried an ongoing caseload for 5 years and an intake caseload for 6 years. For the union, I served as shop steward for the Blair County Assistance Office, then the Chapter 5 DHS Health & Safety Representative. In March 2001 I was promoted to supervisor. In 2015, I became the Chapter 5 representative for the CAO Supervisory Committee. My roles in both my career and my union have helped me to grow in areas of leadership and responsibility. I retired in 2019 with 32 plus years of commonwealth service. I have been a member of this union for 30 plus years.  In 1997 I was elected Chapter 5 Chair. I have served 23 years in this position. During this time, I facilitated quarterly meetings for Chapter 5, worked with Business Agents assigned to our chapter to facilitate yearly shop steward trainings, completed a budget yearly using the money allotted  to our Chapter,  planned yearly with members our chapter picnic, attended Lobby Days in Harrisburg & Washington DC, attended 2 SEIU International Conventions, arranged pickets, helped make signs, invited local  offices to participate when needed for fair budgets, return of our Unemployment Compensation laid off employees and encouraged chapter members from different work locations, both state and local, to become more involved in our union by running for statewide offices, facilitated regional chapter political meetings with different classifications of workers and their respective state representatives and state senators regarding political items important to our members. The members are the heart & soul of this union. Together, we fight for equality for all workers at every work site where our members are.

My passion is to make sure our members’ dues are spent moving our union forward representing all members to acquire fair contracts & maintain safe working conditions. In 2006 I volunteered to be a part of the Budget Finance Committee. I have served on this committee 14 years under 4 very different management & leadership teams. Balancing our budget each year can be a challenging task. I have been fiscally responsible in making recommendations to the committee.

I volunteered to be a member of the Ad Hoc Hardship Committee. During the pandemic, I worked with other union members to establish the Bilal Talawali Memorial Covid19 Hardship Fund.  SEIU 668 members are my family. Over the years, I have made many friends & worked together to build our union to represent our members. I believe the next few years will be financially challenging for our local. My experience as Chapter Chair & Budget Finance Committee member have prepared me for the role of trustee.

In addition,  I have also been the secretary/ treasurer for my church several years in the past. I am currently the secretary/treasurer for a local non-profit group that helps veterans in need. As your trustee, I will monitor all financial activities and details (your investments, yearly income & expenses, perform audits to ensure all legal & regulatory requirements are met. I will recommend organizational process and policy changes. I am honest & ethical.

Thank you. God Bless.