priceless! - UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO

A Communication of UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO
Montgomery’s Share
of Stimulus…
$114.2 Million
Creating Jobs…
PRICELESS!
Vol. 6 No. 3 Summer 2009
In This Issue
United Food & Commercial Workers
Local 1994
Municipal & County Government
Employees Organization
President
Gino Renne
Secretary-Treasurer
Yvette Cuffie
Recorder
Nelvin Ransome
Vice Presidents
Frank Beckham
Jerry Bonaparte
Sean Collins
Bob Lehman
Craig Longcor
Paulette Kee-Dudley
Greg Goebel
Terry Miller
Sue Smithers
Tony Thomas
Kristine Tuckerman
Sedearia Wilson-Jackson
Staff
Bob Stewart, Executive Director
Michelle Weis, Executive Assistant
to the President
Joshua Ardison, Field Representative/
Organizer
Dave Blackwell, Field Representative/
Organizer
Gail Heath, Field Services Coordinator
Amy Millar, Organizing Coordinator
Doug Menapace, Field Representative/
Organizer
Nelvin Ransome, Field Representative/
Organizer
Gabriela Sandoval, Receptionist
Sharday Shelby, Student Intern
Shae Wilson, Membership Services
Denise Griffin, Administrative Assistant
Alicia Valentin, Administrative Assistant
Editorial Board
Gino Renne
Bob Stewart
Gail Heath
Amy Millar
Yvette Cuffie
Sue Smithers
Editorial/Design
Kenefick Communications
Vol. 6 No. 3 Local Link
Summer 2009
Lessons Learned: Progress is Our Most
Important Product—Renne Report………………………………… 2
Ride-On Retains Routes, Jobs Slated for Elimination… …… 3
Member Spotlight:
Gilberto Zelaya Advocates for
Montgomery County’s Hispanic Employees… ……………… 4
DOCR’s Employee of the Year
Corporal Doug Carranza…………………………………………… 5
Employee Free Choice Faces Uphill Battle……………………… 6
Preparing for the 2010 Elections—Legislative Report……… 8
Navarro Fills Vacant District 4 Council Seat…………………… 9
Montgomery’s Share of Stimulus… ……………………………… 10
A Vocal, Powerful Constituency—Organizing Update……… 12
Library Organizing: Local 1994 Members Attend State
Library Conference……………………………………………………… 13
Health & Safety Initiative Blankets All Workers in
Montgomery County…………………………………………………… 14
Family Justice Center Opens—
Secretary-Treasurer’s Report… …………………………………… 15
Communicating Bargaining Needs—
Field Services Report… ……………………………………………… 16
Council Amends Disability Retirement Law… ………………… 17
Local 1994 Members Rally for Health Care… ………………… 20
On the Cover:
Robert W. “Big Chew” Curry, a craft worker at the Silver
Spring Depot of the Montgomery County Department of
Public Works. Big Chew has been with the County for 12
years and has been an active union member throughout
that time.
Lessons Learned: Progress is Our Most Important Product
P
Renne Report—by Gino Renne, President
rogress
means
moving
ahead, never
falling behind.
Progress comes in
many shapes and
sizes. Sometimes
it’s in the form of
wage and benefit
increases; sometimes it’s employment
security protections. One of the lessons I
learned early in my experience as a union
leader: We never close out negotiations
without making progress of some kind.
Earlier this year, we wrapped up
negotiations with Montgomery County
to deal with the problems that this
rotten economy has created for all of us.
Although the headlines talked about the
cost-of-living raise we deferred, there
wasn’t much public attention given to the
rest of the agreement. That’s fine because
there are enough people out there who
don’t believe that workers should have the
right to negotiate with their bosses over
such things. Those critics would no doubt
howl over the other provisions of our
agreement that helped us to protect your
economic situation even in these tough
times.
Some of our own members urged us
to “accept the inevitable” and “shoulder
our share of the sacrifices.” A few even
asked us why we were so “hung up” over
demands to negotiate with the county
when everybody else is getting clobbered.
That certainly would have been a simpler
option, but it wasn’t the right thing to do.
We are your advocate. That’s our
charter; that’s the basic mission of this
union. Your union’s staff and officers
are not in this job to make our own lives
easier. The law makes us equal partners
with management and assigns us specific
responsibilities to our members and the
communities in which they live. We don’t
shirk our responsibility. Stakeholders
don’t surrender.
2
The Local Link • Summer 2009
The new Montgomery County contract
gives us a place at the table to use our
insights and experience to make county
government better for the citizens and a
better place to work for our members.
We have often talked about a
“sustainable government structure” in our
discussions with our members and county
officials alike. Simply put, sustainable
government means that the county must
be willing to examine alternatives to the
status quo.
In good times, it’s difficult to get
anyone to listen to our concerns about
top-heavy management, wasteful
administrative practices and misdirected
priorities. But, in a crisis, everything has to
be on the table—including an examination
of how county government does or doesn’t
work. That’s why we proposed and the
county agreed to a bilateral committee
that will perform a cost efficiency study of
county operations top-to-bottom.
The committee’s membership includes
the president of your union and two other
representatives selected by the union
who will sit down with the director of
the Office of Human Resources and
two representatives of management’s
choosing to evaluate how county services
are delivered by every county agency;
to examine the supervisor-to-employee
ratio; to look at the equipment tools and
technology used to get jobs done; to
review the operating budget to identify
potential cost reductions; and to weigh the
cost effectiveness of contracts with outside
vendors doing work that would otherwise
be performed by bargaining unit members
or by some other more cost-effective
means.
We also won a commitment that the
County Executive will join us in pressing
for legislation that would add to bargaining
unit pensions a credit for the 4.5% cost-ofliving raise that was forgone.
Other important breakthroughs that
come with our new agreement include
a provision requiring management to
come back to the table on wages “in the
event the county’s financial condition
improves”—which it will. Media reports
also overlooked the section that guarantees
that employees eligible for regularly
scheduled service increments in FY 2010
will receive them.
And, if time really is money as the
old saying goes, then the 60 hours of
compensatory time awarded to those at
the top of their salary grade during FY
2010 should help cushion the blow of the
deferred cost-of-living raise.
What’s your job security worth? Well,
neither the County nor the Union would
try to put a price tag on the language in
the agreement that requires the county to
eliminate contractors and outside vendors
before any bargaining unit workers would
have to face a layoff.
Then there’s schedule flexibility. Our
members in the Heavy Equipment Section
of Fleet Management Services have long
wanted to have the option to move to a
4-10 workweek, and the county agreed.
It’s human nature to keep things simple
especially when we try to wrap our brains
around complicated issues. That’s why the
media often reports on things like politics
or collective bargaining in sports page
jargon: one side wins, one side loses. But,
in the case of our re-negotiated agreement
with Montgomery County, there were no
losers. We allowed the county to balance
its budget while we made significant
progress for our members, and we made
great strides in maintaining the services
that all county citizens depend upon.
That’s what I call progress in the face of
adversity.
Ride-On Retains Routes,
Union Saves Jobs Slated
for Elimination By Council
Strong community opposition to cuts in Ride-On bus service proved effective in
late April when the County Council voted to retain service to 18 Ride-On bus routes
that had been slated for elimination. An area coalition that included Local 1994 called
“Transit First!” mobilized bus riders who would have been hurt by the proposed
reductions to testify at public hearings about changes. The Council’s Transportation,
Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee, chaired by Councilmember Nancy
Floreen, then recommended retaining the service. To pay for maintaining the routes, the
county will increase parking rates in the Bethesda and North Bethesda area.
Local 1994 members also mobilized to attend the hearings on the proposed changes.
Ride-On bus drivers and others assembled to listen to the public testimony.
In addition to maintaining bus routes, the change also saves full time jobs for Local
1994 members who work for Ride-On. Part-time jobs are still being eliminated but the
union said that all part-timers who want full-time positions will be able to move into
full-time jobs.
“Thanks to the leadership of Council member Floreen, and our members’ activism,
working families won this battle,” said Local 1994 President Gino Renne, pointing
out that government should be about the business of expanding public transportation
opportunities, not cutting them. “The retention of these much needed bus routes will
allow Montgomery County’s citizens to protect their mobility and to get to their jobs.
Enhancing public transportation opportunities will also minimize traffic congestion,
emissions and wasted energy, too.”
Transit First coalition member Ethan Goffman, transportation chair of the
Montgomery County Sierra Club, pointed out that policies that subsidize parking,
especially in areas such as Bethesda, encourage commuters to drive alone and create
traffic congestion and air pollution. “The county says all the right things about
sustainability and promoting non-automobile transportation,” Goffman commented.
“Now is the time to put our money where our mouth is.”
Transit First! is a coalition of local environmental groups, groups committed to urban
preservation and smart growth, and transit advocates.
Ride-On Food Drive
Collects Nearly 5,800
Pounds of Food
Montgomery
County’s RideOn bus system
collected 5,756
pounds of food
and other items
during its 22nd
annual “Give
and Ride” food
drive that took
place between
May 10 and
May 16. Bus
passengers
received
free rides by
donating canned or nonperishable food,
disposable diapers, formula, baby or
toddler food, and juice.
“During this food drive, Ride-On
drivers and staff showed that they really
care about the community,” said Nelvin
Ransome, Local 1994 executive board
member and a Ride-On employee. “We’re
proud to participate with Manna Food
in helping out Montgomery County’s
neediest residents.”
All food donations were sent to the
Manna Food Center, a Rockville-based
non-profit organization that distributes
food to the County’s neediest residents.
Manna requested that Ride-On hold
its annual food collection drive in the
spring to better meet community food
distribution needs.
“Once again, we are proud to partner
with Ride-On,” said Amy Ginsburg
Gabala, executive director of Manna
Food. “The unprecedented number of
persons in need has placed a heavy
demand on our resources at the food bank.
Hunger never takes a holiday, and this is
one way that we keep our shelves stocked
in a time of great need. We want to thank
each of the drivers and the riders of RideOn for their support in this 22nd year.”
The Local Link • Summer 2009
3
Local 1994 Member Spotlight
Gilberto Zelaya Advocates for
Montgomery County’s Hispanic Employees
The Montgomery
County Government
Hispanic Employees
Association
(MCGHEA) was
formed many years
ago to advocate for
Hispanic employees
in the Montgomery
County Government.
While the association
has existed for many
years, until recently
its role had been
limited. MCGHEA’s
new president, Dr.
Gilberto Zelaya, an
employee at the County
Board of Elections,
has revitalized the
organization.
“Don’t let yourself
get overlooked,” he says.
“Improve your lot in life.
Bulk up your resume.
Advocate for yourself and
I will advocate for you.”
Dr. Gilberto Zelaya (left), president of the Montgomery County Government
Hispanic Employees Association, stands with MCGHEA member Paul
Sagnay. MCGHEA advocates on behalf of Hispanic employees in the county
government.
“I wanted to reenergize and mobilize
people to take the opportunities available
to them,” said Zelaya. “Our members,
especially in this economy, need to
empower themselves and leverage their
skills. They need to use their tuition
reimbursement; they need to make their
case for promotions; they need to improve
their job standing. That’s why I got
involved.”
Not only does Zelaya work for his
members in MCGHEA, he actively
promotes the work of Local 1994 too.
He’s a shop steward at the Board of
Elections, and he encourages Local 1994
membership and involvement at the
MCGHEA meetings.
“Working with MCGEO was a nobrainer,” Zelaya points out. “Many of the
members of MCGHEA don’t realize that
the union has already done the legwork to
4
The Local Link • Summer 2009
Not all of MCGHEA
members are in the public
service track and, thus, are
not union members, says
Zelaya, and that makes
them more vulnerable to
budget cuts. He tells his
members that if they don’t
feel protected [in a job in
the administrative track],
they should request a job
that is part of the public
service track.
help them advance at work. I am happy to
back MCGEO.”
“It’s been a challenge.
I don’t spoon feed people,
but I will help them.”
Zelaya has first-hand knowledge of
how Local 1994 membership can benefit
its members. A few years back, his job in
the government was eliminated. Thanks to
his Local 1994 membership, he received a
transfer to his current job at the Board of
Elections.
Being Hispanic is hard, says Zelaya,
especially in this climate, when a lot of the
media attention devoted to the Hispanic
population is negative. Zelaya notes that
many Americans believe every Hispanic
is undocumented, and the news media
doesn’t help.
“I had a mortgage. I was newly
married. I was scared. Thanks to my union
contract, I got a transfer.”
“There are plenty of us who are
doctors, who have families, who pay
taxes. My organization, like MCGEO,
works by taking our needs and our voice
to the table, to dispel the negative images
we are dealing with.”
Zelaya notes that often MCGHEA
members don’t understand how the county
government’s infrastructure works. He
pushes members to get more education
or certifications to improve their standing
at work. He encourages them “to think
outside the box” and to strategically
position themselves for promotions or job
transfers.
Interested in joining the MCGHEA?
(Note: membership is NOT limited to
Hispanics only.)
Contact: Dr. Gilberto Zelaya;
240-777-8532; Gilberto.zelaya@
montgomerycountymd.gov
DOCR’s Employee of the Year
Corporal Doug Carranza
“Over the years Cpl. Carranza has dedicated himself to the
Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR) and the
Montgomery County Detention Center (MCDC),” said Lt. Sharon
Roth in her nomination of Cpl. Doug Carranza for employee
of the year. “Cpl. Carranza is always vigilant about preventing
contraband in the facility and instills the importance of search
techniques to his fellow officers.”
