Local News

Staffing

We extend best wishes and hopes for great success to former Senior Field Representative Linda Joseph, who resigned to accept the newly created position of staff director for sister Local 616 in Alameda County. Joseph worked tirelessly on behalf of this local and particularly our City and County of San Francisco chapter members. During her nearly nine-and-a-half-year tenure with Local 535, she served this local well. Joseph served as 535’s representative on the San Francisco Labor Council executive board and was active in the San Francisco Labor/Neighbor program, the SEIU Joint Council, SEIU AFRAM Caucus, and numerous other organizations and progressive efforts.

Rank and file activist Gloria Arroyo has been hired to fill a vacant field staff position in our Fresno office, effective August 12. She worked for the Fresno County Superior Court for over 17 years and was involved in the ICE decertification campaign. