May 20th

Central Table: Pay and Benefits. Base articles such as Article 10, Article 90 are bargained at the Central Table.

Coalition Table: Working conditions unique to the coalition or to the specific agency. Article 10.3, Article 90.3 and so on are bargained at the Coalition Table. Our coalition includes ODOT, DMV, Parks, Forestry, ODFW and Aviation. Boots and blue jeans; much of the work is out of doors.

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I have been waiting for several weeks to write this. Waiting for some stone to fall out of the dump bed of the 99 Freightliner - ring my hard hat - and I write words that send you all to Salem. Well the weather is warming, the ground is thawing and it is not likely that hell is going to freeze over this month . . . or next.

A month or so ago I did send an email out to a few folks in every region letting them know that bargaining sucks for wages and benefits. The new governor has allowed a sum too small to even maintain our current pay and benefits in his proposed budget.

I had thought that coalition bargaining was going well; the State had said they want to be done by May 16th. If we had done so it would have been the earliest finish for the ODOT Coalition in literally years, maybe decades. Last Monday the State (management) bargaining team came to the table smiling. The rest of it was not pretty. They laid out their offer and told us that if we argued, any questions, and they would pull it off the table. Any hope of an early finish went out the window with that statement. We have asked to have a mediator present to finish bargaining.

In Bargaining as in many other Labor Management functions - the relationship is not one of taking orders. I and other delegates do not work for Management when we are bargaining. I and other delegates do not work for the agency when we go to the legislature to lobby for bills and points of view. I work for you. We don't take orders from the management bargaining delegates. Therefore I ask questions.

At the Central Table Monday it was the States turn to bring something NEW to the table. Did not happen. They brought the same sum to small in a different dress. Lots of scenarios describing how we could help them cut our pay, reduce our health care and make managers jobs easier.



May 20th.
In 2009, on June 7th, Sunday morning at 11:30 several thousand State Workers met in Portland at the Eastbank Esplanade. We 'marched' across the Hawthorne Bridge to the Terry Schrunk Plaza. Signs were waived. Slogans were chanted. Speeches were spoken. Music was played. Cheers were heard. Politicians came out. We had fun; got back on the buses and went home.

The next week the Oregon Legislature leadership wrote a letter to the governor. It seemed at the time that the governor was seeking to balance the budget by having all employees take 28 furlough days. The end result of the legislators letter was only 14 furlough days (14, 12, 10). The letter told the governor that state employees could not be responsible for the entire shortfall.

The March Across Hawthorne Bridge worked.


This coming May 20th is a Friday and a Furlough Day for those on fixed days. A rally in the Capitol Plaza has been scheduled. No march. Buses from the hinterlands as before.
Folks will 'rally'. Signs will be waived. Slogans will be chanted. Speeches will be spoken. Music will be played. Cheers will be heard. Politicians will come out. We will get back on the buses and return to the hinterlands.

It would be good to see 20,000 public employees there. SEIU 503 represents 40 some odd thousand. I want to see 1000 Oregon Department of Transportation employees there. ODOT Local 730 represents 1900.

Here is the point. The rally by itself does not do a thing. The speeches, chants, music & politicians by themselves don't get it done. We do. Large numbers of voters are seen by politicians. Large numbers of Union Members are seen by the governor and management.

So here is my ask: Be there. That is all. I do not give a damn if you do not chant, do not cheer do not sing along to the music. Just be there. Be seen.
I don't care if you are fair share or a member. No one looking out at the crowd is going to know. Bring your family. Bring a friend or several. Ride the bus, ride your motorcycle or drive your pick-up. Be there.

Make a difference in your future. Make an impression on the governor and legislators. Let them know that we know what is going on in bargaining. Let them know.


A little before 5:am on Friday the 20th of May, behind the LaGrande Library I will get on the bus headed to Salem. See you there. mac