In one instance, Carranza voluntarily searched for an arrestee’s
diamond earrings that went missing. He recovered the earrings
from a dumpster. He was also responsible for saving two young
men’s lives last year, and was awarded a commendation for that
act. He’s found thousands of dollars worth of drugs stuffed up
in the ceiling at PRRS and his thorough approach has led to the
recovery of other contraband.
Carranza won that honor this year. Cpl. Carranza is a
Special Police Officer (SPO) and a Field Training Officer
(FTO). He’s also a member of the Crisis Intervention Team, the
Gang Intelligence Unit and a certified Armament Systems and
Procedures Instructor. He’s been a DOCR employee since 1989
and has won many awards and accolades recognizing his hard
work before receiving this honor. He’s been a member of Local
1994 since its inception.
The Department pointed to his expert knowledge of the
Central Processing Unit (CPU) and his personable demeanor as
another reason for his nomination.
“I always try to do more than I am required, and I keep
searching to do better,” said Cpl. Carranza. His enthusiasm and
integrity on the job is evident daily. “I really enjoy doing my
job,” he added.
Sgt. Keith Thomas, one of Carranza’s coworkers, said,
“His hard work makes him easy to work with. He’s so good at
shakedowns and searches that he teaches others how to do it. He
leaves no stone unturned. And it pays off. We’re all safer because
of his attention to detail.”
“Cpl. Carranza has excellent interpersonal communication
skills,” read his department nomination. “He demonstrates
these skills not only with arrestees and inmates but with law
enforcement personnel and with the general public. Cpl. Carranza
conducts tours and is a knowledgeable spokesperson for the
Central Processing Unit (CPU).”
Other officers often call on Cpl. Carranza for help because he
is bilingual.
“We’re proud of Doug for his achievements,” said Local 1994
President Gino Renne. “This award is a wonderful recognition of
his excellent work ethic, integrity and diligence.”
The Local Link • Summer 2009
5
Employee Free
Choice Act:
EFCA Faces Uphill Battle
Big business calls arbitration and card check ‘Un-American’
“A
merica is now closer than it has been
in decades to having labor laws that
truly protect workers’ freedom to
make their own choices about union
representation, without management
interference,” said Peter Dreier and Kelly Candaele, in a recent
article in The American Prospect. Dreier is a politics professor
and author in Los Angeles and Candaele is executive director of a
progressive think tank.
Their statement was true when it was written back in
December, but big business has declared war on the Employee
Free Choice Act, and they are gaining ground. The Chamber
of Commerce has spent upwards of $200 million
against the Employee Free Choice Act and is
lobbying hard to keep the bill from coming to
a vote on the Senate floor.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who is
taking the lead in getting Senate approval
of the Employee Free Choice Act, called
the measure “the civil rights battle of
today.” And if senators refuse to work
together for a bill that preserves the top
priorities of Employee Free Choice, Harkin
has threatened to, “take the original Employee
Free Choice Act bill to the floor and demand an up
or down vote on it.”
What bothers Harkin is that many senators are asking for
compromise on the bill, specifically demanding that the “card
check” part of the bill be removed. Ignoring the fact that the
measure merely establishes card check as an option, the Chamber
of Commerce and other anti-union groups have cynically seized
on that section, calling it undemocratic and “anti-American.”
They argue that it takes away the secret ballot election and opens
the door for union intimidation. The real purpose of the bill is
to eliminate the undue influence that employers now enjoy to
actively campaign against union representation. “All we’re trying
6
The Local Link • Summer 2009
to do with card check is to give workers the right to decide.
Employers shouldn’t be permitted to interfere with the process
as they do now,” noted Local 1994 President Gino Renne.
Nevertheless, the bill’s opponents have been very effective with
their ad campaign against the bill, providing rhetorical cover for
some senators to hide behind, he said.
The so-called Employee Freedom Action Committee (EFAC),
one of the many anti-union, pro-business front groups fighting
against the EFCA, also claims that “the majority sign-up process
would open the door to union coercion and intimidation.” But
American Rights at Work points out that “exactly the opposite is
true: workers in NLRB elections are twice as likely (46
percent vs. 23 percent) as those in majority sign-up
campaigns to report that management coerced
them to oppose the union. Further, less than
one in 20 workers (4.6 percent) who signed
a card with a union organizer reported that
the presence of the organizer made them
feel pressured to sign the card.”
a variety of circumstances affecting consumers.
Under current labor law, giant loopholes allow businesses
to stall bargaining for a first contract to demoralize workers
and undermine the ability of the union to secure an agreement.
After one year, current law virtually invites an employer to
work behind the scenes to encourage workers to dump their
union through the NLRB’s decertification process. Big business
opposition to arbitration for a first contract is not the underlying
issue; it’s opposition to eliminating the stall tactics that they use
to their advantage.
Arbitration is vital to the EFCA, and could prove even more
important than the card check provision in the bill. Arbitration
will close the loophole that allows businesses to delay bargaining
in good faith after workers have voted for a union.
A number of leading economists have joined the labor
community in the call for passage of EFCA. A statement issued
earlier this year cited 39 of America’s top economists, including
two Nobel Prize winners, who have asked for passage of EFCA.
Part of their statement points to the failure of U.S. labor laws
to protect employees’ freedom to form a union and bargain as a
major factor in America’s economic crisis:
“Indeed, from 2000 to 2007, the income of the
median working-age household fell by $2,000—an
unprecedented decline. In that time, virtually all of the
nation’s economic growth went to a small number of
wealthy Americans. An important reason for the shift
from broadly shared prosperity to growing inequality
is the erosion of workers’ ability to form unions and
bargain collectively.”
Eileen Appelbaum, a Rutgers University economist, adds:
“To get our economy back on track and growing again we need
to strengthen wages, make sure that workers have health and
retirement benefits, and reduce inequality. Unions play a unique
and significant role in achieving equity and efficiency in the
workplace and, more broadly, in society.”
EFAC and their corporate sponsors have
also viciously attacked the provision of the
bill allowing for arbitration if a first contract
goes unresolved after 90 days; also making
the claim that arbitration allows the government
to impose contracts on businesses instead of forcing
both sides to bargain in good faith. Big business claims that
the provision removes any impetus for either side to ask for
reasonable terms in their contract because a government arbitrator
will swoop in after the time limits have expired and impose what
it deems to be a reasonable contract.
Opposition by big business to arbitration is completely
hypocritical. Today, most businesses rely on arbitration to resolve
credit card disputes with consumers, in real estate transactions, in
personal injury claims and in various other disputes. In fact, the
Bush Administration lobbied with big business to push through
changes that allowed businesses to require binding arbitration in
The Local Link • Summer 2009
7
Preparing for the 2010 Elections
W
Legislative Report—Bob Stewart, Executive Director
hen people talk
about politics, one
of the first things
they think of is
the personalities
involved. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who
are the bad guys and the good guys?
