LOCAL 503
^5 Member scholarship program awards
seiu . over $20,000 for 2003/4
SEIU Local 503 awarded 36
scholarships totaling $23,500 through our
member scholarship program. Recipients
of $750 Scholarships are: Sherrie Soleim
(Springfield), Emily Keys (Tigard), Jessica Cole
(Springfield), Sarah Alexander (Portland),
Kent Neal (Eugene), Wendy Wall (Baker City),
Jodi Herold (Salem), Peggy Carlson (Athena),
Mark Moser (Grants Pass), Genevra Csipkay-
Brehm (Portland), Laci Gaskey (Sweet Home),
Kalah Grover (Enterprise), Dawn Moser
(Grants Pass), Garth Stacey (Oakland),
Stephanie Proctor (Veneta), Stephanie Hobbs
(Siletz), Loradona May (Aloha), Rebecca
Grinde (Rogue River), Sara-Lena Katz
(Medford), Cara Kaser (Sublimity): ’
$500 Scholarships were awarded to
Heather Whisenhunt (Roseburg), Kathleen ■
Walro (Eugen e);BenjaminWeaver-
(Milwaukie), Jennifer Sargent (Lakeside), Lisa
Brauer (Portland), Chloe Hansen (Ashland),
Austin Charron (Corvallis), Mikaylee Oconnor
(Corvallis), Travis Phillips (Medford), Briita ’'
Orwick (Corvallis), Larae Guillory (Wallowa),
Michelle Morris (Tigard), Megan Murphy
(Sutherlin), and Kendal Vreeland (Salem).
The Jessie Bostelle Memorial scholarship
was awarded to Paula Mentzer-Leclair, a
homecare member from LaGrande. Paula is
a teaching major who has been very active
in the arts and who hopes to teach art
and social studies at thejunior and high
school level. The Tony Lowery Memorial
scholarship was awarded to Amanda
Schnell from Gresham, who coordinates the
Teen to Teen program for the Cascades AIDS
Project.
Two children of SEIU Local 503 members
were recipients of scholarships from the
International. Steven Harney (son of James)
is attending the University of Oregon and
was awarded a four year scholarship of
^OOO'p^Fy^r^'MaUra’Rosenblit(daughter
of Joel) received a scholarship of $1,500 and
is attending Tulane University.
66 / think it's a good thing
that the union takes an
interest in the future
success of members'
families. In my daughter
Stephanie's case, every
dollar of scholarship
assistance that she got
helped in a big way.
Steve Proctor
Revenue Agent, Eugene
For more information on SEIU Local 503's scholarship program, contact Rebecca Kozisek
at 1 -800-452-2146. Application forms for 2004/5 will be available mid-December.
Member action continues to
make us stronger together...
by Leslie toise, Executive Director, SEIU Local 503, OPEU
2003 saw SEIU members in struggle on every front. Ninety percent of
members were in bargaining this year, in the toughest economic and political
climate in recent times. In many contracts, including DAS and OUS, we won
significant victories by protecting our health benefits but accepted little or nothing
in wage increases. Our 13,000 Homecare members made history by winning
employee-only health insurance and workers' compensation coverage for the
first time. From Umatilla to Springfield, local government and private non-profit
members won contracts that included, in many cases, more progress for members
than we originally thought possible
find members rally at -the university o? Oregon
as -they Viyht -tahebachs by -the Oregon
university System.
At the legislature, member and staff lobbyists fought back privatization schemes
and blocked bills that would have limited collective bargaining rights. Our members',
lobbying on PERS prevented some of the worst PERS proposals from passing, but
what did pass was so unacceptable that we are suing to have it reversed. The final
state budget, shaped in part by our members' phone calls, e-mails, and face-to-
face lobbying, contained some painful cuts in services, but it also included $800
million in new revenue. Unless our opponents succeed in overturning it through a
referendum, this revenue package will go a long way toward protecting public
services and our jobs
Our union has grown this year, as employees in the Department of Fish and
Wildlife, Housing and Community Services, Mid-Columbia Council of
Governments, and Addus Healthcare have chosen to join SEIU Local 503. Since
our power comes from our numbers, our newest members mean more strength
in the future. As this newsletter goes to press, nine hundred nursing home
workers and 1,200 Department of Judicial Services employees are in the process
of organizing into our union.
As always, members' daily struggles in workplaces across the state are our union's
lifeblood. In Salem, Marion County workers have joined together publicly to
demand accountability from arbitrary and disrespectful managers. In the
Department of Revenue, members are organizing to demand more respect for
minority staff and clients. These are the activities that will keep our union vibrant
and strong. They prepare us well for the challenges of 2004.
tr“
«fp«
PAGE 2
SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHEI