General Council 2004
DMV members win victory for examiners
testing uninsured drivers
by Sonya Reichwein, President, DMV Local 735
Since bargaining in 1997, we have
been bringing up the issue of drive test
insurance. Many DMV workers have been
involved in accidents on drive tests. SAIF
paid all of the drive examiner's medical bills
and for lost wages. But workers hurt in
drive tests without auto insurance could
not easily get payment for pain and suffering
and future wages. Management's "solution"
to testing drivers without proof of insurance
was a white lie known as the "Drive Test
Insurance Certification Form." Applicants
who usually did not own the car and were
often only 16, provided self-certification of
their insurance. Management admitted
that about 13% of these forms were lies.
They expected us to take a great personal
risk by testing these drivers. They were
instructing us to enable people to break
the law by driving without insurance.
DMV region manager contacted the
Regional Chief Steward, Laura Zeilinga, to
find out if we were serious. Management
began to take notice.
We have a
plan and we
persevere
Resolutions at www.seiu503.org
Members throughout Oregon
are “Purpling Up” and sending
a message of solidarity
We planned to escalate the issue by having
employees circulate petitions among
customers during lunch hours. We
hadn't decided whether we
wanted to present these to
Management admitted
management or the
that about 13% of these
Governor or both, but
we were excited about
forms were lies. They
organizing around
expected us to take a
the issue.
On Wednesday, June 9, great personal risk by
management contacted
Victory
DMV
testing these drivers.
a safety officer at
They
were
instructing
us
members
ODOT in compliance
to enable people to
with our contract.
At the October 7 Labor/
They knew we were
break the law by driving
Management meeting
serious. The safety
without insurance.
management shared the
officer determined
resuits of their study of
that DMV's policy did £
drive test insurance. They
not constitute a physical threat or hazard.
determined that 91% of drive test
We expected this, bài we did not give up.
certification forms were accurate, with a
12% margin of error. They also met with
Management agreed to collect data at
Strong and
insurance industry representatives about
several field offices and check out the
what would be the most accurate way to; ,
language
validity of the self-certification form. We
determine insurance coverage They
encouraged members to make complaints
Article 101.3 of our contract gives us the
to ODOT's internal ethics office and I wrote announced that they were rewriting the
right to refuse to do something we believe
policies and that sometimeWNovember
a letter to the head of DMV field services
to be a safety risk under certain conditions.
or December DMV would no longer accept
explaining that it was unethical for them to
We brought this up at Labor/Management
self-certification forms.
require employees to knowingly enable
but they did not move on the issue. They
customers to break the law. He did not
This issue is very important to ow®
only agreed to look into it.
respond to several letters of protest from
members who conduct drive tests. It is a
me.
Last
month
I
forwarded
nay
letter
to
We pursued it as a safety issue because our
victory - after
the Deputy Director of DMV to
contract language is strong and clear. Clint
seven years of
express concern at such a
Holly, at the Gresham DMV field office,
discussion, we
blatant disregard of employee
developed a "Notice to Supervisor" form.
took action
issues. She responded
We got this out to our drive test examiners
and we won!
that they would
with a request that they refuse to take
have a response at
drive test applicants without proof of their
insurance, starting on June 14. Offices in y the October
Labor/Management
the South Region picked up on this and
meeting.
began threatening to use the form. The
for
dear contract
(Goto the front page and click on the link to a pdf file.)
campaign than before. We're hoping that
standing up for a fair contract now will
prevent the need to walk out later!"
As we enter contract negotiations
for state workers, many worksites are
already gearing up for the campaign and
sending a strong message to management
and the Governor that we are united for a
fair contract.
Medford's DMV office has accomplished
something that's never been done
before. Their action was recently
featured on the seiu503.org website. For
the first time, their entire office is wearing
purple! Members at the Self Sufficiency
office in Medford are displaying purple
balloons in every cubicle and wearing their
“The Pendleton Department of Justice
(DOJ) office is full-blown purple all the
time," says Denise Bailey, Child Support
Case Manager.
