21 LA members Randy Zwez, Belinda Pidgeon, Leon Goudeau and Herman Branford along with Baton Rouge organizer Barbara Carter attended a three-day retreat sponsored by Together Baton Rouge. The retreat was held at the Jacobs Retreat Center in Utica, Mississippi on February 9-11.
The training was a modified version of a week-long IAF national training, which is widely recognized as one of the most effective leadership development trainings in the country. It was conducted by organizers from around the country and focused on the concepts, skills and practices we’ve found help leaders build institutions and broad-based organizations.
“I learned alot by participating in this training and working with other community leaders,” said 21 LA member, Herman Branford.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the nation’s largest healthcare union, representing more than 1.1 million nurses, doctors and healthcare workers. Following the Obama Administration’s announcement today on contraceptive coverage, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement from the White House is an affirmation of President Obama’s commitment to protecting women’s health and guaranteeing that all women, regardless of where they work or what they earn, will have access to affordable contraception coverage.
“President Obama clearly listened to the concerns of faith leaders, healthcare experts, religious organizations, and women’s health advocates and identified a solution that maintains a commitment to quality healthcare for all women, and respects their personal healthcare decisions, while also respecting religious freedom. Every American, regardless of their employer, will be treated the same under the healthcare law. As a union, we bring together women and men of all faiths and all walks of life, all united by the unshakeable belief in equality and respect for every person.
“Meanwhile, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has manipulated this situation to launch a further assault on women’s health and workers’ rights. A bill proposed by Rubio would not only deny birth control to the millions of women who work for religiously-affiliated organizations, but it would allow any employer to deny employees birth control coverage on the basis of the employer’s personal religious belief or moral conviction.
“Let me be clear: every American has the right to make personal healthcare decisions with his or her doctor and loved ones. Employers have no place in the doctor’s office. “
The SEIU International Executive Board met in New Orleans last week and were treated to some great food, a little fun and learning how 21LA is leading the fight for a fair economy in Louisiana.
21 LA Members with International President, Mary Kay Henry in New Orleans, January 2012.
21LA member Belinda Antoine met with SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and helped welcome the IEB with a gift from 21lA members. She said that, “It’s great that the IEB are in Louisiana. We did our best to show SEIU leaders both southern hospitality and how coalition building is helping to fight for good jobs in Louisiana. I think the IEB was impressed by how it’s bearing fruit in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.”
21 LA Member Herman Addision and Baton Rouge Organizer Barbara Carter present Mary Kay Henry with a welcome basket.
Mary Kay Henry talking with 21 LA members in New Orleans, January 2012.
WASHINGTON – As workers across the country are struggling to put food on the table, right wing members of Congress have proposed restricting critical tax credits for children in working low-income families to pay for an extension of the payroll tax cut. Eliseo Medina, International Secretary Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement urging Congress to save the Child Tax Credit to prevent millions of families from slipping further into poverty:
“Some lawmakers will stop at nothing to shamelessly protect the interests of the 1%. It’s bad enough that millionaires are not paying their fair share while everyday workers shoulder the burden of the economic downturn, but the buck stops at balancing the budget on the backs of children. Eliminating the Child Tax Credit for millions of low-income families would have a devastating impact on the very population that the policy is designed to protect – children.
This proposal represents a frontal attack on Latino families and the communities where they live. More than 80 percent of the families impacted by the proposed tax policy are part of the Latino community – a demographic that is among the hardest-hit in these harsh economic times. Those who have proposed such a reduction are sending a clear message: They are willing to forfeit the financial well-being of low-income Latinos while demanding nothing of the richest segment of our society.
Families that depend on the Child Tax Credit spend their last dollars on bare necessities like childcare, groceries, and housing – vital sources of community funds. Taking this credit away from more than two million families not only takes food from the mouths of millions of U.S. citizen children, but it also stunts the ability of their local communities to function. Any consideration given to a policy that would strip funds from low income communities of color is unconscionable at a time when lawmakers should be developing and enacting initiatives that bolster local economies.
We will not be derailed by the attempts of some to make this debate about anything other than our nation’s children – the future workforce of our country. We will be watching to see who stands with working people and hold those lawmakers accountable who support sacrificing the most vulnerable members of our society for the 1%.”
FACT:
DPW worker and SEIU Local 21 LA board member, Leon Goudeau, speaks at the Dec. 13, 2011 Metro Council Budget Meeting.
The Metro Council is beginning to address the problem of severely underpaid Baton Rouge city workers.
In a budget meeting on Dec. 13, 2011, the Metro Council granted about 70 workers in the Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District and the Constable Department pay increases. Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District has a strong reserve fund of more than $8 million, which is more than its entire operating budget of $4.9 million. The department has had consistent yearly budget surpluses for years. These dedicated workers have done their due diligence to save their departments money. Why not reward them for their hard work? The amount to fund these much-needed pay increases doesn’t even equal 1 percent of the total budget.
Police officers and firefighters received raises in 2008 and 2009 when no other City-Parish employees received pay increases.