Like sports or show business, some
names just attract more heat than others.
Sarah Palin (Boo!). Barack Obama
(Yeah!). Dick Cheney (Boo!). Martin
O’Malley (Yeah!).
The political pros, the blogsters and
the pundits will be picking the winners
and losers before most candidates even
announce. The talking heads will be out in
force, blathering about nothing important.
Let’s ignore the personalities for the
moment. With the exception of Martin
O’Malley, none of those high-profile
people will be on the ballots in 2010.
Anyway, now is not the time for all that.
Now is the time for mobilizing…for
building our political infrastructure…
making plans…scheduling activities and
recruiting volunteers.
I like to start planning by measuring
the distance to the finish line—Tuesday,
Nov. 2, 2010, then I develop the calendar
backwards. As of July 4, 2009, there will
be just 486 days until voters go to the
polls. That time is precious and we can’t
waste a minute.
thinking?
Now is the time to remind people
that playing in the political arena is
an expensive proposition. The cost of
running a successful race for an at-large
county council seat could be as much as
$300,000—and it’s rising. For district
seats on the county council the cost is
somewhat less—on the order of $50,000
to $100,000.
We’ll also
be making
contributions
to deserving candidates. Some of our
endorsed candidates may be incumbents,
some will be challengers. We won’t make
those decisions until our Political Action
Committee interviews the candidates,
reviews their questionnaires and their
records and makes recommendations
to the executive board. After the board
votes, its recommendations go to the
membership for approval.
Mayoral races in small to mid-sized
cities (think Rockville, Gaithersburg,
Frederick, Annapolis) will cost more than
$100,000. Running for Congress will cost
the winner or the loser at least $1 million
or more.
If we want our own nickels, dimes,
quarters and dollars to counteract the
millions that big business and well-heeled
individuals will spend, we’ve got to be
prepared to build up our ABC fund. We
ask members to contribute at least $2.00
per pay period, to keep our fund growing.
That’s the best bargain in town.
How will that money be spent?
Some of it will help pay for voter
registration drives; polling and research;
analyzing voter demographics—finding
out who are “our” voters? How do we
keep them? Who are “their” voters? How
do we bring them over to our way of
This is our cogitation time. Time to
start talking to people about the issues.
Building our alliances. Developing ideas
for how those issues will be presented.
Assembling mailing lists. Taking stock—
reviewing voting records of both our
friends and our opponents. Building our
websites. Learning how to “twitter”and
“tweet.”
This is the “back office” side of
politics, where the heavy lifting is done.
The harder we work on preparations,
the more successful we will be when the
ballots are counted. As they say in sports,
winners are developed in the training
room.
Active Ballot Club: Level the Playing Field
Local 1994’s Active Ballot Club asks our members to
voluntarily donate from $1 to $10 per pay period (depending
on what you can afford) to try to level the playing field, and
to make sure that Maryland’s working families will be heard
in the halls of government.
To sign up or for more information contact the UFCW
Local 1994 office at 301-977-2447 or fill out the adjacent
form and mail it to Local 1994 at 600 S. Frederick Avenue,
Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.
Support Local 1994’s Active Ballot Club.
Navarro Fills Vacant District 4 Council Seat
Nancy Navarro, a Democrat and the
former president of the Montgomery
County Board of Education, defeated
Republican Robin Ficker and Green
Party candidate George Gluck in the May
19 special general election to become
the newest member of the Montgomery
County Council. The seat has been vacant
since Councilmember Don Praisner passed
away in January.
“I would like to express my heartfelt
gratitude for the support and the efforts
of Local 1994 members,” said Navarro.
“This win shows that working families
have made a difference in this election. I
am so proud.”
Local 1994 members and staff worked
weekends and evenings on behalf of
Navarro, canvassing neighborhoods in her
district, phone banking and handing out
campaign literature.
District 4 includes all or parts of Aspen
Hill, Burtonsville, Calverton, Cloverly,
Colesville, Derwood, Fairland, Olney,
Sandy Spring, Silver Spring, Spencerville,
Wheaton and White Oak.
There are 119,484 registered voters
in District 4. Navarro was sworn in at
ceremonies on Wednesday, June 3.
All nine-members of the Montgomery
County Council, composed of five
members elected to represent defined
districts and four at-large members, will
be up for re-election in November 2010.
Councilmembers are elected to four-year
terms.
Sign Me Up
Yes! I’d like to contribute per pay period to the Active Ballot Club.
Name_ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Employer_ _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Job Title_ __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Employer Address___________________________________________________________________________________________
Work Phone_______________________________________________ Home Phone_ _____________________________________
Contribution Amount (per pay period) ❏ $1.00 ❏ $2.00 ❏ $3.00 ❏ $4.00 ❏ $5.00 ❏ $6.00 ❏ $7.00 ❏ $8.00 ❏ $9.00 ❏ $10.00
E-mail address_____________________________________________ Signature_ ________________________________________
I understand that this authorization is voluntarily made and that the amount suggested as a contribution is a guideline and that I may contribute more or less than this
amount by any lawful means, other than this checkoff, or may refuse to contribute, and that the making of payments to the UFCW Active Ballot Club is not a condition
of employment with the Employer and that I have a right to refuse to sign this authorization and not to contribute to the UFCW ABC without reprisal. I also understand
that my contribution will be used for political purposes, including the support of candidates for federal, state and local office. I expressly reserve the right to revoke at
any time this authorization in writing. I also understand that contributions or gifts to the UFCW Active Ballot Club are not deductible as charitable contributions for
federal tax purposes.
8
The Local Link • Summer 2009
The Local Link • Summer 2009
9
Montgomery’s Share
of Stimulus (so far):
Priceless!
M
ontgomery County residents should soon see tangible evidence
of economic recovery as the county puts its share of money
from the economic stimulus package to work. The funds are
part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
first piece of legislation signed by President Obama after his
inauguration.
On Montgomery County’s shopping list is a fleet of 13 new Ride-On buses. A
dozen of the new vehicles are hybrids, one powered by clean diesel (price tag: $6.5
million).
Ride-On drivers report that the system would
undoubtedly make more money if the county
replaced currently balky fare boxes with more
reliable ones.
Road crews will soon be out installing power
backups for traffic signals ($600,000); rehabbing
roads ($5.7 million); upgrading and
modernizing traffic signals (($600,000);
upgrading traffic warning signs
($250,000); adding new software for
dispatching buses ($350,000); and
upgrading guard rails on federal
highways in the county ($225,000).
Additional transportation funds
will be allocated as part of the area’s
regional transportation plan. Statewide,
some $129.2 million is slated for road
resurfacing projects. Substantial
portions of those projects are in
Montgomery and Prince Georges County.
