A message from
iomecare President
Mary Wood
Elections for our statewide Homecare
Council is completed and we have a
fantastic group of leaders, with 29 total
positions, we have IT brand new people.
(Please refer to the new Council Roster on page 3.) Thanks to,
each of you who participated in the election and to those of
you who are taking a leadership role in our union.
Homecare Retreat Leaders and staff met for two days in
May to discuss, ask questions and plan our future as
homecare.workers, both short term and long range.
We asked questions like:
• How can we be a force for quality services and quality jobs?
• How can we increase member involvement in building and
strengthening our union?
• How can we support workers who want to form a union?
• How can we build our political strength in order to protect
services?
The ideas flowed,
the discussions were
stimulating and everyone
was excited about the
energy and creativity that
was generated. Out of <
this retreat, the Council
will adopt a strategic plan
which will be featured in
the next Dignity Magazine.
Bargaining our 4th contract will begin in January, but there's
an important role all members must play to prepare for
bargaining. Your bargaining team will be elected at regional
meetings this fall. Bargaining surveys are included in this
issue. Please take a moment to share your issues, priorities
and ideas about what you would like to see addressed at the
bargaining table and return the bargaining survey. The results
are used to develop our bargaining priorities. This survey
gives you a voice in helping shape those priorities.
On behalf of Oregon's homecare workforce, I am honored
to serve as your president and I look forward to working
together.
Training -
It Can beaM atterof
life nr Death
Shirley is a homecare worker
in Prineville. Her story is a
testimony to the
importance of^
training. In early
spring, she was
coming oefrpf a
post office, when
she heard a little
voice calling out "help me, help
me, does someone know CPR".
She answered the elderly woman
calling for help and told her she
would be right there. She ran into
a riearby café and asked someone
to call 911, possible cardiac arrest.
She ran out tty the carand found a
woman had lost consciousness (m,
the backseat of-the ear). She had
a pulse so sh^did not administer
CPR. The woman's lips were bide
and she was sweating profusely.
A patron from the cafe ran out
to assist with the woman. The
woman regained consciousness
and responded to questions. The
paramedics came and transported
her to the hospital. Shé and the
patron went back info the Café
to calm down. When the patron
said to Shirley B don't know
what we would have done if she
would have needed CPR," Shirley
replied, "You didn't need to
worry, I've been trained in CPR."