Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2008)
Shaun Notdurft Eugene OR 97402 Since we organized our local in 1996 I have been: President (current), Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Chief Steward (since 1996), Bargaining Team member (on every contract since 1996), General Council Delegate, a MOC at OSU in 1997, and I was a member of our organizing committee. I have lobbied at the legislature on three occasions. ■a Ate I was on the Board Restructure Committee. In addition, I have spoken many times to organizing workers (Child Center, Parry Center, Homecare and others). Numerous conferences, trainings, and rallies have added to my experience. I have been a private non profit member since 1996, and I believe that we bring a unique perspective to the labor movement. Increasing the audibility of our voice in our union would have far reaching benefits for the union as a whole. I feel that I would be an effective conduit for the private non profit voice. j My goal, a long-time ambition, is to facilitate the organization of the private non profit employer group into a powerful coalition. I will reinforce the common elements that our locals share, primarily to increase our voice at the legislative level. Power will come from presence, and action. 4 as well as other States. -Member of the 2nd and 3rd Homecare bargaining teams -Representative on the Homecare Commission Training Committee a I believe I have the experience and knowledge to represent the voice of all Homecare Workers on the Board of directors. As Assistant District Director from District 6 I attended all Board of Directors meetings and have the experience of how the Board functions. 4 I want to see Homecare Workers more involved in their regional activities. Homecare Workers have a wealth of knowledge that can be shared with other Local 503 members, and this can be done on the regional level, not just in Homecare but across the board with all regional meetings. My biggest goal is to instill in everyone a sense of "We really can do, what 1 can't" The same issue unions have faced for years - apathy - a sense of stagnation. I would counter by pointing to where we have come from our successes how we need to celebrate each and every "paver" in our road to success. e I have long been a very enthusiastic voice for unions, and for a union way of life. It is through our labor that we are valued - so we have to value that labor. We need to be respected for that labor, and be compensated for it. Not just in monetary terms - but through health care, a dignified retirement plan, affordable education, safety in the workplace. I believe in a brighter tomorrow - and that, "brighter tomorrow," begins today! I believe implementing the new restructure will be one of ” the many issues we will face. The implementation of the e new restructure will be a learning experience and I believe this structure will serve us well to meet a lot of external issues we will face. I was on the restructure committee and worked to create a structure that is more in tune with the needs of our members on a local level. I hope to be able to help implement this new structure to build a firmer foundation on which to meet the internal needs of our Union as well as our political and external organizing goals. Employment Sector Seat 10 (One member employed as a child care provider) Laurel Jones Eugene OR 97404 1 For the private non profit sector, turnover is the principle & drain on resources, morale, and solidarity. We must support each other to increase our voice on the job, as well as justice in the workplace. We must work together as a coalition to expand the legislature's understanding of our needs - primarily wages and benefits. e Employment Sector Seat 9 (One member employed by a nursing home) Carlotta Davison jg • I prefer to achieve gains by resolving differences. However, I am willing and able to engage in the appropriate fight. I can be as gentle as a teddy bear, or as tenacious as a real one. Adapting quickly and justly between the two is my forte'. Finally, I believe more is acheived by organizing partners rather than followers. Pendleton OR 97801 1 Employment Sector Seat 8 (One member in the Client Employed Provider Program or a private home care agency) BG Gray I am running for Nursing Homes Sector Director. Some of my qualifications are: President, Nursing Homes Local #971 Governors Committee on Nursing Home ratios Shop Steward Lobbying and testifying at Committee hearings District 5 ADD Member Representation Committee General Council Delegate Contract Bargai n i ng Team Hammer Award Assist in organizing new Nursing homes. I have been running my own business out ” of my home for the last eight years, as a Child Care Provider I work mainly with special needs children. I manage four different bank accounts every month. Such as paying bills and balancing, budgeting they come to around $5.000 a month. I have had many different employment experiences over the years some that has been office type work. I myself feel that it is probably helpful that I have a dependable vehicle a cell phone, Internet service and a good printer, fax machine. 2 I have been involved with the union for around two+ years ” now. I was on the bargaining team for our first Child Care Contract, I have done many house visits with three different union organizers as well as phone banking and making calls from my home. I have done lobbying at the State Capitol in Salem. Recently went to our founding conference/or Child Care workers in Portland. I have attended a few different training's such As LERC last summer in Eugene and went to the Summer Institute for Union Women in Berkeley Ca. last summer, and went to the last General Council summer of 2006 As you can see I have been very involved with quite a few different things to do with union business. 