Accountability
4%
Transportation
13%
Housing
6%
Education
63%
Housing aid in the stimulus package
focuses on fighting homelessness ($2.1 million),
rehabbing vacant residential units ($1.4 million)
and modernizing public housing in Montgomery County
($3.1 million).
The county is also tracking the spending of funds allocated for Public Safety
($1.02); improvements for energy efficiency, sewer and water ($12.5 million);
rehabbing area sewer systems ($4 million); aid to low-income families and
dislocated workers ($763,000); and—the largest share of stimulus money—
Educational Funds ($72 million).
10
The Local Link • Summer 2009
Economic Development
2%
Public Safety
1%
Healthy Communities
11%
Vital Living for All
0.19%
✓✓ $15.4 Million for Transportation
✓✓ $6.5 Million for Housing
✓✓ $1.02 Million for Public Safety
✓✓ $12.5 Million Energy Efficiency,
Health
✓✓ $763,000 Aid to Families &
Workers
✓✓ $72 Million for Education
✓✓ New Buses, Safer Roads, Saving
and Creating Jobs… Priceless!
The Local Link • Summer 2009
11
Organizing
Update
A Vocal, Powerful Constituency
By Amy Millar, Organizing Coordinator
I recently read an article about budget
cuts in libraries by author Kenneth
C. Davis, in which he makes a very
interesting point about why cuts hit
libraries so easily.
Mr. Davis points out that libraries in
general “do not have a vocal, powerful
constituency.” He says, “Unlike police,
teachers and firemen, [library workers]
don’t have a potent union or benevolent
association. There is no ‘Library Lobby’
doling out campaign contributions. But far
worse, libraries tend to be viewed by all
too many people in power as a luxury.”
I guess this is at least partly true.
Local 1994 represents library employees
at PGCMLS, and we represent the staff
in Montgomery County, and while that
makes us stronger, the vast majority
of the 144,000 library workers in the
9,200 jurisdictions in the nation are not
unionized. Represented library workers
make up a tiny handful of the total. It will
take a lot more organizing before we get
to the point where we might be described
as a “potent” force able to speak out
convincingly in our own interest.
We’re working with Del. Tom Hucker
(D-Dist. 20) to introduce legislation giving
collective bargaining rights to library
employees at the state level, and that’s an
important first step.
All over Maryland, there are
unrepresented library workers.
Unrepresented workers in Anne Arundel
12
The Local Link • Summer 2009
County are being hit with an 11 percent
budget reduction. How they are going
to deal with it remains to be seen. In
Harford County, a 10 percent budget cut
means employees there are facing massive
layoffs. They are also facing furlough
days. The difference between these two
systems and Local 1994-represented
library employees is that they don’t have a
union to step in and help cushion the blow.
I’m sure throughout Maryland’s 24
library systems, similar situations are
popping up.
Libraries are one of the most valuable
resources available to the community.
The return on investment is unbelievably
good. They’re not a luxury. Libraries
are an essential
government
service. Without
a doubt, they can
help the struggling
Amy Millar
economy. Can
they do this
without staff? Without the proper funding?
No. They can’t.
The unrepresented library workers
across Maryland deserve better. They need
to feel secure in their jobs. They need to
know that when budgets get unavoidably
cut, someone’s got their back. They need a
“vocal, powerful constituency.”
Let’s organize!
Who are you gonna call?
Got an organizing lead? Someone you know—a neighbor, friend
or relative—stuck in a rut on a non-union job? Call Local 1994
Organizing Coordinator Amy Millar (301) 977-2447, or e-mail:
[email protected]. Give us the particulars and we’ll follow up.
Call Local 1994 today!
1-800-948-0654
www.thelibraryunion.org
Launch of New Website Advances
Library Organizing Efforts
A new website for library workers
seeking a union is part of Local 1994’s
efforts to become the voice of library
workers in Maryland. The site, www.
thelibraryunion.org, is geared specifically
to the needs and concerns of library
workers.
With budgets taking a beating in this
economy, library workers are definitely
feeling the pinch. Couple that with
the increase in library usage all over,
Local 1994’s mission to bring a voice to
Maryland’s library employees is needed,
now, more than ever.
Germantown Library Featured in
Segment on NBC’s ‘Today’ Show
Library Organizing:
Local 1994 Members Attend
State Library Conference
Germantown Library served as a
backdrop for a segment on the “Today”
show that aired June 11, 2009 titled
“Libraries lend a hand in tough times.”
Reporter Peter Alexander interviewed
Nancy Savas, Germantown branch
manager, on how Germantown and
other libraries across the country serve
an increased number of patrons and
discussed the need for libraries during an
economic downturn.
Footage from Germantown showed
lines of customers waiting to enter the
library when it opened. Germantown has
seen an increase in customers, serving up
to 2500 people a day. That’s a 67 percent
increase. The segment concentrated on
job seekers, children’s programs and
computer classes. Typical of Montgomery
County libraries, Germantown offers
customers resources like free internet and
wi-fi connections, e-mail access, support
for job seekers and computer classes.
Libraries have had their share of
funding cuts too. With budgets down and
demand up, library staff have to work
harder than ever with fewer resources.
UFCW Local 1994
member Mike Marx
attended the conference
to help spread the word
on the need for a union
for library workers.
Armed with statistics 1994 Field Rep. Josh Ardison and Lead
Steward June Fitzmeyer talked to Maryland library workers
about the union difference.
“Too many of Maryland’s library
workers don’t have a voice in their
workplace,” said Amy Millar, Local
1994’s organizing coordinator. “They
deserve better.”
In mid-May, Local 1994 members
Mike Marx and June Fitzmeyer, along
with Millar and Josh Ardison, Local 1994
field representative, attended the Maryland
State Library Association Conference
in Ocean City to introduce and educate
conference attendees on the benefits of
union membership. The response was
overwhelmingly positive.
Unionized librarians earn 52 percent
more than their non-union counterparts,
according to a 2007 salary survey by
the American Library Association.
Additionally, the union earnings
advantage for library assistants was
34 percent. While many of the library
workers in Maryland say they aren’t
unhappy with their wages, this radical
difference is eye-opening.
Working conditions and budget
shortfalls are issues that concern all
library workers. Local 1994 talked to the
conference attendees about how a union
can help them work through problems on
the job and lobby for budget changes.
The Local Link • Summer 2009
13
Family Justice Center Opens To
Help Victims of Domestic Violence
Secretary-Treasurer’s Report
by Yvette Cuffie
W
e’ve all been horrified by the headlines: Father kills children in a Baltimore Hotel; Man shoots
children, throws bodies off Eastern Shore bridge; Children killed in wooded area, father held. And,
Health & Safety Initiative Blankets All
Workers in Montgomery County
E
mployers in Montgomery
County are on notice:
workers should never have
to compromise safety to
earn a paycheck. That’s the
upshot of an initiative recently launched
by the county in response to pressure
from the labor movement. It applies to
government personnel and all private
sector workers in the county.
