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About The OSEA sentinel. (Salem, Oregon) 1954-1958 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1954)
April, 1954 No. 54-2 MEMBERSHIP SOARS “You may put March, 1954 down as a red-letter month in OSEA history. Thanks to the splendid ef forts of all chapter officers, members and state offi cers, this outstanding March record has become a new target to shatter,” says Bob Ashby. “Could any thing sound more encouraging, more stimulating and more conducive to still greater efforts in behalf of OSEA?” The March record speaks for itself: 1. A new all-time high in OSEA membership of 5533! 2. A gain of 192 members over the previous re cord of 5341 in April 1951! 3. A gain of 759 members since September 1,1953! 4. 44 out of 57 chapters recorded membership in creases in March! 5. A total of 345 new members in March alone! 6. Nineteen chapters already over the goals set for September 1, 1954! 7. Four districts out of the 8 already over the membership target for September 1, 1954! 8. Two new chapters in March: Coos Bay No. 65 and Tualaty (Hillsboro) No. 66! 9. Two more new chapters “in the process.” 10. ONLY 457 MORE MEMBERS NEEDED TO REACH THE 6000 MARK! Walter Krueger, district three director, Ashby and many interested employees established the new chapter at Coos Bay. Temporary officers are Nor man Kerr, Unemployment Compensation, president; Helen Brown, Public Welfare, secretary-treasurer. Tualaty chapter was formed by state employees at Hillsboro with the aid of Jim May, acting director of district one, Ashby and others. Tualaty chose Paul Martin, also of Unemployment Compensation, as temporary chairman. EMPLOYEE RIGHTS VIOLATED OSEA is constantly vigilant to any disregard of legislative policy on overtime and Civil Service rules regarding vacation and holidays. OSEA has distributed questionnaires among cor rectional officers at the state penitentiary to deter mine the extent of violation of employee rights and to gather factual data. Questionnaires returned to date indicate there is cause for grievance. Some employees report they have had no vacation in two years. Some have worked 12 or more holidays for which they have not been compensated. The amount of unpaid overtime is unbelievable. Any overtime that has been paid, either in cash or time off, was at the rate of straight time — an obvious disregard of legislative policy. OSEA LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM During the closing days of the 1953 legislature OSEA made a request, which was granted, that an interim committee be appointed to study the retire ment system and the state wage structure. The com mittee has been meeting each month and is progress ing satisfactorily in each field. The group will probably have a report ready by November and in time for study by our General Council. While OSEA is not necessarily committed to any program pro posed by this committee it is obligated by courtesy and respect to wait for the committee report. The General Council adopted a series of resolu tions seeking amendments to the retirement law. These resolutions have been given to the interim committee and would (1) base benefits on the five years highest salary; (2) provide death benefits; (3) increase matching amount to include full salary; (4) comply with the principle of retirement under PERg at half salary. On salaries, the General Council restated and em phasized its policy of pay comparable to private in dustry for like jobs. At the request of the interim committee $15,000 was allocated by the Emergency Board to cover cost of a salary survey. Object of the survey is to compare Oregon State salaries with private enterprise and with public agencies in this and other states. Barring ton and Associates of New York will do the job. On Civil Service the legislative program consists of two items, (1) to get civil service established in the state constitution, and (2) promote a merit award system whereby employees may win cash awards for money saving devices and procedures suggested by them and adopted by the state. Another attempt will be made to get the legisla ture or some state agency (1) to provide a better way to finance travel expenses for employees who travel; (2) to provide reinbursement for damaged personal property when the damage occurs on the job; (3) to include all employees at the penitentiary under the state life insurance program now available only to guards and state police. All of the above items may be discussed with legis lative candidates. The membership should keep in mind that this program was adopted by the General Council and any deviation from it by individuals and chapter committees would only result in confusion in the minds of legislators. Now is the time to contact ail candidates for the state legislature. Let them know about OSEA and its program. Most of them will welcome an oppor tunity to visit chapters or meet with committees. The primaries are on May 21.
