I wish I could write this well

E.T.I. 2009

This is a comment posted by an anonymous reader. I wish I could write this well.
The only editing was the removal of some compliments given to this blog, as this is not about me, it is about the MSEA.

The beauty of an organization like MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 is that it's statewide and truly member driven. Anyone who wants to get involved can and should today. There are many reasons to do so but to me they all boil down to this: Workers need to stand up for each other if we're going to have any chance of keeping the American Dream alive for our children. That's a tall order and as a parent, I certainly want to do my part.

Personally I think it's exciting to be part of an organization with over 10,000 members. When you think about it, it's a wonder we can accomplish anything at all given the huge size of our state and the many diverse views and experiences among our members. Yet seemingly against all odds, we can and do accomplish great things -- fair treatment at work, quality public services, respect for public workers, a belief that all workers deserve a voice in their wages benefits and working conditions; a belief that everyone should be able to go to the doctor when their sick; and a belief that if you work hard all you life, you should be able to enjoy a decent retirement.

Thinking big and dreaming big and making those dreams happen all require work, hard work, on many levels. Let's first recognize the hard work of the MSEA-SEIU members who built this organization into what it is over the past 60-plus years. Many of these members are long dead or retired. They sacrificed for us and our children and grandchildren. We wouldn't have gotten to this point without their hard work for MSEA.

Now it's our turn to do the same for the next generation. No one ever said it was going to be easy. Many folks have done great work and are still doing great work. It's time for the folks who haven't yet stepped to the plate to do so.

Narsbars said, "We have a good Union with a track record of success. If you like it or if you don't the best way to help or bring change is to participate. Maybe we can only make a phone call to a legislator or sign a petition, but that is participation. If we can't make time to help then what we have will be taken, what we do will not be respected, who we are will not matter".

E.T.I. 2009
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Imagine being paid for all of your work.

E.T.I. 2009
I am a salaried employee. A lot of employees in all ranges are salaried. According to the State salaried means that you work as long as they want for no extra pay. I started thinking about what would be fair. The State says they have no money for State employees. They always say that. We don't have anything to give but our time and the State's lack of planning, and not hiring enough employees to do the job should not come out of our lives. I am tired of bleeding time so that the State can get free work. How about on call? Some departments pay all employees 16% when they are on call. Some pay a few hours a week. Some pay nothing.

Does anyone think these ideas are fair? A direct quote from a BHR employee to me was "We can make you work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and except for having to give you enough rest to maintain health, bathroom breaks, and a little time to eat, we do not have to pay you one penny more.

I have some ideas. Remember, The Union promised bargaining ideas would be collected starting after the last contract. Summer is ending, and it is time to start collecting ideas. We need to do the research.

1. Overtime Distinctions: For purposes of this article a distinction between employee types, exempt and non-exempt, applies.

1.1 Overtime Defined: Overtime is authorized work performed in excess of the basic work week or biweekly period for exempt employees.

1.2. Straight Time Rate: Where the basic workweek is 40 hours, hours of overtime will be compensated as follows:

1. Non-exempt employees shall be entitled to overtime pay at time and a half.
   
2. Exempt employees shall, at the discretion of the Employer, be paid overtime at straight time or given compensatory time off.

1.3. Time and One Half Rate: Where the basic workweek is forty (40) hours, all overtime shall be compensated as follows:

1. Non-exempt employees shall be entitled to overtime pay at the rate of time and one half. Shift differentials shall also be included where appropriate.
2. Exempt employees will be given compensatory time off or overtime pay at straight time after 80 hours in a biweekly pay period.
   
3. All hours that an employee is on pay status will constitute "time worked" for the purpose of determining the workweek required to establish eligibility for overtime compensation.
4. There shall be no pyramiding or duplication of compensation by reason of overtime or holiday or other premium pay provisions of this Agreement.
5. Alternative Work Schedule: An employee who works an alternative work schedule, by choice, shall only be entitled to that premium pay for overtime worked which is specifically provided for in the memoranda of agreement which authorizes alternative work schedules or flex-time. Not withstanding the above paragraph, employees that have worked other schedules shall continue to receive overtime based on the former schedule, if it is more beneficial to the employee.
6. Exempt employees shall have overtime calculated on a biweekly basis of 80 hours. All hours in pay status shall count as time worked.

