Sep 2012 - AFSCME Local 88

AFSCME
LOCAL 88
www.afscmelocal88.org
503-239-9858 • 1-800-792-0045
6025 E Burnside, Portland, OR 97215
AFSCME Local 88 Calendar
General Membership meets 7
p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, preceded by a 6 p.m. stewards’ meeting.
Executive Board meets 6:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Oregon AFSCME Retirees meet
10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18. Call
Michael Arken for info: 1-800-5215954, x226.
Meetings take place at the AFSCME
office, 6025 E. Burnside, Portland.
Library District measure on the November ballot
W
e love our libraries. With 19 Multnomah County Library locations
throughout our community, they are a
part of what makes this a great place to
live. But our roller-coaster system of temporary funding measures means our libraries constantly face uncertainty and frequently must cut services, programs,
hours, activities, and budgets for
books. This November, we can change
that for the better by voting to establish a
Library District:
• The Library District will provide dedicated funding for libraries into the future.
• It will restore what has recently been cut
and provide stable funding moving forward.
• Money collected for the Library District cannot be used for other programs.
• Open hours will increase from 44 to 57
per week.
Here’s how our local Library District
would work:
• Funds for the Library District will replace the current levy so we won’t pay
that anymore.
• The District permanent rate is limited
to $1.24 per $1,000 assessed property
value and cannot change.
• The typical homeowner will pay an additional $49 a year for the libraries.
• There will be no new layer of government because Multnomah County
Commission will remain the governing
body of the Library District.
• The Library District budget will be reviewed and overseen by three separate,
independent bodies.
• The Library District will remain part of
the county’s annual audit.
• The Library District will also periodically be audited by the independentlyelected County Auditor.
• All funds collected for the Library District can only go to the libraries and
cannot be used for other programs.
AFSCME Local 88 has endorsed the
Library District Measure. We urge you to
vote YES on Measure 26-143 on the November ballot, and establish stable, dedicated, long-term funding for our libraries.
For more information
Campaign Website: www.librariesyes.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LibrariesYes
New committee focuses on employee wellness
M
ore than ever, employers are recognizing the critical role they can play in
creating healthy environments: not only to
support the well-being, productivity, and
happiness of their employees but to stem rising health care costs resulting from our nation’s chronic disease epidemic. With about
4,500 employees and nearly 11,000 covered
lives on employer-provided health plans,
Multnomah County’s organizational and
employee wellness policies and programs can
play a role in supporting healthy living.
At the request of the Chair’s office, a Wellness Initiative Committee was created with
representatives from Benefits and Wellness,
the Health Department’s Community Wellness and Prevention Program, Labor Relations, Finance and AFSCME Local 88. The
Committee was charged to perform an assessment of the county’s current employee
wellness program and to assess and develop
recommendations for an effective employee
wellness program.
It is a public health best practice to col-
PAGE 6
lect stakeholder input and complete a comprehensive assessment of available data in order to develop an effective health promotion
intervention. Therefore, the tasks undertaken by the Committee included: 1) an
analysis of employee health data available
through reports created by the County’s
health insurance carriers, Kaiser Permanente
and ODS, 2) development of an employee
survey, 3) report of the current Wellness offer, 4) report of the current health policy
work and 5) review of existing research on
best practices and return on investment
(ROI) for wellness programs across the
country.
An electronic survey was conducted in
May 2012 to gather health data from employees as well as guage preference and receptiveness to wellness program changes. Almost 92 percent of respondents identified
one or more concerns they currently have
about their own health and wellness, with
responses related to physical activity or
weight topping the list. The survey also
asked about barriers to participation, and 69
percent have experienced barriers to participating in County-sponsored wellness activities while at work.
The Wellness Initiative Committee has
completed its initial data gathering work,
and will now be seeking additional funding
from the County Board to address the specific problem areas identified. Local 88 will
be part of the Wellness Initiative Committee work going forward and will seek to re-
move barriers to participation of employees
in wellness activities, as well as supporting
new wellness initiatives going forward. We
all have a part to play in staying well — or
getting healthier — for ourselves and our
families.
Nominations for Vacant Executive Board Position
Local 88 currently has one vacant Executive Board position. We will take nominations and vote at the September 19 general membership meeting after 7 p.m. The
position is the following:
Public safety sector (1 vacancy)
Member must work in the Sheriff’s Office, Department of Community Justice or District Attorney’s Office.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
Inside
Meeting Notices
NORTHWEST
LABOR
PRESS
Vol. 113, No. 17
See
Page 6
AFSCME 88
page
&
Volume 113
Number 17
September 7, 2012
Portland, Oregon
Official Publication of
AFSCME Local 88
Page 6
Portland, Oregon
September 7, 2012
Avakian, Starr spar at
building trades gathering
Welcome, Postmaster General Donahoe
More than 50 protesters picketed outside the Vancouver Hilton and Convention Center Aug. 21, where Postmaster
General Patrick Donahoe was speaking to business representatives from the Greater Portland Postal Customer
Council’s annual Mailer’s Conference and Expo. Protesters handed out a “WANTED” poster for Donahoe, whom they
allege is violating federal law by willfully destroying mail service. Donahoe is in the process of cutting half of the
Postal Service’s mail processing plants, including four in Oregon, and eliminating Saturday mail delivery. National
Association of Letter Carriers union officials Kevin Card and Jim Cook signed up with retired Rev. John Schwiebert
to attend the mailers conference. Schwiebert handed out fliers inside. Afterward, Card reported that Donahoe talked
about the “crisis in confidence” surrounding USPS. “I don’t think anyone has created more of a crisis than Patrick
Donahoe himself, going out in front of the American people and telling them that we’re broke and that we’re about
to go out of business — and nothing could be further from the truth,” Card said. Union officials say the post office isn’t
broke, it’s not going out of business, and it’s not asking for a bailout.” Card said Congress created much of the problem
when it passed a law in 2006 requiring USPS to pre-pay its retiree health benefits for 75 years in the future — at a cost
of $5.5 billion a year. “Basically, all Americans are being held hostage by a Congress that does not want to admit that
they are taxing the USPS to death, and they’re destroying an American institution that’s been around since before we
had the Declaration of Independence. That’s the real crime here,” Card said. The protest was organized by Portland
Community and Postal Workers United, a coalition of groups committed to save USPS.
