Lights, Camera, Action
Members featured in new
SEIU Local 503, OPEU video
by Joe DiNicola, President
Every time an employee starts work within an SEIU bargaining unit - whether they
join a nursing home, a Department of Adminstrative Services (DAS) worksite, a
university campus, a local government, a private non-profit agency, or sign up to
become a Homecare worker - our union exercises a really critical contract right.
Members have the right to talk to a newly-hired worker about the benefits and the
power of being part of our union. They have the right to ask a new employee to join
by signing a membership form.
The contract right to provide new employee orientation makes every member in every
worksite a future star. Your story about what the union means to you is very powerful.
Each member can play this most important and, in some ways, easiest part in building
power in the worksite. Do you still remember the day you decided to join SEIU Local
503, OPEU? Since that day you've probably found even more reasons why it's much
better to be a member.
Maybe you recall your own decision to sign a membership form. Maybe since then
you've thought about what you would say during a new employee orientation. Now,
we have a video to help get the message out about what it means to become a union
member.
During General Council 2004, members adopted a resolution and allocated funds to
create a video for state and university system orientations. So far, the reviews are
unanimous - great job everyone! Members at DMV saw the video for the first time
and were inspired to do some of their own creative work to help new employees
see the benefits of our union.
In the video, Frances Hernandez, Revenue; David Wells, Forestry; Chris Shetland, Fish
& Wildlife; Barbara Casey, DHS; Peggy Breen, Oregon School for the Deaf; Lew
Cronenberg, OSH; Star Holmberg, UofO; Farrell Hopkins, DHS; and Chuck Lemonds,
ODOT stepped up to showcase the important work members perform all over Oregon.
Ginger Redlinger, Education; Joel Broussard, DHS; and Cari Buchner, OSU talked about
the power we have to make positive change. They described how we come together to
win dignity and respect on the job and work to make our communities better. Hats off
to these dedicated volunteers. Ask your organizer, local officer or steward to arrange
for your own worksite screening of this exciting new hit... and help spread the word.
It's great to be a member - we are Stronger Together!
We are currently working on a video about how to produce shows with Cable Access
stations throughout Oregon. Training is tentatively scheduled for the morning of
Sunday, November 20. Don't touch that dial...
Union under attack on 2006 Ballot Measures
National anti-worker forces have
placed a bulls-eye over Oregon on
their 2006 campaign map
Instead of local activist Bill Sizemore,
national anti-worker groups like Freedom
Works, Inc. are now leading the attack.
Because it draws national funding,
Freedom Works, a group best known for its
efforts to privatize social security, may pose
an even larger threat to public employees
than Sizemore ever did.
Along with two Republican state legislators,
Freedom Works has filed four different
versions of initiatives that would limit
public employees' ability to participate in
the political process and cripple our union's
ability to make campaign contributions
through our CAPE "two cent" program.
In addition to Freedom Works, we expect
that attacks on public employee union
members' rights to participate in politics
will be funded by PHARMA, the lobbying
group for the prescription drug industry.
Angry at SEIU's efforts to limit the rise in
prescription drug costs and to control
pharmaceutical companies' profiteering,
PAGE 4
PHARMA has funded similar ballot
measures in other states, including
California, where such a measure is on
the ballot this November.
for PGE/Enron to pay ten dollars a year
when seniors can't get the services they
need; college tuition is skyrocketing, and
our members are getting laid off at DHS?"
Freedom Works is also sponsoring a ballot
measure that they call a "spending cap."
This measure would cause major service
cuts. Since the cost of big chunks of the
state budget — prison costs, healthcare, etc.
- rise far faster than inflation, limiting the
overall increase in state spending to inflation
plus population growth would guarantee
cuts in other parts of the state budget.
Money for public employee wages,
programs for the working poor, and higher
education will inevitably be targeted if this
"service cap" passes.
Our union is also working in coalition with
other community advocates to explore
initiatives to close tax loopholes, to force
corporations to disclose how little they pay
in taxes; and to make health care more
affordable for all Oregonians.
SEIU Co-sponsors Ballot Measures to
Make our Tax System Fairer
The good news is that not all of the ballot
measures filed so far would send us back
wards! SEIU Local 503, OPEU President
Joe DiNicola is the co-sponsor of Initiatives
70 and 71, which would increase the
corporate minimum tax, currently ten
dollars a year. Joe asks "Why is it okay
SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER
66
I'm glad we're involved in the
ballot measure process in a big
way. We pose a threat to the
loophole lobby, so it's no surprise
they're
coming after
public employee
unions. But if
we don't stand
up to special
interests, who
will? 99
Farrell Hopkins creates and maintains computer
systems that keep state agencies running efficiently.
OCTOBER 2005