“Montgomery County is a great
place to live, and it shouldn’t be a
terrible place to work—that’s why this
effort is so important,” said Local 1994
Executive Director Bob Stewart. “There
are many who look at Montgomery
County and see it as an island of affluence.
And in some respects it is. But there are
women and men who work in the shadows
of that affluence. They perform jobs most
of us don’t—and labor in conditions
and face dangers few of us would ever
tolerate—but because many of them are
immigrants, and few of them have unions,
they suffer in silence.”
County Councilmember Valerie Ervin,
the chief backer of the Worker Safety and
Health Initiative in county government,
called the initiative a common sense
approach. “Today, as we mourn those who
have lost their lives to workplace injuries,
this initiative reaffirms our commitment
14
The Local Link • Summer 2009
to create safe working environments for
all those who work in the county. The
initiative focuses on training and public
education for workers and inspectors who
face dangers on the job.
“Every job in our community
ought to be a safe job,”
—Isiah Leggett, Montgomery
County Executive
The Initiative—which was unveiled
on April 28th while Workers Memorial
Day ceremonies were being held across
the country—is designed to help protect
Montgomery County employee’s health
and safety on the job.
“We’re putting every employer on
notice that workers should never have to
trade their health for their paychecks,” said
Metro Washington Council representative
Jim Grossfeld at the unveiling of the
Initiative.
“Every job in our community ought to
be a safe job,” said Montgomery County
Executive Isiah Leggett, “despite our
serious budget challenges, there are ways
we can use existing resources to help
reduce the thousands of workplace injuries
and illnesses that occur each year in the
County.”
Stewart joined Councilmember
George Leventhal, Washington Building
and Construction Trades Council
Executive Secretary-Treasurer Vance
Ayres, SEIU 500 Political Director
Jackie Lichter, LIUNA Health and
Safety Director Scott Schneider and
Chris Trahan, Director of OSHA &
Disaster Response Training for the
Center for Construction Research and
Training, to introduce the Initiative.
“With this effort, Montgomery County
is setting the pace for Maryland and local
governments nationally,” said Maryland
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez.
The Initiative will include more
training for inspectors and County staff
to recognize health and safety problems;
examine private contracts and economic
development tax credits to ensure adequate
health and safety provisions; provide
a community forum to bring together
business, labor and community groups
to ensure “best practices”; and establish
a County website with health and safety
information that includes links to county
and federal safety and health agencies.
in those three instances, the families involved were from the Montgomery County area. As chilling
as those cases are, there are thousands more instances of domestic violence where the victims are
brutalized or psychologically terrorized that never make the newspapers. In 2007 alone, seven chil-
dren were killed by a parent with a history of domestic violence; three women were murdered by their intimate partners;
there were more than 8,000 calls to the police involving family disturbances. Those confrontations could and often do
escalate because victims are too often unaware that they can find help.
Too many women and children suffer daily at the hands
of abusers, without getting the help they so desperately need.
Attacks by husbands on wives result in more injuries requiring
medical treatment than rapes, muggings and automobile
accidents combined. And, only one out of every 25 victims of
dating violence ever seeks the help of a teacher, minister, rabbi,
police officer or counselor.
Victims of domestic violence in Montgomery County now
have a safe, caring environment to access the services they
need at the new Montgomery County Family Justice Center.
The center is a comprehensive one stop shop for spouses and
children who are victims of family violence. It co-locates
multiple agencies to provide coordinated advocacy, law
enforcement, civil legal services and social services for wraparound support for families. Safety is the Justice Center’s
first priority. Its goal is to help victims of abuse in a specially
designed facility where victims and their children can feel safe
and comfortable.
The center will help victims develop a safety plan, provide
legal support for filing a protective order or criminal charges, or
help set up placement in a shelter. The center has also set up a a
partnership with the local Humane Society to help safely place
pets.
A $60,000 grant from the Verizon Wireless Hopeline
Program helped set up a teleconferencing network at the
center to allow victims to connect to courts for added safety.
The Hopeline Program also collects discarded cell phones and
batteries for use by victims of domestic violence.
The Montgomery County Family Justice Center is not the
first of its kind. That distinction goes to San Diego where the
prototype was launched in 2002. It is the brain child of San
Diego City Attorney Casey Gwinn. He saw the need for victims
of abuse to meet with multiple agencies when seeking help
for abuse and took action. There were kinks at the beginning.
With many agencies under one roof, working together for the
first time, there were the inevitable turf wars. Because victim
confidentiality is a paramount concern, the issue of sharing
information among treatment specialists—such as therapists—
can be problematic. Eventually, San Diego fine-tuned the
structure to better align services and worked out those details.
Montgomery County’s Center is bound to encounter those
same kinks. It’s new, and it combines services that were not
previously co-located. While everyone there is certainly welltrained, smart and good at their jobs, there’s bound to be some
of the same problems experienced at other centers.
We’re all dedicated to getting the job done. Helping
Montgomery County’s victims of abuse is the right way to go.
We will work out the problems as we go along.
The Local Link • Summer 2009
15
Field Services Report
by Gail Heath, Field Services Coordinator
Seven tips for effectively communicating your
bargaining needs:
✓✓ Get to know the contract as it’s now written.
✓✓ Think about how it’s applied in your worksite.
✓✓ Talk to your co-workers about the things that bother you on the job.
✓✓ What isn’t in the contract but should be?
✓✓ What’s in the contract that shouldn’t be?
✓✓ Fill out the survey in your own words.
✓✓ Don’t assume someone else will answer the survey for you.
L
ocal 1994 is preparing
for full-term negotiations
this Fall at four key
units—including the Prince
Georges County Memorial
Library System, Cumberland City Police,
Montgomery County General Government
and Montgomery County Deputy Sheriffs.
We will be circulating bargaining surveys
to the workers in those units to elicit
thoughts and suggestions about issues that
should be addressed.
First things first: When you send in
your bargaining survey, make sure you
clearly identify yourself: name, address,
phone number and e-mail address. And,
please, please, please, make sure to tell us
the agency you work for and the location
you work in. Surveys without a work
location make it difficult for us to create
proposals to deal with location specific
issues.
It may seem strange to some that
we would even consider going to the
bargaining table when all we ever hear
about is how broke the jurisdictions are.
Fact is every bargaining session presents
an opportunity, perhaps not for big-ticket
items in the midst of a raging recession,
but an opportunity nevertheless to address
16
The Local Link • Summer 2009
concerns and problems at the worksite.
