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Representative Steven Webber Visits Mexico Veterans Home

 

 

Rep. Webber with Local 3503 President Denise McCallMexico, MO- On Monday June 15 Representative Steven Webber of the 23rd House District visited the Mexico Veterans Home to see first hand the hard work of AFSCME Council 72 members. Denise McCall the President of AFSCME Local 3503 guided Representative Webber’s visit through the residential floors of the veteran’s home and had this to say, “Rep. Webber’s visit to our facility was wonderful. It is great to see our elected officials taking an interest in the care of our veterans and the working people who care for them. Our members take great pride knowing Representative Webber is looking out for all of us.”  

 

During the Representatives tour President McCall highlighted two of the main challenges Local 3503 members face, mandated overtime and chronic understaffing at the facility. As a Marine and fellow veteran residents of Mexico Veterans Home were especially glad to see on of their own looking into their facility and care.

 

At the end of his tour Representative Webber had the following to say, “As a veteran I understand the sacrifices the residents of Mexico Veterans Home have made for all of us. It is our duty to make sure they receive the best care possible. That means making sure facilities like Mexico Veterans Home are fully funded and have staffing levels that ensure quality care for every veteran.”



Compromising crisis care makes no sense for KC area

(Op-ed originally printed in the Kansas City Star June 2, 2009)

Privatization has become a dirty word. And for good reason. Imagine where we would be today if George W. Bush had gotten his way and gambled away our Social Security on the stock market.

So it is disheartening to read that Missouri is privatizing more mental health services at Western Missouri Mental Health Center by transferring them to the financially fragile Truman Medical Center system.Sounds like a bad bet for those needing care for severe mental illness.Don Zavodny

For years Western Missouri Mental Health Center has provided high quality care to patients with crisis mental health problems. But now those services are in jeopardy at a time when they are needed most.

More than 87,000 Missourians have lost their jobs in the last year. For the affected families those job losses are accompanied by a spike in mental stress and anguish and an increased demand for public services.

The solution proposed by some is simply to offload care for distressed Missourians to the Truman Medical Centers system. But Truman’s own CEO, John Bluford, has acknowledged that Truman might not be able to maintain its current level of services over the next three years.

 



Union Survey on Influenza Pandemic Finds Lack of Adequate Health and Saftey Measures For Health Care Workers

Health Care ReportWashington, DC- A new union survey of more than 100 health care facilities across the country reveals that many are not adequately prepared to protect workers' health and safety during an influenza pandemic. The report, "Health Care Workers In Peril: Preparing to Protect Worker Health and Safety During Pandemic Influenza" conducted by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the AFL-CIO and other unions, concludes that workers face a very high risk of becoming infected when caring for patients with pandemic flu unless adequate health and safety measures are in place in advance of a pandemic. 

Download the Report: Health Care Workers In Peril (4.4MB PDF)

 



New Study: You Won’t Face Coercion if You Sign up for a Union

by Seth Michaels, May 27, 2009 of http://blog.aflcio.org/

If you sign up to join a union, you won’t face coercion or intimidation from your co-workers—or employers. Despite dire warnings by corporations against the majority sign-up process, a new study shows majority sign-up (card-check) protects workers and gives them the chance they need to form a union. It’s another critical point in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would give workers across the country the choice about how to form a union and bargain for a better life.

The study, “Majority Authorizations and Union Organizing in the Public Sector: A Four-State Perspective,” written by top labor policy scholars under the direction of Robert Bruno of the University of Illinois, looks at the experience of four states (New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Oregon) where public-sector workers have the freedom to form unions through majority sign-up. If passed, the Employee Free Choice Act would give millions of workers the option of using either majority sign-up or a National Labor Relations Board election to form a union.



AFSCME calls Missouri House Republican stimulus diversion “illegal manipulation”

 

In a report issued today to Missouri legislators the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees called Republican moves to divert federal stimulus money to tax cuts as "an affront" to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and "likely illegal."

"The proposed redirection," the AFSCME report charges, "will undermine the vital public services and structures thousands of Missourians rely on every day."

Furthermore, the report finds that "The proposed reallocation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds will have little effect on the Missouri's economy and will squander a historic opportunity to reinvigorate Missouri's public services."  The supposed economic benefit and wisdom of such tax cuts has been challenged even by Republican leaders.

