From: 1021 NewsWire <seiu1021@me.com> Subject: More unconventional wisdom from the 1021 NewsWire - Nov. 11, 2011 Date: To: Reply-To: Vol. IV, Issue 11.2 - November 11, 2011 In This Issue: Tuesday's election results on the FRONT PAGE. Speak up now in 1021 CONVENTION. Plan for your future today in GOOD & WELFARE. Act today for the future in CALENDAR. Aren't you in the 1021 Network yet? 1021 NewsWire The Live Wire Facebook Twitter YouTube Front Page SEIU 1021-supported measures & candidates fare well in Tuesday elections In a very tight election for the Fairfield City Council, the candidate endorsed by SEIU 1021 Pam Bertani not only beat incumbent Chuck Timm by 125 votes but unseated appointed council member Rick Vacarro. As the polls opened on election day, Bertani actually trailed Timm in absentee votes, but by mid-morning our get-out-the-vote efforts helped give her the lead, which she kept throughout the day. Bertani's election was just the start. Most of the candidates and ballot measures supported by SEIU 1021 prevailed on Tuesday. In San Rafael, Damon Connolly won election to the city council. Across the bay, Jacqueline Asher won a seat on the Emeryville City Council. And in San Francisco, Ross Mirkarimi appears to have won election as sheriff; votes are still being counted, but he's leading his second-place opponent by a solid 10 percent.
Schools had a good day. In Solano County, Joe DiPaola won election to the Dixon Unified School District board; westward in Marin, Eva Long and Stephanie O'Brien took two of the four open seats on the Community College Board. And Mendocino County member Megan Van Sant was elected to the Ukiah school board. Despite the apparent election of Ed Lee (whom we did not endorse; again, votes are still being counted) as mayor, San Francisco was the scene of another big SEIU 1021 victory: Proposition C (which the city's unions drafted in negotiations with Lee) easily beat the competing Prop D for a reform of the city's pension system that could save $1.3 billion over the next ten years. All in all, our positions prevailed in six of the eight measures on the San Francisco ballot. Taking the measure of measures A statewide analysis of revenue measures by the League of California Cities revealed a trend that bucks conventional wisdom: "Voters on Tuesday approved 82 percent of the 22 non-school tax-related measures, compared to a 65 percent passage rate from 2001 to 2010... "Roughly 70 percent of the 16 special tax proposals, which required the support of two-thirds of voters, were approved Tuesday. The passage rate for such measures for the previous 10 years was 46 percent." One of those two-thirds measures was Mendocino County's Measure A, which won with three-quarters of the vote: a 1/8-cent sales tax to save county library services. Onion News Network: "Remains Of Ancient Race Of Job Creators Found In Rust Belt" 1021 Convention Speak Up: Join the 1021 Convention conversation There are three things we need to eliminate in the coming year: 1) Bad bosses 2) Cuts to public services 3) And the third one, um, uh, well, we can't remember at the moment. But seriously now. Rick Perry aside, truth is we can reel off a long list of things that need changing next year. And so can you and every other member of Local 1021. That's why we need to hear from you as we shift into higher gear in preparation for the first-ever SEIU 1021 Member Convention, which takes place Feb 11-12, 2012, in Oakland. We've just added lots of new material to the 1021 Convention home page on our website. And when you register with the website (there's an article there that explains how), you can add your comments and join the discussion whether you're a convention delegate or not: 1) Take the online survey and help Local 1021 set priorities for the next two years. 2) Attend an industry meeting and give your input in person. Find a schedule on the Convention home page and website calendar, and below in the Calendar section.
and website calendar, and below in the Calendar section. 3) Read and comment on the Executive Board's comprehensive six-point framework for discussion of our priorities: - Building workplace strength to protect jobs and services - Building strength at the bargaining table - Working with community and union allies - Increasing union density by organizing new workers - Supporting genuinely pro-worker political candidates - Fighting for a fair economy Visit the links below to take part. But first, read on for a personal message from SEIU 1021 President Roxanne Sanchez. Take the 1021 Convention Survey 1021 Convention Home Convention Events Calendar A 1021 Convention message from President Roxanne Sanchez On behalf of the SEIU 1021 Executive Board, I am pleased to invite you to provide your input and ideas for our two-year plan and to attend the first-ever SEIU 1021 Member Convention. On February 11-12, 2012, member delegates from across northern California will gather at the Oakland Airport Hilton to vote on major plans and projects of our union for the next two years. Our two-day convention will include prominent leaders from labor and the community, inspiring speakers from across the nation, and workshops to build our skills and to discuss important issues facing our union and society. We live in the reality of a broken economy where decisions to eliminate jobs, cut wages and benefits, and slash services will continue to challenge us. Since the economic crisis started, we have noticed a trend a new challenge at the bargaining table: Our employers are hijacking the collective bargaining process and exercising their power to impose contract settlements. More and more, our employers are refusing to work toward fair contract settlements, instead declaring an "impasse" in negotiations, then exercising their power to impose the contracts they want. Employers have rarely used this power before, but now they're using it as fast as they can instead of bargaining. Last week in Mendocino County, the Board of Supervisors imposed its will and forced our members to take a 12.5% wage cut. Imposition threats are hovering over members in San Joaquin County and Solano County right now. Who's next? The debate has begun
We are not helpless or hopeless. Right now Local 1021 leaders and activists are playing a lead role in a campaign to pass a statewide ballot measure to make millionaires pay their fair share of taxes in order to restore funding for the public services our communities need. Our Executive Board is developing a Two-Year Plan, with input from rank-and-file members from throughout Local 1021, to meet these and other major challenges we face. The debate has begun. Members from across our union are now discussing and providing input on our plan to fight back. Being a champion for workers and the people we serve has never been more important. We want and need to hear from you now. You can share your ideas at a chapter or industry meeting, or take advantage of the opportunity to share your thoughts about our plan through an online survey. Please take five minutes to give us your input. Become a convention delegate Chapters are in the process of electing 1021 Convention delegates. If your chapter has not already completed its process, we encourage you to run if you are interested in helping to set the future course of our union. Contact your Field Representative for more information. Register today All current members of SEIU 1021 may attend the convention and educational workshops. Non-delegate members must pay a *refundable* $50 deposit; register and pay online by credit card, or download a registration form and mail it to us with a check. Your deposit will be refunded when you attend the convention, or if you cancel your registration by February 6, 2012. See you at the convention. In Unity, Roxanne Sanchez President, SEIU Local 1021 Good & Welfare Long-Term Care: Act today for your secure tomorrow First, the good news: We're living longer. Now the bad news: We're living longer. According to World Bank statistics, average life expectancy in the United States is now 78.7 years and rising, nearly a decade longer than the world average of 69.2 years. And if you're already 55 or older in America, you can statistically expect to make it to 84 or so. Long life is certainly something to celebrate, but in today's economy it's also a greater cause for concern than ever. If you're 55 and retire at 65, you could live two more decades another 1/3 of your life with no income from a job. At the same time, uninsured medical expenses are the top financial worry among men and women age 55 and over, and 2/3 of people over 65 will need some kind of long-term care. Most of us aren't prepared for it. Many haven't even thought about it.
