Vol 1, Issue 2
Joe DiNicola, President SEIU Local 503, OPEU
I really appreciate the response to our first issue of President Joe’s Journal. Members from all over Oregon sent comments about worksite issues and community concerns, and said they want to step up and keep SEIU Local 503, OPEU strong.
Again, I invite you to let me know what’s up in your area or reply to me with any questions or comments. Please feel free to print this update at home and pass it along to your friends and co-workers.
In this Issue: Hurricane Katrina Hits Close to Home • PERS Board Takes Aim at Member Accounts • Portland Public Schools: A Call to Action • eNews Flash: OPB, OUS, Homecare and City of Beaverton
Stronger Together,
Joe DiNicola, President
SEIU Local 503, OPEU
Hurricane Katrina Hits Close to Home
Hurricane Katrina created catastrophic conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers and their families. Survivors include over 2,400 SEIU Local 100 and Local 21 members who live along the Gulf Coast and work for schools, local governments, nursing homes and in commercial buildings.
Leslie Frane and I mailed a letter this week to all members and posted it online. It describes actions SEIU members are taking to help our union family overcome Katrina's devastation. Our international union raised over a million dollars for direct assistance to victims, starting with SEIU Local 100 and Local 21 members. SEIU Local 503, OPEU donated $1000 to this effort.
You can send a check made out to "Hurricane Relief Fund" (see below). These contributions are not tax deductible. If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation, we encourage you to donate to the Red Cross. Go online at home or if you prefer, mail checks made out to "American Red Cross," to SEIU Local 503, OPEU headquarters in Salem, Attention: Verna Fletcher — she will make sure the Red Cross receives them.
SEIU has stepped up to aid the victims of this disaster in other ways. Both of our SEIU international mobile phone banks (huge trucks with twenty phones ready to use) are on the road to help with vital communication needs. One truck now provides the only phone service available in Franklinton, LA; the other is headed to Bogalusa, LA.
If you are a nurse, EMT or mental health professional with experience in crisis situations and you are able to go to New Orleans for two weeks or more, please contact Verna from your personal computer at fletcherv@opeuseiu.org. If your skills match the need, SEIU will pay for travel, shelter, and meals. So far, more than twenty SEIU nurses have gone to New Orleans to help.
FEMA said recently it does not plan to use a Portland shelter to house hurricane evacuees. If you hear news that evacuees will come to Portland after all, and would like to join the SEIU volunteer squad, please contact Verna.
These are just a few of the ways you can contribute your skills and resources. Watch website for more information. This far-reaching disaster will require our assistance for a long time to come — you can join with other SEIU members to make a difference. Thank you for contributing in any way that you can to help our union family.
PERS Board Takes Aim at Member Accounts
On Friday, September 23, the PERS Board will consider what action to take to implement their settlement agreement that ended further appeals in the Marion County Circuit Court case, City of Eugene v. PERB, commonly referred to as “Lipscomb.”
By all reports, the Board plans to reduce the account balances of active members. In addition, they will decide how to recover “overpayments” to retirees. They say they may reduce monthly benefits and issue bills to thousands of PERS retirees who started receiving benefits after April 2000. This action is unprecedented in the 50-plus year history of PERS.
How does the PERS Board justify this action? Several years ago, local government employers began their lawsuit against the Board for “over-crediting” members’ earnings to PERS member accounts in 1999. Judge Lipscomb decided in favor of the employers and said that accounts should be credited only 11.3% instead of the 20% originally credited by the PERS Board in 1999.
Our union intervened on behalf of members and appealed the decision, along with the PERS Board. However, before our appeal could move forward, Governor Kulongoski appointed a new Board. This new Board wasted no time. They settled the lawsuit with the employers — creating a settlement that in no way benefits members.
SEIU Local 503, OPEU and other PERS coalition partners challenged the provisions of this settlement in the Oregon Supreme Court. The Court issued a ruling in August, and refused to hear the merits of our case. Justice deMuniz wrote that our issues were “moot” as a result of the agreement between employers and the new PERS Board.
There are five members on the PERS Board. They are obligated to act only for the benefit of members in decisions concerning member account funds. We believe a decision to bill retirees and reduce monthly benefits does not meet that obligation.
Do you want to help protect PERS benefits for current retirees and active members? Visit www.seiu503.org to learn more about upcoming actions and the status of PERS litigation. You can also call one or all of the PERS Board members: James Dalton, 800-835-9433; Tom Grimsley, 541-689-0642; Eva Kripalani, 503-872-1325; Mike Pittman, 503-813-5000; and Brenda Rocklin 800-285-8525. Be sure to tell them how their decisions will affect you.
Portland Public Schools: A Call to Action
Nutrition Services workers are among the lowest paid in the Portland Public School District. On average this group of SEIU Local 503, OPEU workers earn about $11 per hour. Because very few workers are given enough hours to work full-time, management avoids providing health care benefits to those workers. The District regularly scales back workers’ health insurance coverage by "adjusting” hours downward and shifting ever-increasing costs to workers.
The Nutrition Services workers’ contract expired on June 30. Like all workers, these members deserve family wages and health care in their contract — but the District is stalling. After more than six months, the district has still not given Nutrition Service workers of Portland Public Schools an economic proposal.
Our bargaining team has proposed a 3-year contract with a 3% COLA in each year. In addition, we propose to maintain our current health care benefits, improve lay-off language and the ability to use sick time in inclement weather (all other district employees can use sick leave for weather conditions).
During the summer, member organizers circulated and collected nearly 100 postcards addressed to the superintendent which express our concerns for this contract. The postcards will be delivered later this month.
On Wed, Aug 24, Nutrition Services workers held a back-to-school Unity Picnic. Members phoned the superintendent and made plans for more actions. We return to the table on September 15 and hope to finally receive an economic proposal.
You can help put pressure on management. Please call Gregg Newstrand at 503-916-3410 and tell him that Portland Public Schools Nutrition Services workers deserve a fair contract that includes a raise and maintains our health care benefits.
eNews Flash
OPB: Thanks to those who called the Director on behalf of OPB workers. We have signed a tentative agreement. See OPB Tentative Agreement. OUS Contract: We will sign the OUS contract by September 23, 2005. Retroactive pay raises will begin for university system workers soon after that date. Good job everyone! Homecare Contract: Friday, September 16 is the last day to drop your ballot at headquarters. Votes will be counted September 19-20. Check our website or call the hotline at 1-800-473-6738 for results. City of Beaverton: Workers at the City of Beaverton Library won a victory to maintain their health care benefits. An arbitrator told the employer they must continue to pay fully-paid premiums for workers bumped into part-time positions as a result of layoffs. See City of Beaverton Arbitration Report. Congratulations, Beaverton!