March 2010
Gilbert Employees' Ideas Spark Budget Benefits
Gilbert Town Council has approved a package of cost-saving and revenue-generating proposals recommended by Town employees. The ideas amount to a benefit of about $750,000 to the Town's budget.
The suggestions, separate from those offered by the Citizens Budget Committee, come from a list of more than 70 ideas submitted by Town employees. You can see them all here.
Sign the Open Letter on Pima Health Cost Hike
Pima County employees are fighting unfair health insurance cost hikes proposed by County Management.
If you are a Pima County employee , you can join the fight against these unfair increases. Add your name to an Open Letter to County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.
You can add your name via our online Open Letter Signup.
Or download the Open Letter, sign it and get some of your co-workers to do the same. Then email us when you're ready to have your signed letter(s) collected by an SEIU Pima Chapter representative.
Thanks, David ...
The story of how our Pima Chapter was built can be told through the actions of the man who is now our first Pima Chapter President Emeritus - David Mitchell.
He was a member of the first Pima County SEIU Organizing Committee in 2005 and became a founding member of the Pima Chapter in June, 2006.
That was four months before Attorney General Terry Goddard issued the opinion that said the County could, in fact, approve a Meet & Confer ordinance and allow County employees to form a union.
In December, 2006, Dave was elected the first President of SEIU Arizona's Pima Chapter. "We're all in this together," he said after the results were announced. "We have to work for and with each other as we move forward and build a strong, active union that will be a real asset to the County."
Less than a month later, The Pima County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a Meet & Confer ordinance that cleared the way for employees to form an authorized union. On Feb. 12, 2007, Dave was there when we delivered more than 2,4000 signatures on a petition requesting a union election.
"This represents an historic moment in Pima County," said Dave on April 5, 2007, after 94 percent of those who cast a ballot voted for SEIU as the authorized representative of more than 5,000 county employees.
With that union election, Pima County employees became the first county employees in the State of Arizona to have a full labor-management relationship with their employer.
With little time to have any real input on County budget decisions, Dave Mitchell led the successful effort to win an extra 0.5 percent wage increase on top of a proposed 4.6 percent increase for County workers.
"We had just won our election in April and we knew there wasn't enough time to begin any formal discussions with the County about this," Dave said after the budget was approved in June, 2007.
"However, there was time to use our voice as a union," he said. "We met with representatives of the Board and made a good case for the extra 0.5 percent."
Dave was there when our union fought for improvements for Attendant Care Workers, he worked hard on our Wage Comparison campaign in an effort to raise standards for all Pima County employees.
He led our first Meet & Confer Team into bargaining with county management that began in April, 2008 - after encouraging the Board of Supervisors to convince management to get moving on the negotiations.
And in 2009, Dave and the Meet & Confer Team won important new language in our agreement that reinforced job security provisions for Pima employees.
He has been a tireless advocate for Pima County employees since our chapter began and all of us owe him our gratitude.
But perhaps more importantly, Dave Mitchell is still working for working men and women, encouraging, cajoling, articulating the need to grow our membership so we have the power to improve the careers of public service workers in Pima County and across Arizona.
Those qualities - and his abundant energy - are illustrated by his words of welcome to our new chapter President, Maya Castillo ... "I fully anticipate that this good union member is going to learn fast and work hard. I couldn't ask for anything more in a leader. She's already indicated that she's a good listener. That's number one. You've got that skill, Maya - go use it!"
Thanks, David.
Top Photo: David Mitchell addresses the Pima County Board of Supervisors, 22 May 2007
Next Photo R: David Mitchell delivers signed petitions to the Pima County Human Resources Dept., January, 2006
Next Photo L: Dave signs his member authorization card, 28 June 2006
Bottom Photo: Chapter President Maya Castillo with Chapter President Emeritus David Mitchell, 23 March 2010
Maya Castillo Leads Pima Chapter
Maya Castillo, a Library Associate at Santa Rosa Library with deep roots in the community, and an SEIU member since 2006, is the new President of our Pima Chapter.
"I grew up on the south side but my aunts, uncles and cousins have always lived here" in the Santa Rosa area," said Maya. "My family's been in this neighborhood for 100 years."
She takes on this role as County employees are facing the possibility of steep increases in the cost of their health care benefits. Maya will take the lead as Pima Chapter members gather signatures on an Open Letter to County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry opposing the suggestion that employees bear the full cost of the increases.
"Our goal is 1,000 signatures," she said. "People who have chronic illness or can't go to HDHP - for any reason - can't NOT have options. You can't price them out of it. It can't happen."
Maya is adamant that union membership must grow if County employees are going to have the strength to fight these health care cost increases.
"I have several people who always say, 'Yeah, I've thought about joining the union.' Well, you need to join now," said Maya.
"Union dues are not going up but our health insurance will go WAY up unless we all get on board, join our union and get active," she said. "Either we pay a little bit and get stronger or we are going to pay a whole lot in increased costs."
Maya is Mom to a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and is well aware her new role as president will call for some adjustments- at least at the SEIU offices on Tucson Blvd.
"I can't do anything that's disconnected from my family," she said. "Being a mom is at the top of my list. I couldn't work full-time without my parents' help. And now to do union work, I'll just have to take my daughter!"
Congratulations to Maya and the entire Castillo clan ...
We Did It!
SEIU members in Arizona and across the country have been working hard for health care insurance reform for years because we know that real health care reform is vital to the well-being and security of working families everywhere.
We want to thank all of you who signed petitions, attended health care rallies, made phone calls and did the hard work of advocacy for something we truly believe is necessary to the future success of our country.
Please go to our Health Insurance Reform page to contact Congressman Harry Mitchell and the other four members of Arizona's House delegation who voted for health insurance reform and let them know you appreciate their courageous stand.
Good Question ...
"I don't agree with balancing the state budget on the backs of state employees, especially since the employees are not responsible for the millions of dollars in tax cuts that were given away by the Republican-controlled Legislature in the past 10 years."
That's part of what Kathy Roberts of Phoenix wrote to the editor of the Arizona Republic today. Read the rest of her thoughtful letter.
State Employee Pay Cuts Now Law
The wait is over, for better or worse ... Governor Jan Brewer signed into law all the budget bills for 2010 and 2011. This includes HB2003 and that means that state workers will face a 2.75% pay cut and furloughs.
Employees in agencies overseen by DOA will face a 2.75% cut. Cuts for employees in areas led by elected officials can be made in other ways, including pay cuts, furloughs, or vacancy savings. All employees will be required to take one unpaid furlough day before June 30, six in FY2011 and six more in FY2012.
The Governor also signed into law HB2010 and agreed with the Legislature that it's okay to roll back funding for AHCCCS by cutting $385 million in funding for the system, and thus do an end-around the will of Arizona voters. It's expected there we'll be legal challenges to this piece of legislation, and perhaps other parts of the budget package as well.
Read more in the Arizona Republic.
SEIU Takes a Big Step to a New AZ in 2011
"They say 'cut back!' We say 'Fight Back!"
That was the battle cry voiced by SEIU Arizona members from all over the state March 13 as we gathered in Phoenix to decide which candidates for statewide office are ready to change Arizona for the better.
Two days after the legislature approved a 2011 budget that slashes funding for health care, education, "safety net" programs for the poor - and which cuts pay for state employees - an enthusiastic crowd of SEIU members made it clear that we are ready to do whatever it takes to elect leaders who value and respect public employees and the vital services they provide.
"The value of a voice is about making changes where we need to make these changes," said Sonia Debride, a state member who works for the Dept. of Economic Security's Division of Developmental Disabilities. "And endorsing candidates who will help us make these changes is how we use our voice, too."
And so SEIU members from our chapters in Pima County, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and State members from Flagstaff, Kingman, Yuma, Tucson, Prescott, Phoenix and elsewhere got down to work.
All candidates for governor were invited to attend the endorsement event but only one took the time to show up and share his views on the future of Arizona - Attorney General Terry Goddard. SEIU members also heard from candidates for Secretary of State (Sam Wercinski and Chris Deschene), Attorney General (Felecia Rotellini, David Lujan and Vince Rabago), Corporation Commission (Jorge Garcia and David Bradley) and Superintendent of Public Instruction (Penny Kotterman).
All were well-received by SEIU members who then went into caucus groups to talk about the candidates and consider which ones deserve not only our support but our active participation in working to elect them in 2010.
The SEIU Arizona Endorsement Committee, made up of representatives from each chapter, then met away from the hall to discuss the caucus choices and make recommendations about whom SEIU will endorse.
The committee returned to the hall. "We are going to recommend a full, 100 percent endorsement of Terry Goddard for governor!" said Mariana Sandoval, a member of the Endorsement Committee. A sea of hands were raised to ratify the recommendation and that was followed by cheers and applause as Terry Goddard re-entered the room.
"Thank you for this endorsement, it means a lot to me," said the candidate. "But it's just the start. We've got a huge job to do between now and November. And we'll be depending on everyone in this room and the thousands you represent outside of this room to carry the word throughout the state of Arizona. We can change this place."
SEIU Arizona is also proud to endorse SEIU member Andrei Cherny for State Treasurer, Penny Kotterman for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Jorge Garcia and David Bradley for the Arizona Corporation Commission.
SEIU members liked all of the candidates for Attorney General and Secretary of State and decided to hold off on an immediate endorsement.
Top Photo: SEIU members at Endorsement event in Phoenix. (Lynn Ott photo)
Lower Photo: Attorney General Terry Goddard and members of the SEIU Arizona Endorsement Committee. (Lynn Ott Photo)
Paid for by Arizona Families United for Strong Communities - Project of SEIU COPE, major funding by Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education, 800-424-8592
Budget Battle Report - March 10, 2010
Republican legislators are taking state employees on another roller-coaster ride with the Approprations Committee passing a package of budget balancing bills yesterday, getting it through the Rules Committee today and scheduling a House vote on the plan for tomorrow.