City-Parish employees do receive annual merit increases of 3 percent of their pay meaning an employee earning $12.69 per hour will receive a 38-cent per hour increase. But merit increases occur only until year 12. The average city employee’s tenure is 15 years. As a result, only 2 out of 3 employees receive a merit increase. One out of 3 receive a 1 percent per year longevity increase. Between 2006 and 2010, the inflation rate has been an average of 2.67 percent each year, for a total increase of 13.35 percent in the cost of living.
And don’t forget that the health insurance premiums have increased by 30 percent over the last three years.
FACT:
MORE FACTS:
FACT:
City Constables do not just work in the courthouse. City Constables are called in the event of fatal traffic accidents, home invasions, drug busts, and armed robberies. When the Police Department does not have the staffing, City Constables are called in first to perform the same duties, during emergencies and holidays. City Constables were responsible for serving more than 10,000 warrants last year.
FOLLOW THE MONEY:
Many City-Parish employees work second and third jobs. More money for City-Parish workers means more money for the Baton Rouge economy. These workers live in the Baton Rouge area and will spend their money at home, meaning the money will go right back into the local economy.
About 70 workers in the Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District and the Constable Department received pay raises at last night’s Metro Council meeting in Baton Rouge.
SEIU Local 21 LA thanks the Metro Council for its leadership in addressing the problem of severely underpaid workers.
The Constable’s Office will receive $135,000 to give officers raises, bringing them closer to the city police officers’ pay grade. Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District received 6 percent raises.
The workers, their families, their communities and their Union appreciate and recognize the Metro Council’s actions. More money for city-parish workers means more money for the Baton Rouge economy. These workers live in the Baton Rouge area and will spend their money at home. This money will go right back into the local economy.
Not only does SEIU Local 21 LA fight for better wages for city-parish workers and Union members, SEIU Local 21 LA believes that ALL workers throughout Baton Rouge need a pay increase.
21 LA members talk with Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Mike Walker after the Metro Council meeting on December 13, 2011.
More money for Baton Rouge workers, means more money for Baton Rouge.
SEIU Local 21 LA will continue to fight for raises for DPW workers.
BY REBEKAH ALLEN
Advocate staff writer
December 14, 2011
The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council made an unprecedented number of changes to Mayor-President Kip Holden’s proposed budget — stripping the administration of discretionary economic development funds, granting raises to two agencies and almost completely defunding a local nonprofit group.
In all, the council moved more than $1.5 million in Holden’s proposed $746 million city-parish budget for 2012.
Following the 3½-hour budget meeting, Holden said the council “put us in probably the worst financial situation we’ve ever been in.”
“They’ve submitted a very reckless budget that could lead us to lay people off and furlough people,” he said. “I think down the line, the consequences will be very devastating for Baton Rouge.”
In a 9-3 vote, the Metro Council moved $535,000 of the city-parish’s reserve fund, to give to the Constable’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the Baton Rouge Alcohol and Drug Center.
The Constable’s Office will receive $135,000 to give officers raises, bringing them closer to the city police officers’ pay grade.
To read more, click here.
21 LA members talk with Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Mike Walker after the Metro Council meeting on December 13, 2011.
SEIU Local 21 LA members Everette Armand, Randy Zwez, Quentin LeDuff, Herman Addison, Tiea Silby and Belinda Pidgeon are in Washington D.C. through Friday, Dec. 9 to participate in Take Back the Capitol. These members are joining thousands of peaceful protesters from around the country to Take Back the Capitol and send a message that Congress needs to represent the 99 percent, not just the 1 percent.
Tiea Silby
Over the past few months the country has begun to focus on the growing disparity between the 99 percent and the 1 percent, and its impact on our cities and neighborhoods. Thousands of Americans will converge on Washington, D.C., starting on Dec. 5 to participate in four days of peaceful protests to make the voices of the 99 percent heard and counter the influence of the 1 percent.
“The problem in Washington is that too many members of Congress listen to corporate lobbyists from K Street and their campaign contributions instead of the 99 percent,” said Helene O’Brien, SEIU Local 21 LA president. “Now the 99 percent are coming to the corridors of power to make our presence felt.”
The situation for the 99 percent is dire. Nearly 14 million workers in the United States[1] are without jobs; median incomes for most workers have fallen 6.7 percent in the two years since the recession of 2009[2]; and income inequality is at its worst since the 1920s. And while the middle class and working people are suffering, taxes for the 1 percent are at an all-time low.
Everett Armand
“I’m going to Washington because I’m part of the 99 percent that Congress has been ignoring,” said Everett Armand, Jefferson Parish school bus driver. “We need good jobs here in New Orleans, not more budget cuts that make the economy even worse. We’re going down there to make sure Congress hears from the people, not just the lobbyists.
For more information, visit www.99inDC.org.
SEIU has a long and proud history of helping union members pursue their dreams through higher education. SEIU offers 53 scholarship opportunities to support studies in areas including the arts, social justice, labor studies and the healthcare field. All scholarships are open to members and their children; one scholarship is open to local staff, as well.
