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
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