Many state employees are receiving email updates from their agency directors about the progress of balanced budget legislation. But one thing is clear - the "blend" of pay decreases and furlough days is in response to the organized resistance of state SEIU members. This legislative change of heart demonstrates the power of workers united and raising their voices.
But we can't rest now because there's still a lot of work to do.
The 15-bill package that passed out of the Appropriations Committee calls for a 2.75% pay reduction (instead of a 5% salary cut) that "shall come from monies previously appropriated for performance pay," according to the bill.
State employees would take another furlough day before June 30, 2010 and would have to take six furlough days in Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012.
While none of this is great news, it's better than earlier proposals and there's no question it is a response to SEIU members' efforts to resist the cuts.
And remember - while the state legislature is having its Special Session, we're having a "special session" of our own this Saturday. If you haven't registered for SEIU's "A New Arizona" endorsement event to change Arizona for the better, you can do so right here. It's happening this Saturday in Phoenix.
Read more in the Arizona Republic.
New Town Manager Grapples with Gilbert Budget
Former Gilbert Fire Chief Collin DeWitt has begun a new - if temporary - career as Gilbert's Town Manager at a time when the town is looking for ways to fill a $15 million budget hole.
Gilbert voters will decide in May whether to increase the local sales tax rate by a quarter of a cent. If they do approve the increase, that should bring in enough revenue to cut the deficit in half.
However, if other cost-savings or revenue-generators cannot be found, "that means we'll have a number of layoffs in the end, though we're going to do everything we can to minimize that," DeWitt said in this story in the East Valley Tribune.
Gov Calls Special Session to Discuss Cuts, Layoffs
Gov. Jan Brewer has called a Special Session of the legislature to again attempt to balance the 2009-10 and 2010-11 state budgets. The session, which began March 8, will address "employee compensation and workforce reduction," according to her March 5 proclamation.
The governor's budget plan is expected to call for further pay cuts to state employees' salaries, an additional furlough day, elimination of the 2.75 percent in performance pay, as well as further layoffs in addition to the 4,000-plus state workers who have already been let go.
Arizona's state workforce are already among the lowest-paid in the nation and many have already seen their paychecks reduced through mandatory furlough days. Proposed salary cuts this year and next will not only have an immediate effect on income, but will also affect retirement pensions in the future.
Employees of the state of Arizona should contact their state senator and representatives and let them know that Enough is Enough.
This latest budget plan by the governor and Republican legislative leaders was developed without any input from the public or any Democratic legislators, according to this story in the Arizona Republic.
Legislators Stand Up for State Workers
"Do not allow these people to demoralize you and make you think you're not important. Because you are!"
So said State Sen. Linda Lopez at a rally in support of state employees March 4 at the Capitol. Sen. Ken Cheuvront and Sen. Rebecca Rios also encouraged state employees to speak out and let Gov. Jan Brewer and legislative leaders know exactly how they feel about a proposed 5 percent pay cut.
"If you made your voices heard ... imagine the difference you could make (in the legislature)," said Sen. Lopez. "Enough is enough!" said Sen. Rios to the crowd. "You and your families cannot sustain a pay cut and you need to be treated with dignity and respect!"
A bill authored by Sen. Cheuvront would require state legislators to share the pain. "If we ask for you to take a 5 percent pay cut, then we need to take a 5 percent pay cut," he said. However, he said his bill is being held by the Senate leadership. He urged state employees to contact Senate President Bob Burns and demand that the "shared sacrifice" bill be let out for a vote.
Contact Sen. Burns at (602) 926-5993 or at rburns@azleg.com and let him know what you think.
Legislators Aim to Ration AHCCCS
Ten years ago, Arizona voters approved expanding AHCCCS to include anyone below the federal poverty level, the cost of the expansion to be supplemented by Arizona's share of the tobacco settlement fund.
Today, Republican Representative John Kavanagh and other legislative leaders are planning to deny health care to about 25 percent of the people currently enrolled in the program. And Rep. Kavanagh would prefer to do it without any input from voters.
AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, provides health care services to one out of every six Arizonans, according to this story in the East Valley Tribune. Gov. Jan Brewer says the current state budget deficit means Arizona can no longer afford to have more than 1.2 million people on the AHCCCS rolls.
Retirement Incentives Again Offered to Chandler Workers
Thanks to a Retirement Incentive Program developed by SEIU and the city last year, Chandler employees saved more than 60 jobs and maintained services for residents. A similar RIP is being offered again this year with the goal of encouraging enough early retirements to retain jobs for about 40 city employees who might otherwise have to be laid off.
Chandler is looking at a $17.5 million budget deficity for Fiscal Year 2010-11 and aims to save $6.2 million by eliminating 39 positions that are not currently vacant. Those employees who are not eleigible for early retirement could opt for a voluntary severance package.
Read more in the East Valley Tribune.