Election Day: May 19:
Here's an UHW-SEIU Voter Guide for Those Who Haven't Already Voted
Remember: Your voice is your vote. Vote Tues., with polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Millions of Californians have already voted. And the May 19 election is due to be the first in state history in which the growing trend of voting by mail accounts for a majority of all ballots cast.
UHW-SEIU Recommends:
Prop 1A: NO. This measure will result in drastically reduced funding for ALL of the vital public services SEIU members provide and rely on at state and county levels.
Prop 1B: YES. Though tied to Prop 1A, Prop 1B supports an important principle: The Governor can't raid the funds voters set aside for education in Prop 98.
Prop 1C: YES. This measure to change and modernize the state's underperforming lottery, helps the state budget situation with $5 billion in potential revenue.
Prop 1D: NO. This measure takes $600 million in '09-'10 from children's health programs to plug the budget hole and hundreds of millions in future years as well.
Prop 1E: NO. This measure raids $230 million per year for two years from money voters intended to direct to mental health services.
Prop 1F: No Position. This measure suspends legislators' pay if the budget is late, which will do nothing to solve the real problem: too little revenue to pay for current services.
.....................................................................................................Compass Group Workers at Enloe Medical Center (Chico) Win Agreement on a New Contract
Thanks to unity and determination, two units of UHW-SEIU members totaling nearly 150 workers secured a major victory at the bargaining table last week. Crothall and Morrison workers in dietary and housekeeping units at Enloe Medical Center in Chico secured raises of 30 percent over the 5-year term of an agreement subject to ratification this week.
"We stuck together and, in so doing, we got what we needed," said Brandon Lopez, who works in the EVS Department and is an UHW-SEIU steward and bargaining team member.
"I am happy about 5 percent increases as well as recognition for seniority," said Colleen Regan, who works in the Dietary Department and is also a bargaining team member.
.....................................................................................................UHW Takes Its Fight to Protect Fresno Home Care Workers to the Air
Fresno is the site of an extremely important home care union representation election at the beginning of June.
More than 10,000 Fresno home care workers will be mailed ballots June 1. The ballots are due back to the county by 5 p.m. June 15. The choices on the ballot include "United Healthcare Workers West - SEIU," our union and the workers' current collective bargaining representative.
UHW is committed to keeping every home care member in our union. A massive get-out-the-vote effort will take place the first week in June.
In advance of the vote, SEIU is reaching home caregivers and local residents via radio with important messages about the stakes in the vote. Two ads are in English, and one is in Spanish. To listen to the ads, visit our Protect Fresno Home Care website
.....................................................................................................UHW Education Department Offers New Training
The programs and training sessions offered by the UHW-SEIU Education Department recently grew to include 4 steward trainings across the state. Two of the events, in Los Angeles and San Jose, are planned for May 30. To refresh your skills in key healthcare functions and in union advocacy and representation, refresh your browser at on our UHW-SEIU Education Page. The roster of high-quality programs regularly adds new sessions.
.....................................................................................................SEIU President Andy Stern Advocates Healthcare for All on Nationwide "Charlie Rose Show"
The talk-show host with a daily viewership of millions coast to coast interviewed Andy Stern last week. Stern, fresh from a meeting in Washington with President Obama, described the importance of the 2008 election and the accountability that SEIU members are expecting and exerting on the White House.
"What our members expect is that [Obama] keep his word," Stern told Rose and the international audience. "He promised that he would do something about healthcare, and obviously, he's doing it... On wage growth and middle-class growth... he understands that people who work hard should be able to get ahead."
Stern also touched on the high priority that SEIU places on passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Click here to watch the interview.
.....................................................................................................UHW Members and Bargaining Team at Sutter CPMC Save More than 190 Jobs
On May 15th, the UHW-SEIU bargaining team at Sutter CPMC emerged victorious from final negotiations with management regarding layoffs. The team dramatically reduced the number from management?s original proposal of 200, including UHW-SEIU members, down to only 7.
Bargainers minimized management's proposal to reduce hours; and workers affected will have no loss of benefits. Meanwhile, having worked without a contract for 6 months, UHW-SEIU members and bargaining team leaders at 3 other Sutter facilities returned to contract negotiations.
.....................................................................................................UHW Members in CHW Elect New Bargaining Team Members
Health caregivers at CHW hospitals across California continued to add members to their bargaining team. This past week they elected bargaining team members and alternates from 3 additional hospitals, in Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and Woodland.
"The most important elements for the success of UHW-SEIU are leadership, solidarity, and a strong bargaining team. Let's move forward," said Richard San Miguel, a new bargaining team member from Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz.
.....................................................................................................NEWS FROM SEIU...
Kaiser Becomes Focus of Healthcare Fight by Property Services Workers, Too The worksites for one-third of all UHW-SEIU members are also familiar turf for property-services workers waging a fight against corporate healthcare cuts. The 1,500 security officers at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and 300 in other locations protect hospitals, patients, and medical staff for the country's largest nonprofit healthcare organization.
They are employed by Securitas, one of the world's largest security-services providers which posted a 3-percent increase in profits for the first quarter of 2009. Because of Securitas' cutbacks. some workers face the impossible choice of putting food on the table or getting medical care for themselves and family.
Jagdeep Singh, mother of three says, "My kids are generally healthy, but they can get sick easily at school. I tell them they can't get sick and just to take Tylenol, because we can't afford to go to the doctor. I just take over-the-counter medicines to avoid getting sick."
For more information about the Securitas workers at Kaiser and their fight for dignity and healthcare, click here.
