Leadership Column
----------------------- ------ by Kathie Best
SEIU Local 503, OPEU President
Something worth fighting for...
Dear FeUow Members,
Healthcare is an issue that is so large, so
complex and so expensive that it is almost
beyond our comprehension.
But, the birth of my first granddaughter, Tessa
Maxine, on February 1, reminded me that she is.
what the healthcare debate is all about. There
are many parents and grandparents in our
membership who may have had the same
realization. As we age, we must worry about
the health of our parents, too. Others may have
chronic illnesses that need on-going attention.
costs. The inmate population in our state prisons
is growing older with its attendant health
concerns. The rising costs the Oregon Health
Plan faces was the subject of Considerable
discussion in the public hearings the Governor
held on February 14 and 15.
The United States is alone among so-called “first
world” nations, in that it does not provide health
insurance for all of its citizens. In Europe and
Japan, this isn’t a matter o f whether the social
democrats or the conservative party is in power;
in their view, it’s what civilized nations do.
our children and our grandchildren; it’s about
our families and ourselves; it’s about money in
our pockets.
This is not just an Oregon Campaign, but an
SEIU national-eampaign. Oregon is one of the
first states targeted to receive New Strength and
Unity dollars for this effort. SEIU International
recognizes that in order to give the national
government the political will to address this
issue in a meaningful way, some states must act
first. SEIU Local 503, OPEU has made a
commitment to the improvement of healthcare in
Oregon.
I t has been thrilling to watch m y granddaughter,
The members of our bargaining teams
have struggled for years to maintain
accessible and affordable healthcare.
Their broad knowledge of healthcare
issues is passed along to the membership
so that we, appropriately, can assist in
critical decisions that affect our health
insurance. We also have a tremendous
resource in Leslie Frane, our new
Executive Director, who has spent the
past 14 years with SEIU Local 1199
New England, which represents 20,000 public
and private healthcare workers. We welcome
her to our Local and look forward to learning
from her.
Tessa Maxine, being bom and experiencing the
Our health and how we will pay for
first days of her life. At Union meetings and at
the workplace, at the Capitol and in the media,
care is something many o f us worry
in the days and weeks
about every day...ifs about our
and months.. .perhaps
children and our grandchildren; it’s
years.. .to come, as we
about our families and ourselves;
talk about the Health
it’s about money in our pockets.
Security Campaign,
we’ll talk about
millions, even billions,
o f dollars. We’U talk
SEIU Local 503, OPEU and SEIU
about “issues” and say
nationally have been leaders in pushing
Kathie and Tessa
they are part of a
for health security for all. Here in
“ fight” or a “straggle.”
Oregon, SEIU is committed to taking on
But, behind it all is a very gentle thing, a
the big issues, including ones that provide
newborn baby, or someone with a dreadful
benefits
to more than just our membership.
Our health and how we will pay for care is
disease who is frightened and feels alone. It
We’ve been a leader since the mid-70’s in the
something many of us worry about everyday,
involves a homecare client, whose mind is lucid
area of healthcare. With the formation of the
whether it’s routine examinations, prescription
and focused, but whose body has fused into
Bargaining Unit Benefits Board (BUBB), we
drug costs or a catastrophic illness. Members
immobility or an older person fearing they can’t
were able to control the design of healthcare
reveal this in conversations with one another
afford to maintain their dignity in their last
plans in order to keep costs low, to provide
and SEIU Local 503, OPEU leaders. Ask
years.
coverage to all bargaining unit members with no
someone about future DAS and Higher Ed
out-of-paycheck premium charges and to insist
contract negotiations and the worry is whether
In part, our Health Security Campaign ought to
on a certain level of wellness participation.
our raise will be eaten up by premium increases.
be about pride; in ourselves, in our state and our
More recently, we’ve won representation of
Our local government and nonprofit locals are
nation, and in our Union that, once again, is
homecare workers, thus improving the stability
facing this Rattle as well. Pick up the newspaper
taking a leadership role on this issue.
of a service that will enable all Oregonians to
and find “strike” in the headlines; healthcare is
continue living in our own homes and to remain
one of the strike issues.
In Strength and Unity,
independent as we grow older.
More and more of the state budget goes to cover
rising healthcare costs - and not just for state
workers. The K-12 education budget is .
absorbing spiraling increases in healthcare
Here’s what’s important to know about the
Health Security Campaign: It involves an issue
that we all feel acutely ahd personally; it’sabout
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