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.