MSEA Leadership Meeting Best Ever

Sorry for the late post, but if you can imagine it my job has been interfering with my life and my writing. Late or not I don't want to miss telling you about the leadership meeting. After so many of these I thought I knew the Script. First someone gets up and drones on for way too long and then tries to raise your interest in the newest direction picked by the SEIU or by the brass of the Union.
Not this time! No agenda, no speeches, no big table with the brass behind and above everyone else. The only agenda was the question "What can we do to make this a better Union?" Can you imagine it! The brass wanted to hear from us. We broke into four groups to discuss how to make our Union stronger, how to include more people and what it is we really want. The difference from the past was astounding and we were asked what our members wanted, not asked to fall in behind someone else's goals and march.

Our members want to let the public know that we respect them and that we are Mainers too.
We discussed how to reach out and change the image of the State Employee that the talk shows have painted for too long. State Employees don't lean on the shovel, but contractors that the State hires don't have signs that say CONTRACTOR. The costs for contracting are far more than the cost of a hard working State Employee because we don't drain out all of the money for profit. But the businesses in Maine don't want to talk about that either. The corporate tax rate in Maine is among the lowest in the country, and your taxes among the highest. Does that make good right wing talk?

We are growing and getting stronger. You have to know that and the press doesn't want you to know because Union members vote. There were more young members there than ever before and they are realizing they have to step up and take the place of the long time and long in the tooth activists that have built the Union. I don't like to admit it, but I keep having those birthdays every year. Helen, the president of the new local 771 was there, members of the community college were there, and looking around you could see hope.
The economy is rough and we have some very tough times ahead and whether we make gains or manage to hold off the worst of what is coming is up to us.

When we elected Bruce Hodsdon as president of the MSEA a lot of people said they expected change, they wanted change. I think they were right and this Union can start on a new road. We need each other. If you have not been involved because you didn't think you could be heard, that time is over.

Please remember, this Blog is moving to Http://WWW.UnionMaine.Org and we need members of all and any Unions to write articles. If you are not a member of a Union, write in and maybe we can help you to find one to help you.