Let’s not forget that bargaining is all
about give and take. So far, most of the
bargaining since the start of the recession
has been about us giving and management
taking. So, we’ll be talking about putting
the shoe on the other foot this Fall.
It’s situations like this that test our
ability to be creative and innovative.
Bargaining in tough economic times
can be rewarding and progressive if we
plan carefully and prepare well. The
most important preparation is talking
to each other about the contract, where
it’s been effective, where it needs to be
strengthened and how it’s used in your
specific job site.
Do you personally have a copy of the
contract? If not, go to the Local 1994
website (www.mcgeo.org) and download
a copy. If you can’t get a copy off of the
website for whatever reason, call the Local
1994 office (301 977 2447).
Review the contract’s provisions. Ask
yourself if management is honoring all
its aspects. Are promotions following
the rules? Overtime assignments being
allotted correctly? Safety procedures
being followed? Is information being
Gail Heath
shared? Do you have all the
tools and resources you need?
Are training procedures being
followed?
What kind of problems do
you talk about over coffee in the
break room? Is the office dirty?
Is lighting bad? How about
access to parking?
Now, think about what you don’t see in
the contract and put that on your survey.
Could your unit use an alternative work
schedule? Alternative work schedules not
only provide workers more flexibility, but
also to save commuting time and costs, cut
down on pollution and traffic, and extend
coverage time to serve the public.
Of course, there are some jobs that just
can’t be done from home, but far fewer
than you would think. Could you do your
job from home a couple of days a week?
Think about it.
Remember, not every suggestion we
get in our bargaining surveys can result
in a change to the contract, but every
suggestion we get is important and we
take each one seriously.
The system doesn’t work well unless
everyone participates.
Above all, don’t assume that someone
else will be responding to the survey on
your behalf.
Council Amends Disability Retirement Law—
Changes are to procedures, program oversight
O
n May 12, the
Montgomery County
Council approved
amending the Disability
Retirement Law, a hotly
contested bill that Council President
Phil Andrews and Councilmember
Duchy Trachtenberg sponsored. Most
of the changes they advocated differ
from the actual changes enacted into
law. Councilmember George Leventhal
secured several amendments to the
original version of the bill to address
concerns sought by the Fraternal Order
of Police and representatives of the
County Executive. The bill as amended by
Leventhal was approved unanimously.
Andrews and Trachtenberg were
pushing to overhaul the County’s
disability retirement program after an
Inspector General’s report issued in
September 2008 showed that a higher
percentage of Montgomery County police
officers had been awarded disability
retirement than police officers in other
nearby jurisdictions. The cases cited by
the report focused almost entirely on highlevel police officials, suggesting that they
were “gaming” the system.
Local 1994 pointed out that the
approach by Trachtenberg and Andrews
was flawed because their amendments
would apply to all county employees,
not just police officers and firefighters.
Trachtenberg and Andrews did not
consult with Local 1994. Supporters of
the bill made it seem like every employee
on disability was bilking the system,
said Local 1994 President Gino Renne.
Trachtenberg and Andrews also challenged
the impartiality of the union representative
on the panel. Local 1994 SecretaryTreasurer Yvette Cuffie has sat on the
panel since its inception in 1995.
“Our panel member is beyond
reproach,” Renne stressed. “If they had
examined every case Yvette sat on, they
would have certainly seen that.”
Renne protested the changes at Council
hearings, stressing that the amendments
in the original bill must remain subject to
negotiation under the collective bargaining
agreement, and that members of Local
1994 were not abusing the system.
“This bill was flawed at the beginning,”
said Renne. “Cooler heads have prevailed
with this compromise. The law, as enacted,
now deals with what it should have dealt
with in the beginning: procedure and
oversight.”
Councilmember Leventhal said the
Council rose to the occasion to deal with
the problem without jeopardizing the
rights of rank and file workers.
”The bill approved by the Council
addresses all of the points raised in
the Inspector General’s report last
September,” said Councilmember
Leventhal. “It will strengthen the
independence and improve the medical
expertise of the Disability Review Panel.
It will require independent medical
examinations and annual re-checks for
employees who retire on disability. It
will ensure that no disabled retiree can
receive double income if employed as
a law enforcement officer for another
government. Importantly, this language
was also arrived at through dialogue and
consensus among all stakeholders.”
Another amendment put forth by
Councilmember Roger Berliner included
a two-tiered disability program, but
his amendment was voted down.
However, representatives of the County
Executive told the Council that in future
negotiations, the County will continue to
pursue a two-tier system.
The Local Link • Summer 2009
17
M-NCPPC Ratifies
New Contract
Local 1994 members have a new
contract at the Maryland-National
Capitol Park and Planning Commission.
The contract, which provides for wage
increases in the form of Cost of Living
Increases and shift differentials, was
ratified at meetings June 23 and 24.
In the contract, the union was able
to negotiate to cost of living increases
totaling 5.25 percent over the life of the
contract. There’s also an increase in the
longevity step in January 2011 of three
percent. Under the new contract, an
employee only has to work three evening
or midnight shifts in a row to qualify
for shift differential pay and comp time
balances in excess of 100 hours will now
be paid out to the employee.
If a mechanic is getting his ASE
certification, the employee will receive
$650 after completing 50 percent of his
required courses, and then is entitled
to another $650 when he completes the
certification. As the employee completes
tests for re-certification, he is entitled
to receive an additional $500. For other
required certifications, M-NCPPC will
pay for any fees, tuition, and mandatory
study materials associated with achieving
and maintaining the certification. There’s
also an increase in tuition assistance to
$1,530.
Park Police communication
technicians, under the new contract, will
now receive $2.50 per hour compensation
time for hours spent in field training.
Park Police Communication Technicians
will now receive an improved uniform
allotment.
The union also negotiated a lot of
changes to working conditions, ensuring a
fairer workplace. New language prevents
the Commission from disciplining
employees who receive anonymous
driving complaints. Complaints must
identify the complainant by name and
contact information.
The contract is valid from July 2009
until June 2012.
18
The Local Link • Summer 2009
HOC Members Ratify Contract
Agreement Includes Wage Increases, Education Benefits
Local 1994 members employed by
the Housing Opportunities Commission
(HOC) overwhelmingly approved their
contract in May by a vote of 103 to two.
The contract includes wage
adjustments, an increase of 35-cents per
hour for employees who have “advanced
multi-lingual skills,” and shift differentials
for employees who work until 8 p.m.
The contract also changes retirement
benefits, aligning the plan with what
is offered to Montgomery County
government employees. The language in
the contract relating to the contribution
plan allows for the union and the county
to re-open this clause if any changes made
to Montgomery County government’s plan
aren’t in line with HOC’s current contract.
The contract also adds a Guaranteed
Retirement Income Plan (GRIP) as an
option for employees.