3 & 4 Portland OR 97266 1 I have served on the Board of Directors for 1 term as an assistant, and have been active in union leadership for seven years. I also served as a delegate at General Council the past three sessions. I am currently an assistant on the CAPE Board. With these experiences, I feel I can best represent Nursing Homes on the Board. I will try to bring better communications to our Local and develop better bargaining contracts for our members. I will continue to assist in organizing and bringing more Nursing Homes into the Union, to get better care for the residents and better working conditions for employees. The largest issue this Union will face is our restructure. I will work very hard to get a smooth restructure that strengthens member rights without sacrificing member control of our Union. I will work to get better communication and trust among members and staff and protect our rights against Initiatives that attempt to limit and end our political activities. Members come and go over the years, but the Union remains. I will do everything in my power to keep this Union together. e 2 Lead steward for Homecare District one, several political campains, state lobby sessions, district leadership, canvassing and phonebanking j I want to see our union made whole and stronger - we are a force when we are together. We need to be true representatives of our members and strive to maintain our victories while gaining new ground and advancing our goals and vision 4 Communication is the backbone of our strength. I hope to forge improvements in this area and successfully implement the new restructured board as an asset for members. Homecare deserves a strong voice and diligent representation on the board. - There has been a fragmenting of our union and we need to recuperate, become whole and be stronger in our resolve to stay united in our union family g It is imperative that we stay accountable to our members just as we hold our political officials accountable. Mary Wood and support member rights, their contracts and their grievances, and their activism and control of their Union. United, we shall stand strong and grow; divided, we will fail. Bruce McCutcheon Milton-Freewater OR 97862 1 k I have been part of a number of unions “ over the years - some good, some better, but SEIU - is about people - caring for people - and I have been a care giver for 20 plus years. My greatest qualification is believing that our struggle is not about you or about me - but for all that will follow us - building on the successes of the past to build a better future for those that follow. 2 -Statewide Chair of the Volunteer Organizing Committee (dedicated to organizing new workers into our Union) -Member Organizer, working for short periods of time with the Union on various political and organizing campaigns in Oregon PortiaJ. Moye Portland OR 97211 I have been active in building our Child Care Union through many activities such as outreach to other child care providers, participating in union meetings, and being a member of our bargaining team. I have also developed leadership skills through trainings and conferences. I have attended as an SEIU member. I am qualified to serve because my passion is to reach out and make a difference for all members. 3 If it was not for the Union, we would not be where we are ” today. We have accomplished so much for Child Care Providers. But we are not done yet. I hope to reach out to other organizations in the community, inspire current members, and work with the Legislature so that working families are not left behind. We all have the same goals: we want better wages, better benefits, and a better life. 4 I want to make sure we are strong enough to win Health 2 Have been active through bargaining - volunteered I have been a member of our Union for 8 years, holding a number of positions within Homecare and the Statewide Board of Directors. I am currently Statewide President of Homecare Local 99 and an Assistant District Director to the Board of Directors. I care very deeply about the strength of our Union and the role Homecare Workers play in deciding the future of SEIU Local 503. ~ learning a lot of new and interesting things have made some good friends along the way, and for the most part usually have had fun. I like being involved and meeting new people and maybe get the opportunity to do a little traveling some times. We need to keep building our membership and bringing more new workers into the union. I would like to keep on getting more Child Care workers involved and hopefully keep getting more people that want to be leaders in building our union stronger. 1 g I pledge to you that I will work to keep this Union strong Neotsu OR 97364 q 3 I have gotten a lot out of being involved with the union personal time for organizing campaigns - Head steward at my worksite. Care for all Child Care Providers in our union. I also want to recognize that Child Care Providers come from all walks of life and I want to make sure that all of us have a voice in our union a I have lots of ideas to bring to this office for continued expansion through organizing as well as using our collective voices to raise the standard of living for workers everywhere. If our vision is growth and expansion, then we should be the jewel of that campaign. CAPE is the way to accomplish our goals - not just through change, but to add to our attractiveness - goals - Union health care, retirement, education. 4 Continued expansion, continued education, raising " political awareness as well as CAPE participation. The biggest issue we face is that many people are not aware of what our union has to offer, what we stand for, and where we are going in the future. But when you come into the union, you start to look into the future and you realize what our union has to offer: hope. I am committed to letting others know that our union has a place of every one. I am dedicated to motivating others to find their voice in Local 503. That means getting out there and letting people know what we stand for, but also getting their ideas so they can have a part in deciding our future. e
