Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2004)
DISTRICT 1: Assistant District Director Coni. (3 positions available) What are your qualifications for this office? Name Gina M. Santacroce Current Statewide CAPE Secretary, Local CAPE Board member, Steward, Member o f the Statewide Newsletter Committee. DHS Union Experience: I attend all local Steward and District meetings as well as attending all SDA 2 Labor/Management meetings. I attend all Board o f Director Meetings. I have attended the AFL-CIO conference in Albany and I have participated in the LERC conference in Eugene. I have attended Chief Steward Trainings. I am a political activist and had numerous letters to the editor published in local newspapers. Why are you seeking this office, your goals? I am seeking this honorable position o f Assistant District Director to expand on the pas sion I have in incorporating the innate and fundamental rights that all working men and women have a voice in their workplace. My goals are to share my knowledge o f our plight to persevere in the face adversity. To lead, motivate, educate and inform out mem bers that we must continue to fight for a voice, to unify our solidarity and keep are hands firm ly together. Goals for your District? 1) For District 1 to have in place by summer 2004, our website link fo r Local 200 up and running by summer of 2004 2) To work with our members to increase our awareness on our workload campaign and to integrate the urgency that is needed for solutions. Biggest single issue/how to resolve? I n t. . , Other info. The biggest single issue for SEIU Local 503 is our upcoming negotiations for our 2005-2007 contract. We will face one of the toughest fights in memory to retain affordable health care and a viable wage for all our hardworking men and women. We must educate our mem bers to have the commitment to solidify our cause. We must retain our step increases and cost o f living increases. We must inform our members to be ready for increased worksite participation. My hope is that I inspire each member and ignite the passion they have for a healthy, happy and safe work environment. DISTRICT 2: District Director (4 positions available) What are your qualifications for this office? Name Paula K. Allen • M em ber fo r 14 years • Steward fo r 9 years Revenue • Currently the Chief Steward fo r Revenue Local 150 • Representative from District 2 to the statewide Steward's Council • Bargaining delegate several times • General council delegate several times (district and local) Lynda K. Clure DHS (A Xóchitl Esparza DHS Lee Meyers Homecare Ginger Redlinger Education t \ ÍS Í) Anne Webb Revenue Union Experience: • Participant in phone bank ing, signature gathering, and/or canvassing • Planner & participant in worksite actions •Advocate/activist fo r union • Delegate to the Oregon AFL- CIO Convention • Planning and coordinate fund raising activities • New employee orientations, groups & individual Why are you seeking this office, your goals? Having become more involved at the district level over the past couple o f years, I would like the opportunity to actively serve in a leadership role. Goals: •T o improve communication from Local 503 down through the district level to the locals and members •To educate members and increase awareness of worker issues and unionism as national o r international movement •T o see more of the locals rep resented at General Council Goals for your District? •T o increase participation by locals at the district level •T o reach out to locals that are troubled, isolated, and unin volved •T o educate members about the structure and governance o f the union Biggest single issue/how to resolve? It is difficult to single out one issue. Certainly health insurance, retirement benefits, step increases, colas, and con tracting out or privatization are right up there. I don't know how to resolve them, but I know if we all work together we can find solutions and maybe fix some o f it. By 'all' I mean a coalition of individuals, union, community groups and leaders, religious groups and leaders, national groups and leaders, interna tional groups and leaders mak ing a concerted effort. We can start by electing a labor friendly President. I . . , Other info. Purple is my favorite color. • Member o f the SEIU Relationship Committee • Co-secretary fo r District 2 •A u th o r and photographer for Revenue Local 150 website • Frequent member o f the arbitration screening commit tee • Much more... I've been a member with SEIUOPEU Local 503 fo r over 25 years. I've been an activist since becoming a member. I've been through 2 strikes; I'm cur rently an Executive Office for Local 200, Chair sub-local 200- 18, and a steward. I've been an Assistant District Director for District 2. I’ve been an Executive officer for Local 461, a Dist-3 Rep fo r Local 461, Chief Steward for Local 200, served on 2 Flying Squadrons, Chair the Women Council, a Rep on the women's council. I try to keep up on what is happening with the Union. I've been a delegate at the last 8 General Councils and a bargaining Delegate since 1988. I marched on the World Trade Center in Seattle, Washington. In 1995 during the strike, I marched on the Capital in Salem. I've been an activist since I joined the Union in 1978. I talk with members daily; The Union has lost some o f its credibility with members. Members in DHS were upset when they didn't get a raise for the 2003-2005 contract, and lost step raises. I want to work on building the trust and get ting more members active. I want members to understand that it's their tim e to step up and make the union strong again, like in 1995 when 10,000 members marched on the cap ital in