even thought about it. The Executive Board has endorsed LTC Compass as the long-term care resource for SEIU 1021 members. Call or visit the LTC Compass website for a no-obligation discussion on how a long-term care action plan may prove important to your sense of independence, your personal finances and your family. Visit LTC Compass at www.seiu1021.org under My SEIU 1021 > SEIU Member Benefits > SEIU 1021 Members Only. LTC Compass for SEIU 1021 Members Visit the website or call Scott Klein at (925) 918-1670 Calendar 1021 Calendar Find an SEIU 1021 Office Moon Phases - 3rd Q, Nov. 18 - New, Nov. 25-1st Q, Dec. 2 - Full, Dec. 10 SEIU 1021 Convention February 11-12, 2012 Airport Hilton Hotel, One Hegenberger Road, Oakland SEIU 1021 Convention Home Upcoming Convention Meetings Tu 11/15 - East Bay Area - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Tu 11/15 - Sonoma Area - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 600 B Street, Santa Rosa Sa 11/12 - Cities Industry - 10a-2p - Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, Room 1C, Hayward We 11/16 or Th 11/17 - San Francisco Regional Leadership Meeting - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Bldg., San Francisco Sa 11/19 - Healthcare Industry - 10a-2p - SEIU 1021, 155 Myrtle St., Oakland Su 11/20 - Mo 11/28 - Convention Delegate voting Tu 12/6-1021 Retiree Council - 10a-1p - SEIU 1021, 155 Myrtle St., Oakland Sa 12/10 - Counties Industry & Capital Stewardship Committee - 10a-2p - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield Tu 12/13-1021 COPE - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Bldg., San Francisco; videoconference at Fairfield, Oakland (Myrtle), Santa Rosa, Stockton & Sacramento offices; teleconference also available We 12/14 - San Francisco Area - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Bldg., San Francisco
Sa 1/21/12 (tentative) - Courts Industry - Time/Location TBA TBA - RN Industry & Special Districts Industry SEIU 1021 Leadership Committees Sa 11/19-1021 Executive Board - 10a-5p - Location TBA (Hayward/Fremont area) Education & Training View the complete catalog and register at www.1021training.info. Tu 11/15 - Union? What's That? - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 37 Hunter Square Plaza, Stockton Sa 11/19 - Advanced Shop Steward Training - 10a-4p - SEIU 1021, 600 B Street, Santa Rosa Social & Economic Justice Tu 11/15 - Peace & Solidarity Committee - 5:30p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco Th 11/17 - Social & Economic Justice Committee - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco Mo 11/21 - AFRAM Solidarity Committee - 6p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Mo 11/21 - Disability Caucus - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Tu 11/22 - Lavender Solidarity Committee - 6p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland San Francisco We 11/16 - Contract Action Team (first meeting) - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco - RSVP to Christina at christina.hung@seiu1021.org Regions & Industries Tu 11/15 - East Bay (Region 4) Area Meeting - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Tu 11/15 - Sonoma/Lake (Region 6) Area Meeting - 5:30p - SEIU 1021, 600 B Street, Santa Rosa - RSVP: Nancy Atwell, (707) 218-5195 or nancy.atwell@seiu1021.org Sa 11/19 - Health Care Industry Council - 10a - SEIU 1021, 155 Myrtle St., Oakland Retiree Councils Mo 11/21 - West Bay Retirees - 12-2p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco * * * *
Send all Calendar announcements, corrections and changes to calendar@seiu1021.org. * * * * DO NOT REPLY to this email. Send all comments and questions about the NewsWire or website only to 1021CAN@seiu1021.org. For all worksite issues or other questions, do not contact this email address; call the union office at (415) 848-3611. The 1021 NewsWire is published every Friday by the SEIU 1021 Communications Dept. Director: Bill Steck. Editor: Randy Lyman (randy.lyman@seiu1021.org). To subscribe, visit www.1021newswire.org. To unsubscribe, go to: http://1021.seiu.org/unsubscribe