Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2007)
SEIU Local 503, OPEU PO Box 12159, Salem. OR 97309-0159 JULY/AUGUST 2007 In this issue... Our union welcomes Adult Foster Care providers.............................2 How members win contracts (photo collage)...................... ....2 'L Interview with UofO member ... .2 Workers win at State Capitol ........ 2 Child Care providers take a stand j............................................ 3 Notice of nominations .. inside flap Burtie Awards................ outside flap President's column: Five ways you can make a difference............ 4 SEIU scholarships awarded........... 4 State contract three for three! by Leslie Frane, Executive Oirector Last fall, SEIU State employee members set three goals for our new contract. In our bargaining surveys and at bargaining confer ences, members said we needed raises equal to inflation. We needed to maintain fully-paid health care. And, we needed to establish a living wage for State workers, because its wrong when full time State workers are eligible for food stamps. Raises higher than projected inflation rate In our new contract, we met all three of our goals. Raises totaling 6.2% over two years are higher than the projected inflation rate. They are also the highest raises we have won in sixteen years! By setting "floors" on the cost of living increases ($80 per month for the raise due 7/1/07 and $85 for the raise due 11/1/08), we protected our lowest-paid workers. We maintained fully-paid health care for full-timers. The State will pay the entire cost of premium increases through 12/31/08. Effective 1/1/09, it will pay any increase up to 12%. If the costs go up more than 12%, we'll access PEBB reserves to pay the rest. Since PEBB reserves currently have more than $60 million, that will protect us from out-of- pocket premium costs. We also protected part-timers, whose premium costs will be frozen for the life of the contract. Our third goal was to establish a living wage for all State workers. By eliminating the lowest steps on the lowest salary ranges, we raised the monthly pay of the lowest-paid State worker from $1411 to $1847, an increase of 32%. That means that effective 11/1/08, no full-time state worker in Oregon will earn less than the gross income limit for food stamp eligibility for a family of three! Other progress made In addition to our main goals, we made progress in other areas - like finally winning the right to take paid time for bereavement without using vacation or sick leave. There's lots more in the contract. See www.seiu503.org for more details on what we won. 66 I'm proud of the contract we negotiated, but I'm even more proud of the work our members did to make it possible. Cory McIntosh provides computer support at DMV and is the Bargaining team Chair, Salem As always in bargaining, there are things we didn't get and areas where we were forced to compromise. But on balance, this contract is a huge step forward, according to bargaining team Chair, Cory McIntosh. "This contract enables us to make real economic progress, and it improves our rights on the job. We won it because members got involved, all over the state, and showed management that we were willing to stand up for ourselves and the services we provide. I'm proud of the contract we negotiated, but I'm even more proud of the work our members did to make it possible." More details at: www.seiu503.org The COLAs and health insurance provisions of this contract apply to both DAS and Higher Education members, based on agreement reached earlier this year at the Higher Education bargaining table. As this newsletter goes to press, we are still in bargaining with OUS over other contract terms. Ratification vote is next step The next step is a membership vote to ratify our agreement. Ballots will be mailed in early August, provided that the bargaining delegates vote on July 28 to recommend ratification. DAS Contract Highlights July 1,2007: 3%, but not less than $80/month Nov 1,2008: 3.2%, but not less than $85/month Here's one example of a low wage worker: e.g. Traffic Survey Interviewer Currently Salary Range 6 Step 2: Selective to Salary Range 8 Stepl: $ 1,468 1,515 7/1/07 COLA: 1,595 11/1/08 COLA: 1,680 11/1/08 Living Wage Adjustment SR 8 Step 4: 1,847 '07 increase: 8.65% Life of contract increase: 25.82% or $379/mo The State will pay all increases in health care costs through 12/31/08. Effective 1/1/09, the State will pay increases up to 12%. If increases exceed 12%, the rest will be paid from PEBB reserves. Part-time employees' premiums are frozen at the their current levels. The lower steps on the lower salary ranges will be eliminated effective 11/1/08. The result will lift the wages of low-paid workers significantly. For example, the lowest paid state worker will see an increase of 32%, from $1411 to $1847. SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER PAGE 1