Every Wednesday 100% of the members in
this worksite wear purple. Every cubicle is. •
purple with banners and fresh balloons.
To show solidarity they've even decorated
a large plant in the office with SEIU items
l i ke whistlca and jjbbens.--Membcrs in thi s--
office have made personal commitments
to their co-workers who are single mothers .
that if a strike is necessary, they'll be there
to support them. There are also jars on
their desks where members collect strike
fund contributions.
purple shirts.
Solidarity is the strongest weapon we have
as a union - and it's especially important
when we are bargaining our contracts. We
showourstrengt h and un i ty b y w e ari ng
purple or "purpling up" on designated days
and decorating our work areas with purple
Teddy bears carry the message We re ready,
Teddy!" to Governor Kulongoski from DHS
members in Portland.
SEIU materials.
How creative can your
office or local get?
Let us know by e-mailing your stories and
pictures to szl@opeuseiu.org
The DHS offic.es in Coos Bay-North Bend
are having fun"with their efforts to "purple
up" by making it competitive. The building
that gets the most purple people each
Wednesday wins a certificate. Yvonne |
Smith and the members in Coos Bay-
North Bend are literally "in this to win!"
rii
Barbara Casey's DHS office in Portland
has adopted the theme "we're ready,
Teddy" to let Governor Ted Kulongoski
know we're preparing for a fight if
necessary. Teddy bears with the slogan
are on display in their worksite along
with other purple items.
Members at Employment's Central Office
are donning T-shirts and displaying
union pennants and flags in thpir cubi
cles. Shelley Zander, Revenue Agent with
Employment says, "People are much more
involved in this contract
Members in Employment are "purpling up" to send a strong message about our determination in this
round of contact negotiations.
m
«P
Statewide Office
Election Results
SEIU Local 503, OPEU s newly
elected statewide officers are:
Executive Director: Leslie Frane
President:
Joe DiNicola
Vice-President:
Nancy Padilla
Treasurer:
Linda Burgin
Thanks to all members who
voted and all candidates who
put their names forward to
serve our members as
Statewide Officers.
Our voices are heard at Lobby Days - Sign up for 2005
"Lobby Day was a very interesting and fun experience," said Judy Cooper from
DHS, Hillsboro. "It was very well organized and we got great background
information from the political team. We spoke to legislators who were both
supportive and not - but the dialogue was always interesting. I would do ;this
again and would absolutely recommend Lobby Day to other members."
Judy Cooper is one of the more than 150 members from across Oregon Who
participated in SEIU Local 503's 2003 member lobby program.
66 Every member ought to take the opportunity
to d^this. It's challenging and exciting - a great
way to get a sense of the political process.
Editor: J. Szliske szl@opeuseiu.org
99
Judy Cooper
Child-Welfare. DHS, Hillsboro
"The 2003 program was a great kickoff, but we hope to make the program
even stronger this year," said political director Arthur Towers. "This is a
chance for workers to really make their voices heard."
Legislators do not often hear from workers who deliver services on the
front line. Lobby Day is an opportunity for members to share their personal
experiences on the job, build relationships with legislators, and make a
difference in our fight for fair contracts.
The 2005 legislative session begins on January 10,2005. If you are interested
in being part of the member lobby day program, contact Arthur Towers at
503-581-1505, ext 151.
The 503 Voice is published by SEIU Local 503, OPEU.
»
Salem Headquarters
SEIU
LOCAL 503
Ä
W*
1730 Commercial St. SE
PO Box 12159
Salem, OR 97309-0159
503-581-1505 / 800-452-2146/ (Fax) 503-581-1664
OPEU
Bend Field Office: 541-385-8471/800-832-0593
Corvallis Field Office: 541-766-4968
Eugene Field Office: 541-342-1055 / 800-521-3446
Medford Field Office: 541 -779-4324/ 800-452-7965
Pendleton Field Office: 541 -276-4983 / 800-452-8146
Portland Field Office: 503-408-4090 / 800-527-9374
www.seiu503.or|
SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER
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