TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Computer News
by Tina Re tas ket
Donating Computers
If you have a usable older com
puter that you would be willing to do
nate to another family, or if you are in
need of a used computer, please call
me at 541-444-8210 or 1-800-922-1399,
ext. 1210. I will try to match you with
someone who has one or needs one.
Please note that you are receiving
these computers “as is” and I cannot re
pair or replace these donated comput
ers and cannot guarantee their usability.
Gateway Technical Support
The Gateway Technical Support
number is 1-800-846-2301. Please have
the serial number for your computer
on hand when you call so Gateway can
determine whether your computer is
still under warranty or not.
Walt’s Words of Wit and Wisdom
by Walt Klamath
Some of us were having an intelli
gent conversation or debate about ben
efits that were or are available to em
ployees. It was discussed how all these
benefits were obtained.
My first involvement with unions
was around '48 when the GP sawmill
went on strike but the logging didn't.
The loggers built up huge cole decks
along the railroad tracks. The strike
lasted the whole school vacation time.
The sawmill went back to work, I
believe, for a little less than started, but
some benefits. Till that time, the saw
mills were getting more per hour than
the paper mill. After that, the paper mills
were ahead on hourly wage and the saw
mills never did catch up.
As time went on, the wages were
quite low. I don't know if the wages were
equal to the prices of things or not. In
'49, 1 received $1.25 an hour working
on the water. After I returned from Korea
and moved to Portland, the wages were
about $1.17 or so at about the time I
became involved in the union.
Our union representatives and the
negotiation committee started working
for the employees. We started getting
vacations - one week after five years,
two weeks after 10. This went on for
several years, then about 1960 we went
on strike to get health insurance plus a
wage increase.
We did strike; we carried posters and
walked the picket line. We had some
serious altercations with strikebreakers,
busted out windows, slashed tires and
did carry two-by-fours and baseball bats.
We did not bother office staff who
worked, but the others would work one
day then get the message. We did follow
traitor trailers loaded with lumber that
Portland would not handle because we
were on strike.
They were headed for Seattle. I don't
understand the reasoning for going to
Seattle as they too were part of the
Longshoreman’s union. We would go
on the front of the tractor and hold the
“On Strike” banner. The dock would
say, “Take ‘er back.” The truck driver
said he didn't mind driving because he
knew who was behind him.
The company did settle; we did get
retirement benefits that year. Not much.
25 cents a year when retired. We did go
on getting more benefits. We did get
vacation time - one week after one year,
two weeks after five years, three weeks
after 10 years and four weeks with five
weeks’ pay after 20 years. We did get,
over a period of time, better health care.
After 25 years, I was fired from Pub
lishers Paper, then went to Multnomah
County. There the benefits were good,
but I was told there was not enough
money for a substantial raise. We did
take benefits instead of money raises.
Our representatives benefited
through negotiations. We were getting
better fringe benefits that would telegraph
through the industry. So today in tribal
government we are getting better ben
efits than what we bargained for at the
industry level.
The benefits that were gained did
come from hard negotiations and strike
threats at the appropriate time. They were
not developed through the kind heart
of management, though management
did receive benefits at the same time.
I see the losing of some of the ben
efits in industry today that were gained.
To me this is history of the past now.
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
Monday - 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Atonement Lutheran Church
2315 N Coast Highway (101), Newport
Thursday - 8-9 p.m.
St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church
1226 SW 13,h St., Lincoln City
Tuesday - 7:30-8:30 p.m.
TLC - A&D Building
565 Old River Road, Siletz
Friday - 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Atonement Lutheran Church
2315 N Coast Highway (101),Newport
Tuesday - 8-9 p.m.
St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church
1226 SW 13,h St., Lincoln City
Saturday - 6-7 p.m.
Siletz VFW
143 SE Eggbert St., Siletz.
Toll-Free Help Line - 1-877-233-4287
October USDA Distribution Dates
Siletz
Monday, Oct. 1
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Thursday, Oct. 4
Friday. Oct. 5
9
9
9
9
9
Salem
a.m.
a.m.
a.m.
a.m.
a.m.
-
-
-
-
-
3
3
3
3
3
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
Monday, Oct. 15 1:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 16
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 17 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
If you think you might be eligible
for our program, here is the guideline
set by the federal government (remem
ber. we take the gross income and mul
tiply by 20 percent tax discount):
Household Composition
HH of 1
$951
HH of 2
$1,234
HH of 3
$1,518
HH of 4
$1,806
HH of 5
$2.1 12
HH of 6
$2,420
HH of 7
$2,703
HH of 8
$2,986
For each additional member, add $284.
eligible for only $10 per month in food
stamps. We give the full food package
benefit as long as you are eligible.
So if you think you might be eligible,
call and we can send you an application.
You cannot be on food stamps and
commodities at the same time!
Happy Meals!
We take certain deductions; these
are set forth by the USDA guideline for
certification purposes. We complete the
income worksheet using this informa
tion and usually we find that clients are
eligible for our program when they are
Kitti Navarro, USDA FDP Director
541-444-8393
Joyce Retherford, USDA FDP Clerk
541-444-8279 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1279
Native Caring Conference Helps
Give Caregivers a Break
The Third Annual Native Caring
Conference - a place to learn, connect,
and share - will be held Oct. I0-1 I at
the Wildhorse Casino & Resort in
Pendleton, Ore. This has become very
popular over the last two years as it
gives caregivers time for much-needed
respite, relaxation, and rejuvenation.
The committee for this year’s con
ference includes the elders’ coordina
tors from Siletz, Warm Springs, Co
quille, and Coos, Lower Umpqua, &
Siuslaw Indians, and the Umatilla Tribe.
In addition, the state of Oregon Unit
on Aging and the Lane County Coun
cil of Governments are active in this
partnership. The conference will focus
on the health of mind, body, and spirit
of the caregiver. Breakout classes will
be available specifically for grandpar
ent caregivers as well.
Flyers have been sent to those
caregivers who already are listed with
the program and will be given priority.
If you have not been involved in
the program yet, please contact Angela
Ramirez or Trish Carey to add your name
to the Caregiver News listing. If you
know of someone who is a caregiver,
please ask him or her to contact us.
Are You a Caregiver?
In many cases, people do not con
sider themselves a caregiver. They say
they arc simply helping out their uncle
by letting him live with them so he
doesn't have to be alone and make sure
he takes his medication.
They go over to grandma's house
to cook meals for her, clean up her
house, and do some laundry. There are
elders who have taken in their grand
children or other relative child to raise
them because the children are unable
to live with their parents.
This is exactly what a caregiver is.
They are informal caregivers of family
so that the care recipient (elder or child)
can stay in his or her home or stay out of
a nursing/foster home by living with them.
For the purposes of the Native Care
giver Support Program, a caregiver is
defined as one of the following:
•
•
•
Family caregivers (not parent) of
disabled individuals (adult child) of
any age
Grandparent caregiver or older
relative (age 55‘) who is the primary
care provider for a child related by
blood, marriage, adoption, legal
custody, or informal relationship
Adult family member or other in
dividual who is a provider of in-home
and community care to an elder to
assist in activities of daily living
If you meet one of these catego
ries. contact Angela at I-800-922-1399.
ext. 1225. or 541-444-8225 to find out
what kinds of services are available to
you as a caregiver.
October 2007
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Siletz News
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