Salem. District 2 has the largest mem bership o f all 6 Districts. We need to get more people involved in the Union; they need to understand that to get better contracts, they need to be more active. Failure of Ballot measure 30. The cuts the government might make in State Programs. The deficit. I'm not sure how to resolve it, but believe Oregon does need some kind o f State Tax to help. We need to keep members informed. Getting people active with the union. We are stronger together. I've been an active member in our union since 2000 and during that tim e I have participated in various SEIU Local 503 campaigns. In addition, I have experience being a board member in fou r community-based organizations whose vision is in line w ith the labor movement. In my 4 1/2 years o f union involvement, lhave served in SEIU Local 503, OPEU in the following ways: as a shop steward, as the chair o f the Latino Caucus, as a member of CAPE as a delegate to the Capitol Activist Program, and as an activist communicating campaign information to my worksite members. I have experience lobbying on SEIU issues at both the state and congressional levels. I am seeking this office because I am passionate about labor and social justice issues; I am dedicated and I feel I can make a contribution to our board. I bring experience, training and public speaking skills. During my term, I plan to contribute to further the goals o f our local and our union as a whole. I understand the importance of the work our union does and that we are a part o f a bigger whole. In my district I plan to collaborate with the existing leadership to continue communication regarding our union's goals and campaigns (local and national) in an effort to increase member involvement. We are in a very difficult economic and political climate and I think that our union will face many issues during my term, the biggest being health care for our members. I think that it will take all of us working together to resolve it. We need to continue building a strong union so that we all speak with one voice. I understand that SEIU's local and national campaigns and all the work that goes on are part o f a movement to create a more just society and better working conditions for workers. I am now an ADD and a Homecare Council Director fo r tw o terms. Served as shop steward fo r the new homecare contract. Do new employee orientations. CAPE committee, bargaining team, homecare qualifications committee. The union has done so much for me as a homecare worker so I want to give back to the union. I would like to see homecare fully integrated into Local 503. To decrease % of fair share Increase number o f activists What to do about the PERS changes and to address the dif ferences between the public employees and the health healthcare empoyees and to achieve unity. As I've been with homecare since it's infancy in the union through the political process now to the outreach to the nursing home organization I feel I can offer the benefit o f my experience to the growth in that I served on the Leadershp Team and the Bargaining Team this year. I am a steward. I have volunteered fo r phone banking and am politically active fo r pro-union causes and candidates. I have served as a Board Director in the Oregon Education Association for my local, served on leadership & executive councils, served as political action chair, and have attended state and national conventions. Difficult times call for innova tive leadership that maintain the heart, solidarity and strength o f the union member ship. I have experience, heart, and respect for our members and want to help the union move forward in the best inter est o f all the members. Goal 1 : Improve communica tion & streamline entry o f new member into more active par ticipation • M em ber in good standing of Revenue Local 150. • Member organizer (MOC) in 2002. • Bargaining delegate at the Special Agencies Coalition for the last three contracts. • Represented the coalition at the Central Table in 2003. Currently, I am serving my first term o f one o f four directors of District 2. My experience will provide stability as we elect new directors. District meetings are important for many reasons. One is that it allows members to meet and discuss issues with the District Directors who represent members on the Board of Directors. I want to continue to increase the number of agencies whose members attend the District 2 meetings. •V ice President o f my Local. • Current Director o f District 2. • Represent District 2 on the Finance, Operational Audit and CAPE committees. March 2004 To increase number o f people at district meetings Goal 2: Provide support for members who want to know how to improve their profes sional skills. Promoting & ensuring the elec tion o f pro-union candidates to improve chances fo r successful negotiation o f increases in salary & benefits. Resolve: through more political action & provide evidence to the public o f the high degree o f skills workers have, and the bargain the public is getting fo r its money. Our members are deeply divided on social and political issues just as our country is. We need to learn how to talk to each other so that every member feels valued and respected by other members. We must learn how to talk to our families and friends about how the United States needs the labor move ment to be strong. We need to become visible in the mainstream. We need to join our fellow citi zens to improve our economy and preserve our liberty SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER If elected, I will do my best to represent members' interests on the Board o f Directors, in politics, and in other community settings. PAGE 3
