Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2002)
District 2 District Director continued... questions. I have a good work ethic and follow through on my commitments. I will work hard to represent District 2 on the state shortfall, our wages, benefits, and jobs are on the line. We need to educate the public ahnut the impact of the cuts and what kinds of revenue raising make sense to balance the tax burden between individuals, small businesses, and corporations. We also need to get health costs under control. If not, even if our economy improves, we will have to choose between health care and wage increases. We need to support the plans of both SEIU and the AFL-CIO. UNION EXPERIENCE NOT ITEMIZED ABOVE: Vice President of Revenue Local 150 Treasurer of District 2 Member of CAPE, bargaining delegate Member organizer in 2001 OTHER INFORMATION TO SUPPORT YOUR CANDIDACY: I believe we have to respect and value our members by listening to their concerns, then work to find solutions that bring them in instead of pushing them away. My pledge is to work wholeheartedly toward this god. WHY ARE YOU SEEKING THIS OFFICE AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR SEIU LOCAL 503, OPEU DURING YOUR TERM? Help make SEIU Local 503, OPEU more responsive to members. Increase activism by younger members Rosanne Richard NO PHOTO PROVIDED Welfare Office Workers, Local 461 WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS OFFICE? OPEU member - 19 years Current District 2 Assistant Director Steward - 5 years Past District 2 Director, Helped develop a sub local within District 6, Local statewide Vice President - 2 years UNION EXPERIENCE NOT ITEMIZED ABOVE: Participated in 2 statewide strikes Picket captain Flying Squardron member General Council Delegate - 7 times General Council Committee Chair AFS Coalition Bargaining Table Representative —.3 times Human & Civil Rights Committee member Staff Screening Committee Chair Participated in campaign against Marion Co. decertification Phone banking on ballot measures NSUP Healthcare Committee member Long time CAPE 2 cent contributor WHY ARE YOU SEEKING THIS OFFICE AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR SEIU LOCAL 503, OPEU DURING YOUR TERM? I am seeking this office because I believe District 2 needs to be represented at the Board level by active district directors who participate at the local and/or district level. I have been an activist for many years and believe I can represent the issues and concerns of the members in District 2. My main goal during the up coming term is to keep members in the district informed of the issues before us and decisions being made at the board level. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR DISTRICT? I believe that any goals for District 2 need to be developed by the group and not by an individual. That said, I am concerned and believe all districts and the larger union need to find a way to engage the next generation in the business of this union. A large portion of our activist base includes members who will retire in the next 5 to 10 years. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ISSUE THE UNION WILL FACE DURING YOUR TERM AND HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO RESOLVE IT? The primary issue facing the union in the next two years will be to maintain current contract language and protect access to affordable health care. The issue of health care will require that we join with other groups both union and non union and identify common concerns and outcomes so that the fight for affordable health care is carried by a larger, more diversified group of working people. Anne Webb H ja S L ' JB B Department of Revenue, Local 150 WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS OFFICE? As an auditor, I have the ability to analyze data and ask hard WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR DISTRICT? Fill all steward positions Increase attendance at District 2 meetings Make District 2 meetings relevant and important to at least 90% of the locals in the district. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ISSUE THE UNION WILL FACE DURING YOUR TERM AND HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO RESOLVE IT? We must engage members in politics. Voters abandoned the straight party line vote years ago; it is time labor did so. Labels such as “D” and “R” perpetuate divisions among working people. We need to hold elected people accountable. Darlene Wright ODOT-DMV, Local 735 I am a fourth generation Oregonian raised with working class values and educated at a time when union history was still taught in our schools. Labor history made a lasting impression upon me. I have many and varied “life experiences” and work history to give me the skills needed to be an excellent District Director. As the Job Corps Recruiter in this area for eight years before coming to DMV, I was successful at recruiting and organizing. I have been an advocate for disenfranchised folks and a referral source; a teacher and small business owner; a secretary and bookkeeper. A very important qualification is the personal time that I have