BEND — Oregon Labor
club, which in turn pays for
Commissioner Brad Avakian
re-turfing without being
said he will work with labor
subject to prevailing wage
to close a loophole in state
laws. After the project is
statutes that allow universities
done, the field is gifted back
and public schools to avoid
to the school.
paying prevailing wages on
“It’s a loophole in the law
construction projects.
that has absolutely got to be
“This is a sham,” Avakian
closed,” Avakian said. “You
BRAD AVAKIAN
told delegates at the 51st
better believe that I will be
convention of the Oregon
right up there with your
State Building and Construcleadership and leading the
tion Trades Council (OSway to get that loophole
BCTC). Avakian was reclosed and make sure that
sponding to question about
workers who work on these
the Oregon University Systruly public projects get the
tem skirting prevailing wage
money they deserve.”
laws during a candidates’ foStarr wasn’t quite as emrum Aug. 16. Avakian, a Dephatic with his answer. “As
BRUCE STARR
mocrat, is being challenged
far as I’m concerned, univerin November by Republican state Sen. sities that use public tax dollars should
Bruce Starr. OSBCTC endorsed be paying prevailing wage on any conAvakian in the non-partisan race.
struction project.”
“We’ve got projects in the state right
A legislator since 1999, Starr said
now that are being done by public enti- bills on this issue have been introduced
ties, but what they’re doing is taking in the past but have gone nowhere.
their land, they’re taking the project, “The politics on this are interesting to
they’re giving it to a booster club or say the least,” he said. “Legislation has
some other private group that does all been introduced; we’ve seen where
the construction and all the funding to those bills have gone ... You look at
it — with this handshake that at the who runs the Oregon Senate, and that
end, it’s all going to be gifted back to has a lot to do (with) where legislation
the public body for use,” Avakian said. like this goes.”
Avakian said this scenario played
In response to a question about usout on the $200 million basketball ing the labor commissioner bully pularena project at the University of Ore- pit to advocate for a fair permitting
gon, and it’s happening at some local process for proposed coal and liquefied
high schools, whereby the school do- natural gas (LNG) export terminals,
nates its football field to the booster Starr replied: “There’s no equivocation
on this from my perspective, it’s absolutely yes ... I will be championing
projects like this in the Legislature ... I
will advocate for it. I will lead on it. We
have to get it done.”
Elder thinks a majority of those emAvakian wasn’t quite as emphatic.
ployed at Dosha today were not there a
“My opponent and I both know that
year ago, when the vote to unionize there are no real plans in Oregon right
took place. And most of the actively now that are going to end up with an
pro-union workers quit for better jobs LNG facility or a coal facility being
elsewhere as bargaining dragged on.
built in the near future. Politically
“Our people stuck it out as long as speaking, it just is not going to happen
they could,” Elder said. “But our com- right now. Whoever tells you different
mittee started leaving because they be- than that, whether it’s politics or not, is
lieved that we weren’t going to get a not giving you the straight scoop.”
contract. And they were absolutely corAvakian said he supports memorect. We could have gotten a contract if randa being signed by building trades
we’d agreed to everything staying the councils assuring that terminals are
way it is now, but why would we do built under union project labor agreethat?”
(Turn to Page 12)
CWA effort for contract at Dosha comes to an end
A five-store local chain of
Aveda-branded salons is
nonunion once again
Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7901 called it quits at
Dosha Salon Spa on Aug. 16 — a week
before a scheduled decertification election was to have taken place. Local
7901 President Madelyn Elder said the
decision to “disclaim interest” was a
painful one, and came after a discussion with a committee of pro-union
workers. Sentiment among Dosha
workers was running two-to-one
against continued union representation,
Elder said. Hair stylists, massage therapists, estheticians and other workers
at the five-location Aveda-branded
chain had voted 79 to 66 to unionize on
March 30, 2011. But Dosha’s owners
never agreed to a union contract.
Dosha hired former Oregon Republican Party chair Bob Tiernan to oversee contract talks. The negotiations
went nowhere, Elder said: The union
made all sorts of proposals, to which
the employer’s response was “no” —
even to a proposal for direct deposit of
paychecks.
When there is no union contract a
year after workers vote to unionize, the
National Labor Relations Act allows a
decertification vote.
“Employers know they can wear us
down, and at the end of the year, get
workers to sign an anti-union petition,”
Elder said. “All they have to do is say,
‘Well, what did they accomplish for
you?’ They say, ‘What’s in your contract? Oh, you don’t have a contract.
Then why do you have a union?’ ”
Meanwhile, turnover took its toll, of
employees and of union supporters.