eNewsletter - April 11, 2008
Richmond Members Move on City Council
Approximately 90 Local 21 and SEIU Local 1021 members attended the Richmond City Council Meeting on Tuesday April 1. They were color coordinated in blue and purple tee shirts to support the ongoing retiree health negotiations. Members from both bargaining units spoke to the Council regarding our demands that the amount for coverage be changed to a percentage rather than a flat rate, which has been the City's policy for the last 15 years. The members strongly encouraged the City to bargain with both units in good faith and come to an equitable and sensible resolution.
Bargaining Begins in Oakland
Local 21 officially began bargaining with the City of Oakland on Thursday April 3, 2008! The half-day session consisted of introductions, opening statements, and discussing ground rules for bargaining.
Negotiations began with the Local 21 bargaining team introducing themselves and sharing with City negotiators, Wayne Heine and LaWanna Preston, their array of experience with bargaining and details about the vital roles they play within the City of Oakland. Local 21's opening statement was made as a means of setting the tone for negotiations by stressing the issues of utmost importance to our members: fairness on the job; promotional opportunities and career ladders & lattices, protecting and honoring the City's commitment to health and pension benefits; and fair and equitable compensation. Most critically, however, is the clear message that was sent to the City about how finding effective solutions to these issues is in the best interest of both Local 21 and the City Ð especially in light of the City's need for succession planning.
Two future bargaining dates have been scheduled for Monday, April 21 and Monday, May 5. An agenda has been set for the meeting on the 21st, which will largely be dedicated to ground rules.
Local 21's bargaining team officially has 21 representatives. Bargaining team members present on April 3 included Jeff Levin, Hamid Ghaemmaghami, Joyce Carlson, Gunawan Santoso, Michele Byrd, Frank Fanelli, Judy Jackson, Carol Curtis, Martin Sharp, Robert Newman, Diane Lewis, Daniel Rossi, Donald Smith, Jean Roberts, Christia Mulvey, Renee Sykes, and Annie Sloan. Local 21 staff members supporting negotiations included Vickie Carson, Subha Varadarajan, Taneshia Straughter, Joe Brenner, and Anjali Asrani.
May Day Unity Rally planned in Oakland
Unions representing city employees in Oakland are planning a Unity Rally for May Day, (Thursday, May 1) in Frank Ogawa Plaza at 12:00 noon. All of the contracts with city employee unions (with the exception of the Oakland Police) expire on June 30, 2008. Stay tuned for details; plan to attend to show your support for all of our bargaining teams as we negotiate new contracts with the City.
Cesar Chavez Parade & Festival 2008
All are invited to join the celebration commemorating the life and work of labor and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez on April 19, 2008 in San Francisco.
The parade begins at 12 noon at 24th and Potrero Streets and continues down 24th Street. Following the parade, a festival is scheduled for Cesar Chavez School on Folsom Street between 22nd and 23rd streets.
For more information, call 415.621.2665 or visit the website at www.cesarchavezday.org
New Representative Starts at Union
Long time labor activist and leader Larry Hendel joined our staff in March and has already immersed himself in the inner workings and issues of the union. Hendel joins Local 21 after working for SEIU for over 20 years and brings experience and expertise in many different areas of representation including bargaining, grievances, and political action. Hendel has been assigned as a co-lead in San Francisco after our recent staff reorganization plan was implemented.
L21 Express is the bi-weekly email publication of IFPTE Local 21. Local 21 represents more than 7,000 Bay Area professional public employees. Main Office Phone: 415.864.2100 South Bay Phone: 408.291.2200
