A few pictures of Rex Parks, HET 2 and Cam McGinnis, TMS 2 on their organizing trip to Colorado.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
ODOT Visits Colorado
A few pictures of Rex Parks, HET 2 and Cam McGinnis, TMS 2 on their organizing trip to Colorado.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
CAPE Update
Hi All,
I am one of three ODOT employees who was elected by voting members of CAPE contributers to the CAPE Committtee. The other two are Kermit Meling in District 1 and David Roadman in District 4. We have been elected to serve a two-year term that ends on Oct 31, 2009. The CAPE Committee held their first meeting on Nov 3, 2007. For members who may not be aware, CAPE stands for Citizen Action for Political Education. This is the political arm of the our union. If you elected to be a 2 cent contributor, you are a member of CAPE. This contribution adds up to $50 per year and is a tax deduction you are allowed to take. If you are a 4 cent contributor and file jointly, you can take up to $100 per year tax deduction.
To become a member of CAPE and put in your 2 (or more) cents worth, please contact a Union Organizer in your area, a steward, any 730 Board member or Kermit, David or myself and we will be happy to send you a form to complete and return.
Every employees has 75 cents of your dues money paid to CAPE each month, unless you have diverted these funds into the SEIU scholastoc fund. I can hear some of you now. "I already give my money to the union and they use it to support candidates and measures I don't agree with." I won't lie to you. That is a possibility. However, if you do not share your thoughts about candidates with CAPE members, how are we to represent your views? One of the reasons I ran for this position, is so my views as an independent would be heard. If you are an independent or a republican and believe the only people SEIU supports is democrats, than I have some news for you. While many times, the CAPE Committee does support democrats, they have also supported republicans. CAPE does not look at party affiliation when determining who they will recommend to the Board of Directors to endorse. We look at voting history, answers to questionnaires and interviews to determine who is best to support, if anyone, in any particular race. In the last election, we withheld endorsements from candidates we had supported previously because they didn't vote as they told us they would on important issues. As a result, those candidates either lost or won by slimmer margins. Many know our support goes a long way with Oregon workers, not just state workers.
Anyway, we elected the District Chairs on Nov 3rd and officers for the Statewide Board. All officers and elected CAPE leaders were sworn into at that time. Each district will be holding meetings/interviews for candidates that are running in their areas and seeking SEIU endorsement. The CAPE page on SEIU has not yet been updated with the current members. Hopefully that will be happening soon. I will keep you posted and hope you will check it out.
Recently, SEIU Oregon (Locals 503 & 49) decided to endorse John Edwards for the primaries. SEIU International has decided not to endorse any candidate for the primaries and have left it up to each state to decide. As of Oct 30th, 11 states have decided to support Edwards in the primaries, including New Hamshire and Iowa.
With several key races going on within Oregon, I need your input on who you think we should endorse for the state offices. Several key state representatives have supported Oregon workers and voted for worker issues. Many of these representatives, along with two senators, have been approved to receive endorsements from the CAPE Committee without having to go through the interview process. If the Board of Directors approve these recommendations, CAPE will be sending funds to their campaigns. Each OregonRepresentative will receive $250 and each Senator will receive $500.
Well that is all for now. Please leave you comments as I will be checking frequently for your input.
Thanks, Mike
I am one of three ODOT employees who was elected by voting members of CAPE contributers to the CAPE Committtee. The other two are Kermit Meling in District 1 and David Roadman in District 4. We have been elected to serve a two-year term that ends on Oct 31, 2009. The CAPE Committee held their first meeting on Nov 3, 2007. For members who may not be aware, CAPE stands for Citizen Action for Political Education. This is the political arm of the our union. If you elected to be a 2 cent contributor, you are a member of CAPE. This contribution adds up to $50 per year and is a tax deduction you are allowed to take. If you are a 4 cent contributor and file jointly, you can take up to $100 per year tax deduction.
To become a member of CAPE and put in your 2 (or more) cents worth, please contact a Union Organizer in your area, a steward, any 730 Board member or Kermit, David or myself and we will be happy to send you a form to complete and return.
