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-------------------------------- 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