Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2002)
L e a d e r s h ip C o lu m n ' ¿«s Ä jjgj > B -------------------------------- by Kathie Best SEIU Local 503, OPEU President Dear Fellow Members, We w ill be heard on future challenges rallies, so our message can get out to as many people as possible. Our message is that passing new tax revenue is impera tive to Oregon's future and the services our members provide, that access to quality, secure, affordable healthcare is important to all Oregonians and that electing pro-worker, pro-healthcare candidates is the key to our success. e can't ignore the many ■ challenges before us in the coming year. The really tough challenges, just to name a few, lik e. . . ♦ the state budget crisis ♦ possible layoffs ♦ the rising cost of healthcare ♦ the attack on PERS ♦ worksite issues; unfair treatment by employers ♦ electing pro-worker, pro healthcare candidates ♦ achieving a living wage for all EIU's Oregonians for Health Secu rity is working with coalition partners to implement a campaign that will move healthcare reform in this state through bulk w o rk e rs, a n d p u rch a sin g o f p rescrip tio n d ru g s, d e v elo p ♦ building our union, making it ment of a consumer fraud unit, expanding stronger than ever. SEIU Local 503, OPEU members are particularly vulnerable because we're affected by so many of these horrid variables. So, what, you may ask, is the Union's plan to deal with these issues? I f each one o f us does our part in the worksite, takes our turn on the phones or out in the street, our shot at success is much greater. JH irst of all, our political lobby ists are monitoring the budget situa tion hour by hour. They were in atten dance throughout all five special sessions and have lobbied legislators on our mem bers' behalf daily. We are following the Quality Public Services campaign objec tive, which is to find additional sources of revenue, ideally, permanent sources of revenue, to help mend the budget deficit. Our hope is to close the budget gap, thereby preventing cuts in services and possible layoffs. To make this happen, we need your help. We are asking members to turn out for phone banking, canvassing and to F employer coverage (Oregon Health Plan buy-in for small businesses), tax incentives or penalties for employers based on whether they provide health insurance and streamlining insurance bureaucracy. SEIU Local 503, OPEU Executive Director Leslie Frane and assistant execu tive director Rich Peppers represent our members on two different PERS taskforces. Both the House Speaker's PERS taskforce and the Governor's taskforce are looking at ways to reduce the liability that the state currently faces with the Public Employees Retirement System. Although we will work with others to make adjustments where we can, we intend to protect our members who are in PERS from potential harm, maintaining PERS as a moral promise made to public workers. A contract of th is n a tu r e s h o u ld n o t b e b r o k e n . We must continue to fight for a living wage for our members and all workers. It is a priority in many of our contract negotiations and m ust continue to be an issue we spend time supporting. Our efforts to continually raise the floor will not go w ithout reward. Our ability to strengthen our inter nal structure, while continuing to organize new workers is the only winning formula. Leadership development, mapping and charting of locals and training our members will galvanize our infrastruc ture, enabling us to communicate and move information and cam paigns like never before. Adding new workers to our ranks not only gives them a voice, but it builds our political power. Collectively, our voices can't help but be heard. oin us this fall and throughout the legislative and bargaining campaigns to move our program. It can't be done by ju st a few. It's m uch bigger than that. If each one of us does our part in the worksite, takes our turn on the phones or out in the street, our shot at success is m uch greater. J Please pitch in. We need each and every one of you. I f s about our future. The stakes can't get much higher. In Strength and Unity, THE OREGON PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PAGE 3
