HOTLINE 4/12/18

This is the Federation Hotline updated April 12. 

Union Membership Equals Healthcare: Shared leave requests

Without a strong union, we wouldn’t have the key companion to having affordable healthcare. Shared leave allows us to receive leave when we’re hit with a devastating illness or injury that depletes our leave. If your illness or injury uses up all your leave and you still can’t work, shared leave is the difference between having healthcare insurance and not.

The Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28 first won the shared leave law in 1989 and, stronger together, we have expanded it several times since then in the Legislature and at the bargaining table. Just last month, we saw our latest shared leave expansion idea from the bargaining table become law when the governor signed ESHB 1434 to allow shared leave for pregnancy-related disability or illness, or for parental leave to bond with a new child.

Shared leave strengthens our healthcare benefits every day. Today, please help these latest requesters of shared leave with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday. Learn more and see earlier requests at: https://wfse.org/shared-leave

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Wayne “Bear” Beresford, a juvenile rehabilitation security counselor at Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie and a long time active member of Local 341, is requesting shared leave donations to help cover the time he is out while dealing with ongoing health issues.  To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact your human resource office.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Dianne Norman, a social service specialist 2 with DSHS in Yakima and a member of Local 1326, is in need of shared leave as she battles Stage 4 breast cancer. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Teresa Faulkner at (509) 454-6910.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Jessica Burris, a health services consultant 2 with the Department of Health in Tumwater and a member of Local 443, is requesting shared leave donations to help cover the time she will out during her surgery and recovery.  She will be out until at least the end of May. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Kim Kenderesi at (360) 236-4058 or your human resource office.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Lee Trevino, a medical assistance specialist 3 with the Health Care Authority in Olympia and a member of Local 443, is in need of shared leave to cover his extended recovery from an ongoing serious illness and multiple surgeries. He is a single custodial father. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, please contact Paula Williamson (360) 725-3805 at HCA Human Resources or your own Human Resources.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Danie Ware, a fiscal analyst 2 with the Department of Licensing in Olympia and a member of Local 443, is requesting shared leave to help cover the time she will be out for surgery and recovery.  To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Shelby Kirsmer-Harada at (360) 902-4060 or your human resource office.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Carol Forrester, a WorkSource specialist 4 with the Employment Security Department in Auburn and a member of Local 304, is requesting shared leave donations to help cover the time she will be out for her second cancer surgery and recovery.  She will be out until at least the end of May. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Felicia Wright at (360) 902-9532 or your human resource office.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Porter Nelson, a juvenile rehabilitation residential counselor at Green Hill School in Chehalis and a member of Local 862, is caring for his mother who is in failing health because of liver and autoimmune complications. His mom requires 24/7 home care and he has been approved for shared leave to care for his mom. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Tamara Hudgins at (360) 740-3425, or your human resource office.

IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Holly Brown, a financial services specialist 3 with the DSHS Chehalis Community Service Office (CSO), and member of Local 862, is in need of shared leave for a serious medical condition. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact Anne Marie Bammert at (360) 664-7449 or [email protected]  DSHS members should use the Shared Leave Donor Form, DSHS 03-220. 

STILL IN NEED OF SHARED LEAVE: Sylvia Lausted, a support enforcement officer 3 with DSHS in Spokane, has been approved for shared leave as she recovers from breast cancer surgery and further treatment and surgery. To help with a donation of eligible unused annual leave or sick leave or all or part of your personal holiday, contact your human resource office.

Union Membership Equals Retirement Security

In a recent poll of Federation members, when asked what benefit or working condition was threatened most by the Janus case now before the United States Supreme Court, retirement security was No. 1. Some 69 percent said a ruling for Janus and against public employees will bring reduced pensions.

To that end, our allies in the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington (RPEC/AFSCME) will bring their popular retirement workshop to Olympia. If you’re in Olympia, please attend.

“Retirement Security: What’s at Stake for Public Employees” will be 6-7:30 p.m., next Wednesday, April 18, at the Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia St. N.W., Rooms 101 and 102. Food and soft drinks provided.

The presentation will discuss pensions and retirement security for public employees – and how it may be reduced if the Supreme Court makes “right to work” the law of the land. 

This is about our future. No matter how close you are to retirement, you should attend. 

 Our union is committed to retirement security – in this Washington and the “other” Washington.

 Just yesterday, an AFSCME retiree told Congress to keep its “hands off my Medicare, hands of my Social Security.” Lisa Henson didn’t mince words Wednesday (April 11) when she called on Congress to protect those two programs, which millions of retirees depend on. A retired correctional officer, Henson came to Capitol Hill to raise awareness about how important those two programs are to public service workers and retirees like her. Read more about this latest effort to stand up for retirement security:

https://www.afscme.org/now/afscme-retiree-to-congress-hands-off-my-medicare-hands-of-my-social-security

Union Membership Equals Fair Pay

Fair pay is a priority for our union.  It is the only way the state will recruit and retain high quality employees needed to ensure efficient and quality public services in Washington.

Public employees are the driving force behind quality public services and we should be compensated fairly for the work we do.

In the current contracts, we won the largest compensation package since we gained the right to negotiate. That included cost-of-living adjustments and additional raises for more than 12,000 state employees to address the recruitment and retention crisis. Also, the first increase in vacation leave in more than 40 years. And the contracts safeguarded step increases and much more.

Now, in 2018, bargaining for our next contracts – and next compensation package – begins soon. For instance, the General Government Bargaining Team begins negotiations May 3.

Take every opportunity to give input on upcoming union contract negotiations and your priorities. This is where the rubber hits the road. You’ve submitted contract ideas, filled out surveys, attended worksite meetings and much more.  Keep involved. We’re stronger together when we work together for good contracts.

There’s much we can do for fair pay. 

One way is to keep informed on bargaining online:

That’s it for now.

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