1.4. Determining Exemption: The Parties agree that it shall be the responsibility of a Labor Management Committee to determine whether any position in any unit is exempt or non-exempt. The Labor Management Committee shall, in making its determination, consider past practice, pertinent wage and hour law, equity and the ability of employees to control their own work hours.

1.5. Overtime Funding: When authorized, payment for overtime is subject to the availability of appropriate funding. Whenever funds are not available, employees who work authorized overtime shall receive compensatory time off at the rates specified in 1.2. and 1.3.

1. The Employer may not require any employee to accrue by overtime work, compensatory time in an amount which exceeds two hundred forty (320) hours. The Employer and an employee may mutually agree to exceed this limit. If an employee is required to work overtime beyond the limits set forth herein, the employee shall be paid.
2. When an employee is paid for compensatory time it shall be at the employee's rate of pay at the time of payment.

1.6 Compensatory Time: An employee may receive compensatory time off at the rates specified in 1.2. and 1.3 in lieu of overtime pay upon mutual agreement between the Employer and the employee.

2. Return to Work:

2.1 Call Back: Non-exempt employees called back to work without prior notice on the same day after once leaving work or before the next regular starting time, shall be compensated at one and one half time the hourly rate for the hours worked and shall be guaranteed a minimum of not less than four (4) hours of premium pay. Non-exempt employees who are called back to work again, as provided above, shall be entitled to an additional minimum of three (4) hours of straight pay. For exempt employees call back hours shall be considered a part of the basic workweek for overtime purposes.

2.2 Full-time employees called back to work pursuant to 2.1 shall have the "hours worked" computed from portal to portal.

2.3 Standby: Any employee who is subject to being recalled to work, shall receive one 16% of their regular rate of pay for every hour on Standby status; the employee shall be notified of when he/she is expected to be on Standby status. The employee does not waive the right to minimum time allowed or the portal to portal pay.

E.T.I. 2009
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2004, George Bush, an even lower point for modern American labor than Ronald Reagan.

E.T.I. 2009

Union members spent more than $85million failing to beat President Bush. The Unions were left with less money and far fewer friends in congress. Bush appointed Union hating labor regulators and promoted anti-union policies.

After 2004, unions faced internal splits, with the SEIU and its 1.8 million members, as well as six other major unions, leaving the AFL-CIO.

The drive to destroy organized labor, started with the election of President Ronald Reagan, was, it seemed, nearly complete. It was all over.

But in 2007, three years later, labor is coming back! It is finding new muscle and remembering how to organize members and votes. The Union muscle is political. The new muscle is being flexed in the presidential campaign, and ready to reverse decades of declining membership with new friends in the White House and Congress.

Stop and look. There is hope. Democratic presidential candidates have walked a day in Union member’s shoes. Candidates not afraid to say how much the Unions have helped this country and that having a good job does not make you a terrorist. The Employee Free Choice Act passed in the House, and nearly passed in the Senate. The EFCA would allow workers to join a union by signing a card rather than going through a long campaign where they can be seen talking to the Union and where management takes every chance to frighten people only trying to feed a family, pay the rent, and pursue happiness. If Democrats get real power they will owe their position to labor not just a few currently undecided voters.

In America huge change is still possible, labor can come back, the economy can be taken from the control of just the top 1/10 of 1%.

Maybe Bush and the Republican scandals and Bushes endless war based on lies have turned out to have one good point. The Iraq war, a bad economy for the working class, the destruction of the middle class, and various Republican scandals have helped to Unite Labor and the Democrats deliver Congress to them.

Labor remains a strong force in Democratic politics due to a focused belief in betterment for everyone. The skills learned by Unions when members were shot for starting a Union have not been forgotten, just not used enough.