The ARRA was intended to ease state budget shortfalls and stimulate the economy by maintaining jobs and opening up new employment. However, the AFSCME report finds that the recent Missouri House Budget Committee proposal to divert the state's $1 billion share of recovery funds into further tax cuts "ignores urgent budget deficits...and puts at risk the growing number of vulnerable citizens who rely on the services."



State Workers Lobby for Change

AFSCME Lobby Day April 22, 2009(Jefferson City, MO) On Wednesday April 22 as part of AFSCME Council 72’s expanding political program AFSCME members from around Missouri gathered in Jefferson City for lobby day. Over forty AFSCME Council 72 activists gathered in Jefferson City to meet with their Representatives and Senators about issues facing public employees.

Members gathered at the Capital Plaza hotel in the morning for an issue training that ranged from the importance of keeping state facilities adequately staffed to the need to pass the Employee Free Choice Act on a federal level. Members also wrote letters to their United States Senators urging them to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act, and support comprehensive health care reform.

 

After a working lunch activists made their way to the state capital to speak with their elected officials. Activists spoke with their Senators and Representatives about staffing issues at their facilities and the problems caused by high turnover rates. Many elected officials accepted invitations from AFSCME members to tour their worksites, and see first hand the challenges state employees face on a daily basis. 



MLK: Lest We Forget

AFSCME Memphis StrikeDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tenn., where he traveled to support AFSCME sanitation workers fighting for fair wages and recognition of their union: AFSCME Local 1733.

Dr. King did not live to see the full realization of his dream. Nonetheless, the cause of equality and economic justice to which he dedicated his life remains as relevant today as it was four decades ago.

Our country has made definite progress toward ensuring the doors of the American Dream are open to all. As Pres. Barack Obama said in his inaugural speech, this is “why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.”

But the fact of the matter is this: when it comes to completely fulfilling Dr. King’s dream of an America with abundant opportunity and shared prosperity and when it comes to making sure the American Dream really is in reach for all, this nation still has a lot of work to do.

When 47 million Americans lacking health insurance and those who have it see their premiums skyrocket beyond their means, it’s clear that we need quality, affordable health care for all.

When national unemployment stands at 8.5 percent, we need to stop layoffs and ease the burden on state and local governments so they can keep providing vital public services in times of need.

When the middle class continues to get squeezed out of existence, and more than half of U.S. workers – 60 million – say they would join a union if they could, we must give them this possibility. We need the Employee Free Choice Act to restore the freedom to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions without harassment from employers.

In other words, we must create an America that lives up to its ideals – the ideals expressed in Dr. King’s dream.



CHANGE IS OURS - WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

AFSCME Leaders prepare for contract negotiations. March 2009(Jefferson City, MO) Dozens of State Employees represented by AFSCME Council 72 came together in Jefferson City to begin organizing for upcoming contract negotiations with the State of Missouri. While in Jefferson City AFSCME leaders and activist focused on building the union’s strength in three key areas: contract negotiations, organizing members, and political action.

Bargaining a strong contract 

AFSCME leaders outlined a plan of action for negotiating a fair and strong contract with the State of Missouri. Members focused on negotiating policies that will allow them to deliver quality public services in a safe work environment. During the hours of discussion and planning the members identified several high priority areas; recognizing the value of workers with seniority and experience, the ability of workers to use sick leave and compensatory time free of management harassment, binding arbitration of grievances, controlling members health care costs, the choice of compensatory time or payment for overtime worked, and improving the safety standards for workers and clients.

Building Our Strength in the Shop

Leaders developed strategies for increasing union strength and membership in the workplace. Over 30 of the participants signed up as Volunteer Member Organizers (VMO) to help build power in the workplace and increase union membership in every local union.

Taking Political Action

As part of AFSCME Council 72’s expanding Political Action program Missouri State Workers debriefed the 2008 General Election, and looked towards 2010. Members discussed  AFSCME’s successes in 2008 including the landslide victory of AFSCME Council 72’s top targeted candidate Governor Jay Nixon.

Members also identified their top political priorities for expanding AFSCME Council 72’s influence in the political arena. AFSCME leaders identified multiple priorities for their political program including having State Legislators make visits to the worksite to see the quality services AFSCME members provide.  Leaders recognized the need for a large presence at our April 22nd state-wide lobby day as a top priority and stepped up with 30 commitments to attend. Leaders also made commitments to bring their co-workers to the capital and advocate for the services AFSCME members provide.