Every employees has 75 cents of your dues money paid to CAPE each month, unless you have diverted these funds into the SEIU scholastoc fund. I can hear some of you now. "I already give my money to the union and they use it to support candidates and measures I don't agree with." I won't lie to you. That is a possibility. However, if you do not share your thoughts about candidates with CAPE members, how are we to represent your views? One of the reasons I ran for this position, is so my views as an independent would be heard. If you are an independent or a republican and believe the only people SEIU supports is democrats, than I have some news for you. While many times, the CAPE Committee does support democrats, they have also supported republicans. CAPE does not look at party affiliation when determining who they will recommend to the Board of Directors to endorse. We look at voting history, answers to questionnaires and interviews to determine who is best to support, if anyone, in any particular race. In the last election, we withheld endorsements from candidates we had supported previously because they didn't vote as they told us they would on important issues. As a result, those candidates either lost or won by slimmer margins. Many know our support goes a long way with Oregon workers, not just state workers.
Anyway, we elected the District Chairs on Nov 3rd and officers for the Statewide Board. All officers and elected CAPE leaders were sworn into at that time. Each district will be holding meetings/interviews for candidates that are running in their areas and seeking SEIU endorsement. The CAPE page on SEIU has not yet been updated with the current members. Hopefully that will be happening soon. I will keep you posted and hope you will check it out.
Recently, SEIU Oregon (Locals 503 & 49) decided to endorse John Edwards for the primaries. SEIU International has decided not to endorse any candidate for the primaries and have left it up to each state to decide. As of Oct 30th, 11 states have decided to support Edwards in the primaries, including New Hamshire and Iowa.
With several key races going on within Oregon, I need your input on who you think we should endorse for the state offices. Several key state representatives have supported Oregon workers and voted for worker issues. Many of these representatives, along with two senators, have been approved to receive endorsements from the CAPE Committee without having to go through the interview process. If the Board of Directors approve these recommendations, CAPE will be sending funds to their campaigns. Each OregonRepresentative will receive $250 and each Senator will receive $500.
Well that is all for now. Please leave you comments as I will be checking frequently for your input.
Thanks, Mike
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Member Organizing
To Avoid Criticism
Do Nothing, Say Nothing,
Be Nothing.
Elbert Hubbard.
Organizing. Member organizing. Service Employees International Union, Local 503 made a decision several years ago to build our Union by Member Organizing. It was discussed amongst the true believers; I am sure there was some debate. Unions do not seem to make any decisions without arguing it from all sides. (Some call it democracy.)
Member organizing is really a pretty simple idea. The people who have the greatest knowledge about the work they do . . . are the workers. They know how the work is performed. They know where the work is performed. They know the best way to get the work done, if the rest of the world will stay out of the way. These people should organize.
The workers also have the most to gain by effective organization. Good organizations provide a framework that fits the workers, their lives and their workplaces. Good labor organizations find a way to speak with one voice for many. The purpose of that one voice is to carry a message to those we work with. The well crafted message will voice what the workers require, not just to work, but to work happily, to work efficiently.
I ask that each member of ODOT Local 730 get organized. We each get organized to come to work: pack a lunch; wear appropriate clothing; choose transportation. In the same way we need to organize to belong to a strong Union: study our contract; elect our own workers to represent our needs; bargain & negotiate wisely for our future.
In a strong Local all members will read and seek to understand their contract, their collective bargaining agreement. Effective Locals teach their managers what the contract means and firmly insist that all abide it.
Members with an eye to the future form an opinion. Those who labor for their family and the public interest learn about the issues in their communities. They Vote. They elect persons who will carry forward their concerns to their community, the legislature and the Union.
Elders in our Local will teach the new employee that strong Unions make for strong communities with good wages and healthy families. Some members will step forward to work for all.
I am not asking that all members become stewards. Do get to know your steward. There should be a steward on every crew, elected by you, the crewmembers.
The staff of SEIU 503, OPEU is a vast resource.
Member Organizing. Rank & File members doing Quality work for our State and our communities.
mac
^^^
Elbert Hubbard, an American, lived from 1856 - 1915. A writer, publisher and philosopher, he was influential in the arts and crafts movement. Much of his writing illustrated people doing for themselves.
Other quotes attributed to him:
“Responsibility is the price of freedom.” and
“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”
mac
Do Nothing, Say Nothing,
Be Nothing.
Elbert Hubbard.