For members who work on-call
shifts, there is a boost to the per diem
rate: $30 for Monday through Friday,
P
and $40 for Saturdays, Sundays and
holidays. The contract also increases
travel reimbursement for out of town
conferences and meetings and increases
the mileage reimbursement as well.
Employees who are required to obtain
a certification for their jobs will be entitled
to full reimbursement of their fees, tuition
and any mandatory study materials
from the commission. The contract also
increases tuition assistance for other
outside study: $1500 in 2010, $1550 in
2011, and $1600 in 2012.
The union negotiated an increase in
tool allowances, thanks to the work of the
Labor Management Relations Committee.
The LMRC reviewed the contents of
a basic tool set and helped determine
the costs necessary to maintain the set.
Like the tuition increase, the allowance
progressively increases: starting at $450 in
2010, to $500 in 2011, to $550 in 2012.
M-NCPPC Workers Benefit From Lyme Disease Presumption Bill
Disabilities or illnesses brought on by
Lyme Disease are now presumed to be job
related for employees of the MarylandNational Capital Park & Planning
Commission (M-NCPPC) who regularly
work outdoors under a law passed by the
Maryland General Assembly and signed
recently by Gov. Martin O’Malley. The
law, sponsored by Montgomery County
District 39 Delegate Kirill Reznik (D),
extends workers’ compensation benefits
for those workers. Its protections include
personnel who regularly work outdoors
and M-NCPPC Park Police officers, as
well as Montgomery County Deputy
Sheriffs.
Workers Memorial Day at
National Labor College
The agreement begins on July 1 and is
valid for three years.
The total cost savings of surrendering the COLA would have been .0019
percent of Cumberland’s $35 million operating budget. Cumberland City
approved their 2010 budget in the beginning of June without the giveback.
Local 1994 represents 44 officers in the Cumberland City Police Department.
DHHS Opens Service Centers in
Hard-Hit Neighborhoods
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),
in partnership with local municipalities and community-based organizations, has
opened Neighborhood Service Centers in Gaithersburg and Wheaton to bring
emergency food and housing stabilization services to areas hit hardest by the
current economic crisis.
Cumberland Police
Keep FY 2010 COLA
olice in the city of Cumberland are keeping their fiscal year 2010 cost
of living increase, thanks to Local 1994. In May, the city manager
sent a letter to Local 1994 asking to meet with the union about
surrendering the negotiated COLA. The union met with the city manager, but
declined to waive provisions of its agreement with the city.
“We understand the fiscal problems of jurisdictions such as those
encountered by Cumberland, but Cumberland has other viable options for
spending cuts while the police officers, who only recently achieved contractual
pay protections, have none. Moreover cutting a few percentage points from
the police payroll would have been a symbolic savings, not a real one,” noted
Local 1994 President Gino Renne.
In the photo, (from left, standing) Jake Weissmann, legislative director for Del.
Kirill Reznik (D-Dist. 39), Local 1994 Executive Director Bob Stewart and Field
Representative Josh Ardison witness the signing ceremonies along with (seated, from
left) Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Senate President Mike Miller, Gov. O’Malley and House
Speaker Mike Busch.
The Centers will help families in completing applications for food stamps,
utility assistance and health services; collecting documents required for the
applications; and making referrals to other resources when needed. Residents can
apply for the following services at the centers:
UFCW Local 1994 President Gino Renne
and other local and national union leaders
joined Department of Labor Secretary
Hilda Solis on April 28th at the National
Labor College to dedicate a new Workers
Memorial.
•
Temporary Cash Assistance
•
Food Stamps
•
Medical Assistance
•
Eviction Prevention and Utility Disconnections
•
Home Energy Programs and Rental Assistance
In addition, residents are screened for eligibility for a variety of other DHHS
services.
The centers are staffed by “community connectors” who have been trained by
Health and Human Services staff.
The County’s Department of Health and Human Services’ data shows higher
rates of evictions, increased reports of child neglect and domestic abuse, and
emergency assistance requests coinciding with the current recession.
The Local Link • Summer 2009
19
Left: UFCW and AFSCME
members press Terry Lierman
Chief of Staff for House
Majority Whip Steny Hoyer,
to persuade the Congressman
to support health care for all.
Below: Local 1994 President
Gino Renne joined UFCW
members and staff at the
HCAN rally.
Local 1994 Members Rally For Health Care
10,000+ Activists Converge
on Capitol in Fight for Reform
A large group of Local 1994 members
joined other union members in a rally for
health care reform on June 25 sponsored
by Health Care for America Now
(HCAN). The group, estimated at 10,000,
was joined by high profile speakers like
award-winning actress Edie Falco and
former Chair of the National Democratic
Committee Dr. Howard Dean. Other
featured speakers included members of
Congress, doctors, nurses, small business
owners, and faith leaders in their call for
health care reform.
The message: “We want health care
reform and we want it now!”
20
The Local Link • Summer 2009
UFCW is aligned with the group
HCAN, a national grassroots movement of
more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states.
The group represents 30 million people
dedicated to winning quality, affordable
health care for all Americans.
Supported by President Obama and
UFCW, HCAN promotes affordable
coverage, comprehensive benefits, and
choice of a private or public health
insurance option with equal access to
quality care.
According to HCAN, “Workers
and their unions often have to bargain
away needed pay increases to maintain
their health care benefits because of
skyrocketing health care costs. By making
health care costs a responsibility of all
employers, unionized employers will no
longer have to compete with non-union
firms that don’t pay for good health
coverage or any coverage at all. Your
union will continue to bargain over health
care and determine the level of benefits
and employee costs through that process.”
To learn more about the
organization or to volunteer or donate,
visit HCAN’s website at: http://
healthcareforamericanow.org.
The Local Link • Summer 2009
21
UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO
600 South Frederick Avenue
Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Prstd Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Washington, DC
Permit No. 3070
Local 1994 Welcomes
Denise Griffin & Alicia Valentin
F
ield Services is home to
Local 1994’s two newest staff
members. Both are skilled
customer service representatives.
Denise Griffin (at left in the photo)
comes to Local 1994 from Vanguard
Management where she worked in
accounts payable and receivable. She
has a son who is attending Central
Connecticut University on a football
scholarship.
Alicia Valentin brings a talent for
organization to Local 1994’s staff.
She spent years at the National Red
Cross working with the Armed Forces
Emergency Services division. In
addition, Alicia is bilingual.
Have you
Moved?
Has your address changed? Has
your contact information changed
in any way? Your union needs to
know!
Local 1994 maintains an active
membership list in order to keep
you, the members, informed of
issues that affect your job, your
family, your community or your
well-being.
If your information has changed
please contact Shae Wilson,
Membership Services (swilson@
mcgeo.org) or call 301.977.2447.
You may mail your contact
information to:
Shae Wilson,
Membership Services
UFCW Local 1994
600 South Frederick Avenue,
Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877