If you're not already a Member of our Union, why should you join? For starters, money- Union members earn better wages and benefits than workers who aren't Union Members. On average, Union Workers' wages are 30% higher than their nonunion counterparts. While only 14% of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions, 68% of union workers do. More than 97% of union workers have jobs that provide health insurance benefits! Unions also help employers create a more stable, productive workforce where Workers have a say in improving their jobs. Want to know more? Give us a call & mention that you saw this article on OPEIUVoice - (619) 640-4840
We Win!
Today, I voted with fellow OPEIU, Local 30 Members on our tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanete. Originally, I thought I'd begin writing a critical article in regards to how well our Union would publicize the ratification meeting....but then OPEIU, Local 30 publicized it on their web site and I was surprised by several fliers which I received in the mail. -So, I couldn't complain about that. Then, I thought I'd begin the critical article in regards to the actual voting process employed by our Union leadership; while canvassing at several clinics yesterday, many fellow Members complained that the voting arrangements would not be convenient and suggested online voting and/or mail in voting, and/or day long voting locations nearer to work areas (as opposed to the single voting day, at one location, and during specific times). During the election today, our OPEIU, Local 30 President, Marianne Giordano, and Executive Director, Walter Allen Jr, and I discussed the potential of our utilizing the additional methods during future voting opportunities and both appeared quite open, interested and perhaps even eager to explore the potential. -So, I can't complain about that. In fact, there really wasn't anything for myself (or anyone else in attendance of the vote [as evident by the results]) to complain about. So, instead of an article critical of our Union's leadership, I think it more appropriate to thank each of them for their role in securing solid, new, local and national agreements. (more...)
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Are My Dues Going Up?
Now that we know OPEIU, Local 30 Members who work at Kaiser Permanente have secured a new, two year contact, some Members are asking, "When we get [the two, 3%] raises, will our dues go up?" The answer is, "Maybe". To know for sure, you'll need to multiple your current wage by 3% (i.e. $20 hourly wage x .03 = $0.60) Next, add that number to your hourly wage to equal your new, hourly wage (i.e. $20 + .60 = $20.60) Then do it again for the following year (i.e. $20.60 hourly wage x .03 = $0.618 and $20.60 + $0.618 = $21.218). Lastly, confirm where your new hourly totals, for each year, fall into our OPEIU, Local 30 dues schedule.
How: Please reserve your tickets by contacting the Union office:
6136 Mission Gorge Road
San Diego, CA 92120
(619) 640-4840
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
Recently, I needed to utilize the California Employees Sick Leave Act (CESLA) which allows for workers to use up to half of their annual accrual of sick leave to care for their dependents, while protecting the Worker from any retailiation or punishment from Management. Unfortunately, the Assistant Department Administrator within the department I work didn't understand this. Fortunately, OPEIU, Local 30 Union Reps. Mark Bailey and Annette Baxter did and contacted Management without hesitation. Should Management choose to harass Workers whom need to utilize CESLA, they should expect a grievance shortly thereafter. If you experience a similar violation of State law, now you know who to call...I know I do. Thank You, Annette and Mark (more...)
Regarding a separate issue, MaryEllen Farell proved to be quite supportive in regards to OPEIU, Local 30 Member's rights as they pertain to work shift changes; where Management has established that Workers didn't/don't bid on specific work areas or assignments and, instead, bid only on shifts, Workers may contend that changes in regards to shift changes must then be done in reverse seniority (if no senior worker chooses to accept the shift changes). Thank You, MaryEllen.
SEIU / NUHW / TRUTH
The SEIU/NUHW battle is really going strong; Unfortunately, despite the regime change and Stern's new role as President Emeritus (whatever that is) and the multiple black eyes SEIU has received form flat out election defeats and as well as those elections which were close (and within which SEIU spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions) the leadership within SEIU still hasn't realized the errors of its ways.
The SEIU reminds me of a habitual liar; perhaps they think that, if they repeat lies often enough, they will come true. Or, perhaps, they don't have any aspirations of them coming true and are just betting that if they repeat the lies enough times, people will eventually believe them to be true.
During the past year and a half, SEIU claimed their Members were petitioning to hold elections so that they could remain united in SEIU. -The exact opposite is true; Members don't petition for an election in order to stay in their Union. They petition to GET OUT of the Union they're in, usually to join or form a new one. And, because there are so many SEIU/NUHW elections, and over 5,000 formerly SEIU Members have chosen to join NUHW, it's obvious that SEIU's Members are petitioning to hold elections so that they can become united in NUHW.
Another SEIU lie was spun during the months leading up to the Kaiser election. First, SEIU claimed that SEIU Members at Kaiser had chosen to stay with SEIU when in fact SEIU had simply blocked the election (until the open period in which Members may petition to change Unions) for which so many of it's Members had petitioned. Then, SEIU tried to scare it's Members into believing that they would lose the guarantees and protections that they have within their current contract if they vote to join NUHW (this lie was proven wrong when the NLRB ordered Kaiser to honor the current contract for many Kaiser professionals who already quite SEIU and joined NUHW, earlier this year). Most recently, SEIU has stated that, at a hearing before a National Labor Relations Board, "NUHW officials stalled for nearly five hours and then refused to sign before leaving the NLRB offices in downtown Oakland. The board then strongly indicated they would dismiss the election petition if NUHW doesn't sign the agreement by July 22." In reality, however, the National Labor Relations Board has agreed to protect the rights of thousands of Kaiser workers to choose their union by scheduling an election which will allow Members to vote from home, in a government-run election.
So, one can learn a lot from the SEIU; just listen to what the SEIU says and writes then know that the exact opposite is most probably true.
All the best to my Brothers and Sisters who are joining NUHW!
Regarding a separate issue, MaryEllen Farell proved to be quite supportive in regards to OPEIU, Local 30 Member's rights as they pertain to work shift changes; where Management has established that Workers didn't/don't bid on specific work areas or assignments and, instead, bid only on shifts, Workers may contend that changes in regards to shift changes must then be done in reverse seniority (if no senior worker chooses to accept the shift changes). Thank You, MaryEllen.