Description of SEIU Scholarships
SEIU’S Lottery Scholarships
1,000 Scholarships (Renewable)
(To apply online, go to https://aim.applyists.net/SEIU)
Program Key: SEIU (for lottery)
There are 15 $1,000 scholarships available in annual installments for up to four years.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must graduate from a high school or GED program by August 2012. They must be enrolled as a fulltime college student by the fall semester of 2012 at an accredited, two-year or four year college, trade or technical school.
$1,500 Scholarships (Nonrenewable)
(To apply online, go to aim.applyists.net/seiu.)
There are 33 $1,500 scholarships; these are nonrenewable,one-time awards.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be returning full time to an accredited college or university as a sophomore, junior or senior as of the fall semester of 2012; or attending an accredited community college, trade, or technical school as of the fall semester of 2012. Lottery scholarships are not awarded to the same person in two consecutive years.
Selection Process: Selection for both of the lottery scholarships is by a drawing of qualifying applicants. All applicants must read the 2010 SEIU Annual Report and correctly answer all the questions on the SEIU lottery scholarship quiz and application to qualify for the drawing. The annual report is available only online at www.seiu.org/members, under SEIU Lottery Scholarship Program.
SEIU Competitive Scholarships
Moe Foner Scholarship for Visual and Performing Arts
(To apply online, go to https://aim.applyists.net/MF)
Program Key: MF (for Moe Foner)
SEIU is proud to offer a scholarship that continues the life work of the late Moe Foner, the founder of the SEIU 1199 Bread and Roses Cultural Project. Foner used his energy and imagination to tap into New York’s thriving artistic community and brought new resonance to union concerts, exhibits and publications. This is a one-time, $5,000 scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants for the Moe Foner Scholarship must be pursuing a degree or training full time in the visual or performing arts. Scholarship funding must be applied to tuition at a two-year or four year college, university, or an accredited community college, technical or trade school in an arts-related field.
Jesse Jackson Scholarship
(To apply online, go to https://aim.applyists.net/JJ)
Program Key : JJ (for Jesse Jackson)
For more than 20 years, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and SEIU have worked side by side for social and economic justice. This $5,000 renewable scholarship is given to a student whose work and aspirations for economic and social justice reflect the values and accomplishments of Rev. Jackson. It can be renewed annually for a maximum of four years.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants for the Jesse Jackson Scholarship must demonstrate a commitment to social and economic justice and agree to participate in some paid or course credit internship or work experience in social change during the four years they receive the scholarship. Scholarship funding must be applied toward tuition at a two-year or four-year accredited college, university or community college.
The Bonnie Ladin Scholarship
The Bonnie Ladin scholarship is available for SEIU members, their children and local staff who are attending the National Labor College. Bonnie Ladin was an organizer at SEIU for 20 years and played an integral role in building SEIU to make it the union it has become. She held several key leadership roles at SEIU and joined the faculty of the National Labor College in 2001 where her courses on organizing tactics and leadership skills helped prepare the next generation of organizers.
In 2010, after a long battle with cancer, Bonnie passed away at the age of 59. In honor of her tremendous contributions to the labor movement, SEIU has created a scholarship in her name.
Eligibility Criteria: Members, their children and local staff who have been accepted into the NLC’s Bachelor of Arts program and are fully matriculated (which means they have earned or transferred 56 credits) are eligible to apply.
Please go to http://www.nlc.edu/scholarships.html for more information and to apply.
The National Labor College
The National Labor College (NLC) is the only college in the United States with an exclusive mission to serve the educational needs of the labor movement. It is a fully accredited, upperdegree completion program whose student body is made up of experienced, highly skilled working adults who have multiple commitments to family, job, union and community.
The NLC’s Bachelor of Arts program is an online program with minimal residency requirements, offers credit for prior training and experience, is 100 percent labor focused and is affordable. The college accepts up to 90 transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Arts degree. Transfer credits can come from a number of sources. For more information about the college, go to its website at www.nlc.edu.
Nora Piore Scholarship
(To apply online, go to https://aim.applyists.net/NP)
Program Key: NP (for Nora Piore)
This scholarship is in honor of the late Nora Poire. Born in 1921, Piore was a public healthcare pioneer whose career spanned more than 60 years. Nora Piore worked as a union organizer, labor educator, college professor, healthcare economist and healthcare activist who changed the face of public health in the United States. The scholarship is made possible by an endowment by the family of Nora Piore. It is for $4,000 and is renewable for up to two years.
Please support the following SEIU Local 21 LA endorsed candidates at the polls on Saturday, November 19:
Baton Rouge
BESE (Board of Elementary and Secondary Education): District 6 — Donald Songy
State Legislative: House District 61 — C. Denise Marcelle
Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish Council: District 3 — Cedric Floyd
21 LA members with Cedric Floyd, candidate Jefferson Parish Council, District 3.
Orleans Parish
BESE: District 2 — Kira Orange Jones
Kira Orange Jones with 21 LA members.
St. Bernard Parish
State Legislative: House District 103 — Chad Lauga
