What Members Do
Every m em ber o f SEIU Local
503, OPEU knows we stand together
to negotiate contracts and raise standards
fo r workers. Members stand together to
win better wages and w orking conditions.
Members stand together to defend
contract rights.
A full busload of members from Eastern Oregon (pictured with
Representative Bob Jenson/R-Pendleton) traveled five hours to
talk to legislators about the skills, experience, and dedication
that enable them to provide high quality care to the severely
disabled residents who live at Eastern Oregon Training Center.
W hen services to Oregonians are
threatened...
SEIII members act fast
SEIU member activism is a key reason why, two
months after issuing his budget, the Governor
reversed his stance and took the proposal to shut
EOTC off the table. It's also why federal funding for
county services will likely be extended for at least
one more year. These two examples illustrate the
difference it makes when members step up and
speak out on behalf of our clients and communities.
Members unite to raise
standards
In state government, on university campuses,
in local governments and private non-profit
agencies, members fight fo r dignity and
respect. Members unite to raise standards
and win better contracts for nursing home
workers and childcare and homecare
providers. It doesn't matter what kind o f
work you do or where you live. From
Prineville to Pendleton, Ashland to Astoria,
from Clackamas County to Klamath Falls,
"When you take one o f us on, you take all
o f us on."
by Joe DiNicola, SEIIl Local 503, OPEU President
Members also know that it takes more than
sitting at a bargaining table to improve the
lives o f workers and working families. Every
legislative session, members fill the Capitol
w ith purple and talk to legislators one on
one. Members make sure elected officials
from city councilors to county commissioners,
from state representatives to United States
Senators to the Governor all understand
that we are the workers who make
Oregon work.
Members defend public
services
Members help everyone understand the
true cost o f closing a facility o r shutting
down public services and how that hurts
every Oregonian. Members know that
every Oregonian counts on the services we
provide, whether it's Driver and M otor
Vehicles, Oregon Department of
Transportation, the Department o f Human
June Mazzei, who helps EOTC residents w ith daily activities,
explained that "(this) is about our clients, but it's also about not
closing down a very successful facility and starting tw o other
facilities west o f the Cascades."
SEIU Local 503 members from Oregon's counties are taking
action to protect county services and hundreds o f jobs. The
law that provides federal dollars to counties that lost revenue
when National Forestland was removed from the tax rolls,
expired in 2006. SEIU members have been working hard to
convince Congress to reauthorize the legislation.
All 16 libraries in Jackson County closed April 6. To date, we
have petitioned state and federal legislators; met with
Congressional representatives; testified before the Agriculture
and Natural Resources Committee; and w ritten letters to the
editor and guest editorials. Four SEIU Local 503 members
went to Washington, DC (Amy Blossom and Buck Eichlerfrom
Jackson County, Terry Yantis from Curry County, Terry Drever-
Gee from Baker County and Aimee W ilson from the SEIU
Oregon State Council.)
Buck Eichler from Jackson County says, "The sweetest part of
our w hirlw ind trip was learning on the flight back, that our bill
passed the House. Jackson County Commissioner, Dave
Gilmour, said we were instrumental in picking up the votes
needed to get the bill passed. There is now a possibility o f a
one to five year extension o f the tim ber payments."
As we wait fo r w ord from Washington, members in Jackson,
Curry and Josephine counties are w orking to pass local levies
to provide a safety net if the federal funding is not continued.
Joe
Members stand together
D '^ d e n t
w ith nursing home workers
in Lincoln City, Medford and M ilton
Freewater who provide quality care for
some o f the most vulnerable Oregonians
and deserve respect fo r the w ork they do.
Members help every Oregonian understand
that homecare workers provide services
and quality care that clients count on to be
able to remain in their homes and live with
dignity. Members stand together with
childcare workers who make it possible for
Oregonians to go to work every day,
confident their children are safe and
well-cared for.
Members do what it takes to
win big for workers
It doesn't matter if elected officials w ork in
Salem or in Washington, DC. Members go
anywhere and talk to anyone and everyone
to help build a better future fo r every
working family. Every day, members talk to
co-workers, neighbors, friends and families
about what matters to all workers. SEIU
Local 503, OPEU members take on the big
fights at the ballot box and we win.
When workers at the Eastern Oregon Training Center (EOTC)
learned that the Governor's budget included a plan to close
their facility in Pendleton, they sprang into action. They
organized a lobby effort that involved nearly twenty-five SEIU
members catching a bus to Salem at 4:30 a.m. to meet with
legislators. They also wrote letters, made phone calls, and
signed petitions.
George Harwood, a nurse at the training center, reminded
legislators that EOTC residents have severe developmental
disabilities, and that many have lived at EOTC fo r their entire
adult lives. He urged legislators to recognize the impact that
closure w ould have on residents who, by the nature o f their
disabilities, "don't handle change very well."
Services or libraries in
Jackson County,
Beaverton and Baker
County.
Members find creative ways to get their point across at selective salary presentations.
Mental Health Specialists (MHS) from Oregon State Hospital came up with the theme,
"MHS workers are riding out of town."
Where we work, at the Capitol and in the
streets, SEIU Local 503, OPEU members do
what it takes to win big.for workers. Find
out what you can do to help. Talk to any
steward, any local officer or any organizer
about what you can do to add your voice
and make a difference. "When you take one
o f us on, you take all o f us on!"
SEIU Bargaining Team Chair Cory McIntosh speaks out!
This may be a test - we’re holding firm
On March 6, 2007, management
gave us their opening economic
offer for the DAS and OUS contracts. Based
on that proposal, it's clear that they do not
respect the w ork o f our members.
The offer was a 1 % raise in October o f 2007
and another 1% raise in October o f 2008.
On health insurance, they offered full
timers fully paid health premiums, but only
until January 1,2009. After that, if medicai
insurance premium rates go up by more
than 8%, we w ould either have to start
paying fo r our premiums, o r else give up or
postpone the one percent raise!
Now that the economy is recovering, it's
insulting for the State to offer us cost of
living adjustments (COLA's) that are less
than 1/3 o f the expected inflation rate.
As chair o f the DAS Bargaining team, I can
tell you that we are holding firm to our
core economic proposals. They are:
■ A COLA that keeps up w ith the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) -w hich
is the best indicator o f the actual
inflation rate.
This is the tim e fo r us to pull together and
show our com m itm ent to making progress
fo r ourselves and our families. Turn out
fo r your Regional Strategy meetings and
bargaining sessions whenever possible.
Show management that we're extremely
serious and united for a fair contract.
■ A fixed m inim um dollar am ount on the
COLA so that low-wage workers see a
real increase in their paychecks.
Management's proposal did not even
address the Union's living wage proposal,
which w ould require the State to pay all
full-tim e state workers enough to put them
above the gross income lim it fo r food
stamp eligibility fo r a fam ily o f four.
■ A living wage for all full-tim e State
employees so that no full-tim e worker
earns less than the gross income lim it
fo r food stamp eligibility fo r a fam ily
o f four.
When the state was having economic
problems, our members voted to accept a
wage freeze in the 2003-2005 contract.
■ Maintainence o f our current medical
insurance, w ith fully-paid premiums for
full tim e employees and no increased
costs fo r part tim e rs .
PAGE 4
Perhaps this offer is a test. A test o f how
serious we are about our com m itm ent to
our members, to the work we do, and to
the need to raise the pay o f our lowest paid
workers.
SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER
Cory McIntosh
Bargaining Team Chair, Salem
w ho supports the com puter needs o f
all Driver and M o to r Vehicle Service's employees
APRIL 2007