Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2005)
SEIU Local 503, OPEU PO Box 12159, Salem, OR 97309-0159 In this IsSuë^ My experience of serving on our Board....................................... 2 Stewards tell it like it is.................2/3 SEIU Local 503, OPEU Elections ... .4 Statewide Officer position descriptions......................................... 4 Supreme Court victory .. .inside flap Election Calendar............ outside flap Make a Difference Become a Member Leader 97302563761 by Joe OiNicola, SEIU Local 503 President Have you ever wondered how decisions are made at SEIU? Our union is member-run. Elected members make decisions at every level and work to make sure co-workers know what they can do to make a difference. When members step up and get active, we all make progress in contract negotiations, at the legislature, and in our communities. If you've ever talked with a co-worker about what our wages, health benefits and working conditions should be, you might consider becoming a bargaining delegate. If you've ever thought you would like to represent your co-workers and give them a voice in how we run our union, you could step up to become a General Council delegate. General Council is the supreme 6 Ways to be a Member leader 1 BARGAINING DELEGATE Members develop bargaining proposals, sit across the table from management to negotiate and make decisions about what to accept (or not accept) in our contracts. 2 GENERAL COUNCIL DELEGATE General Council delegates debate and discuss policies, adopt a budget and set our course for the next two years. 3 This issue of The 503 Voice gives an overview of many ways you can become a leader and make a difference. Once you decide what position you want to run for, talk to your organizer, your steward or your local officers about nominations, timelines and what you need to get started. governing body of our union. We meet every two years - in 2006 council meets August 23 - 26 in Eugene. Every member is eligible to run, and only members can be elected as delegates. You could also take on a statewide leader ship role on our Board of Directors. We elect District Directors from every region in Oregon. Again, only members can run for Board seats. 66 Someone from our union reached Next year, we will also hold elections for our Local 503 statewide officers - Executive Director, President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer. Each local also elects local officers to conduct the business of their local and to represent our union in their worksites. As a local officer, you can help co-workers get the information they need right where you work. Stewards help members make sure our contracts are honored at the worksite - through worksite actions, communication, and all steps of handling grievances. out and helped homecare workers like me. Last month, for the first time, I went out to talk to child care providers about belonging to our union. Now I'm the leader, reaching out my hand to help others. 99 Sally Cumberworth, is an in-home care provider from Cave Junction. She joined SEIU in 2003. 6,000 child care providers set to join our union DISTRICT DIRECTOR/BOARD MEMBER Our union is member-run and 503's Board of District Directors governs our union between General Councils. 4 STATEWIDE OFFICER Executive Director, President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer. (see duties on page 4). 5 LOCAL OFFICER Local officers are elected to conduct the business of our union at the worksite. STEWARD Stewards are our union's represen tatives at our worksites, making sure contracts are honored. 3,342 child care providers signed cards to become part of our union. We are working with the Governor's office for an Executive Order to recognize 6,000 child care workers as part of SEIU Local 503, OPEU. Pictured carrying cases of cards are Diana McCready (left) and Ruth Nelson (right), child care providers from Portland. SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER PAGE 1