In the 2006 elections Unions spent millions, with most of it going to Democratic candidates. Nevada Sen. Harry Reid talked about labor in a conference call in February, one week before the Carson City presidential forum, sponsored by AFSCME, the largest of the 55 member unions in the AFL-CIO.

"Let me testify to everyone that I would not be the majority leader if it were not for you and your great union," Reid told Gerald McEntee, president of the public employees union.

Democrats have changed.

The country has moved to the left on a range of economic issues. In 2005 1 percent of Americans controlled twenty percent of the country’s wealth. In 2005 there was more money in fewer hands since 1929.

The fear for themselves, along with rising health care costs, jobs going to China and Mexico, retirement defaults with the companies going back into business and growing rich has led to Unions being able to help elect Democrats in the Midwest to elect Democrats to public office, even with fewer members than in 2004.

Labor Listens! Labor knows what the country wants and what the country fears. Unions campaigns against Wal-Mart, one of the worst anti-labor, money is all, employees are replaceable companies has felt the sting. Even after failing to organize Wal-Mart workers, the SEIU and the United Food and Commercial Workers started campaigns in 2005 to shame the retailer into change.

Negative publicity, driven in part by Unions, has hurt Wal-Mart sales by 2 percent to 8 percent. Wal_Mart announced plans to cut the number of stores it will open.

Starting with the SEIU's Stern, new tactics are giving labor some minor organizational successes for the first time in possibly thirty to forty years.

This is from the MSEASEIU web page:

Home Care for Maine Workers Ratify First Contract!

Home Care for Maine workers across the state voted resoundingly to approve their first contract. The ballots were counted at 6pm on August 16.

In approving this contract, Home Care for Maine has taken the last step toward becoming the newest unit here at MSEA-SEIU Local 1989.

This is the first home care contract in the nation to include paid organizational leave for workers. Please go to Http://WWW.MSEASEIU.ORG and read the whole story.

The Unions are polishing new organizational strategies and planning how best to use what we hope will be newly found influence in congress and the White House. It is not just dreams, Democratic candidates are supporting Unions as part of the economic solution to globalization and declining wages.

If we get a Democrat in the White House, we'll get an improvement. Anything is better than what we have now, it won’t take much to see an improvement.

A Democrat in the White House will give Unions a friendlier National Labor Relations Board, one that is not supported by the richest 1%. Maybe the next president will return the rights of Unionization to the thousands of workers that had their rights stolen under the boogey man of terrorism.

The best thing that could happen is a growing membership. The Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to organize workers by getting them to sign a card, instead of facing employer intimidation.

A card check system would help Unions organize Wal-Mart, other retailers and service industries. America could become a land where it is not a crime to earn a fair wage.

We definitely won’t get it all. Democratic victories in 2008 won’t give us all of the changes we need.

There is a fight ahead, even with a Democratic Congress and a Democratic president, it will be war. The Republicans and the richest 1% in the world will not roll over and give up.

Even if the Employee Free Choice becomes law law, unions will face the legal and political muscle of firms that have grown rich busting organizing campaigns.

Unions need to think big. Supporting national health care plan, would remove from the bargaining table one of the hardest fought battles in contract talks.

One Union, the AFL-CIO has already made Health care reform a big part of the Unions’s political platform. The SEIU co-hosted a presidential forum this year in Las Vegas devoted solely to the issue.

To be successful Unions must get the word out. Unions don’t want better wages and Health care only for themselves. That would be a formula for failure. The Union goal is more than wages and working conditions. Unions are made of Americans that want better health care, better wages, respect, and a better life for all.

If Unions have the muscle, and they must be patient and weigh the time, Congress can be encouraged to hold investigations and hearings on the law firms and retailers that have tried to avoid unions. Those hearings would be nothing new, in the late 1930s Congress investigated Union-busting activities of companies such as General Motors and Republic Steel.

No matter how happily the 2008 elections turn out Unions will not become successful solely through a President or Congress. Unions will only become successful if they organize workers and improve their jobs and their lives.

E.T.I. 2009

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