available. I am a participant in many union activities. I was elected Regional Steward at DMV two years ago. I was a member organizer (MOC) at Revenue and Forestry for six months last year where 1 gained a more intimate understanding of unionism in general and Local 503 in particular. I decided that I want to be a part of not only growing our union but also making it stronger and more representative of us as workers. I want to, be District Director because I want to make a difference. I want to see our union more responsive to its members and more of our members taking an active, knowledge able role in directing this union. My goals for my district are moving the enthusiasm, dedication, knowledge, and caring down from a few individuals to our local memberships. I commit to you the level of activity and dedication that it will take to accomplish it. The biggest issue our union will face in the next two years is that of communication. It is critical that we deliver the union message to all members. We need to develop the skills within our membership to move the message because a well-informed membership has greater power. Excellent lines of communication are paramount to having a strong, influential membership. District 2 Assistant District Director Lee Meyers Homecare, Local 099 W H A TA RE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS FO R THIS O FFIC E? Since I joined the Union I have worked hard to get up to speed on my knowledge of how the Union works. I have gone to meetings, helped at the Union office, gone door knocking with the Union recruiting members and worked various phone banks. I was elected to represent the Homecare Workers Locals as a representative from District 2 and was recently elected to the Homecare Bargaining Team. I was appointed by House Speaker Mark Simmons to serve on a task force on the future of services to seniors and people with disabilities. WHY ARE YOU SEEKING TH IS O FFIC E AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FO R SEIU LOCAL 503, OPEU DURING YOUR TERM ? I am seeking this office because I feel that I could do a good job for the people I would represent in the absence of the District Director at Board meetings and at District meetings. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS F O R YOUR DISTRICT? My goals for SEIU Local 503 are to do what I can to strengthen the Union presence in the workplace and in the community. To be an effective union, I would also work to strengthen our political program. I would also work to get as many non members as possible to join the Union and to keep the District’s members pumped about being involved in their Union. WHAT IS TH E BIGGEST SINGLE ISSUE TH E UNION W ILL FACE DURING YOUR T E R M AND H O W W OULD YOU PRO PO SE TO RESOLVE IT ? One of the biggest issues the Union will face during my term will be rapid growth and integrating Homecare workers into the Union. Homecare Workers have been welcomed into Local 503 and as one of our Union’s newest locals, I would like to be a voice that represents that growth. I think that as the Homecare workers get to understand the Union and how it can strengthen them and the Union gets to know us and our strengths, we will meld to our mutual interests and benefit from each other. I would like to be a part of making that happen. O THER INFORMATION TO SUPPORT YOUR CANDIDACY: T w en ty plu s years as a B o y S cou t Leader, fully trained, Special Olympics Coach, Sunday School Teacher...andI love a challenge. — NO PHOTO PROVIDED Evie Pech Marion County-Public Works, Local 294 WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICA TIONS FO R T i n s O FFICE? I have served three terms as president of the __________ _ _ _ | marión county local, two terms as local treasurer, sat on marión county’s bargaining team consistently since the 1980’s, shop steward, ad nauseum. (All this, and I still have a personal life.) UNION EXPERIENCE NOT ITEM IZED ABOVE: Solidarity: Picket line participant, Rally rabble-rouser PHOPhone banking, 2-cent contributor CAPE, Political Activist WHY ARE YOU SEEKING THIS O FFIC E AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FO R SEIU LOCAL 503, OPEU DURING YOUR TERM ? It is critical that local government groups be highly visible at the district level (and beyond). Marion County is the largest local government group repre sented by SEIU Local 503, OPEU. I believe it’s time to step up. Goals for 503 during my term? Work at coordinating communi cations throughout our district and, by extension, throughout the state. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FO R YOUR DISTRICT? Because of District 2’s proximity to the state capítol, our district should help lead the charge at actions and rallies. Visibility is key. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ISSUE TH E UNION W ILL FACE DURING YOUR T ERM AND HOW WOULD YOU PRO PO SE TO RESOLVE IT ? There are so many issues^ it’s difficult to choose just one. However, I believe achieving a balance between internal and external organizing is critical. New Strength Unity dollars and staff assignments must be allocated with this balance in mind.