Organizing. Member organizing. Service Employees International Union, Local 503 made a decision several years ago to build our Union by Member Organizing. It was discussed amongst the true believers; I am sure there was some debate. Unions do not seem to make any decisions without arguing it from all sides. (Some call it democracy.)
Member organizing is really a pretty simple idea. The people who have the greatest knowledge about the work they do . . . are the workers. They know how the work is performed. They know where the work is performed. They know the best way to get the work done, if the rest of the world will stay out of the way. These people should organize.
The workers also have the most to gain by effective organization. Good organizations provide a framework that fits the workers, their lives and their workplaces. Good labor organizations find a way to speak with one voice for many. The purpose of that one voice is to carry a message to those we work with. The well crafted message will voice what the workers require, not just to work, but to work happily, to work efficiently.
I ask that each member of ODOT Local 730 get organized. We each get organized to come to work: pack a lunch; wear appropriate clothing; choose transportation. In the same way we need to organize to belong to a strong Union: study our contract; elect our own workers to represent our needs; bargain & negotiate wisely for our future.
In a strong Local all members will read and seek to understand their contract, their collective bargaining agreement. Effective Locals teach their managers what the contract means and firmly insist that all abide it.
Members with an eye to the future form an opinion. Those who labor for their family and the public interest learn about the issues in their communities. They Vote. They elect persons who will carry forward their concerns to their community, the legislature and the Union.
Elders in our Local will teach the new employee that strong Unions make for strong communities with good wages and healthy families. Some members will step forward to work for all.
I am not asking that all members become stewards. Do get to know your steward. There should be a steward on every crew, elected by you, the crewmembers.
The staff of SEIU 503, OPEU is a vast resource.
Member Organizing. Rank & File members doing Quality work for our State and our communities.
mac
^^^
Elbert Hubbard, an American, lived from 1856 - 1915. A writer, publisher and philosopher, he was influential in the arts and crafts movement. Much of his writing illustrated people doing for themselves.
Other quotes attributed to him:
“Responsibility is the price of freedom.” and
“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”
mac
Thinking about Disappointment
Thinking about Disappointment
Or
The Joe Thing
You may have heard about “the Joe thing”. I have. Here is some information for you to use to make an informed decision, should you need to. There are petitions being circulated to start a recall.
The Joe here is Joe DiNicola, President of SEIU 503, OPEU. Joe is also a public employee who came out of the Department of Revenue, where he was the local president about 10 years, I believe. This is the Joe of ‘President Joe’s Journal’. He was elected president of the statewide local of public employees here in Oregon, by us, the members. He is about halfway through his second 2 year term.
After his second election, Joe DiNicola requested payment for over 2500 hours of comp time. This is the primary act that is getting so much attention. Here are some of the reasons why.
* Joe is currently working as the president of SEIU 503, OPEU. Therefore, the payment for those hours of comp time would have to be paid by the Union. The figure would be in the 6-figure range.
* Many folks, including past presidents, consider time spent outside of the 40 hour workweek to be unpaid, volunteer time; part of the job. No past president has asked to be paid for comp time. These same folks believe that most Union activism happens on a volunteer basis. For these reasons people believe that precedent is in place. Many are angry that the current president wants to be paid for time that others volunteer.
* SEIU 593, OPEU has sought counsel from labor experts who seem to agree that precedent and our constitution and bylaws do not require the Union to pay this claim for comp time.
* Also, the constitution and bylaws do not allow for an officer to be an adversary of the Union. This is relevant because Joe DiNicola has now filed suit against 503 and the Department of Revenue for payment of the comp time. This lawsuit places Joe in an adversarial role with our Union by definition.
Those are a few of the issues surrounding the Joe thing.
As president of Local 730, I believe that I am to work on issues affecting the work days and nights of ODOT employees. It disappoints me that my Union has to spend time and money on this comp time litigation. I consider it a distraction from the important work of Our Union.
As a member of the SEIU OPEU 503 Board of Directors, I can tell you that several hours of the board meetings are lost on this issue directly or indirectly. Board members have taken sides and almost every other item before the board is seen through this lens.
As the president of ODOT Local 730 I represent you and your views. If you want to express those views to me you can do so at my e-mail account: odotmac@hotmail.com. Or you may respond here at the blog.
mac
Cameron M. McGinnis
TMS2 Meacham Section
ODOT Local 730, President
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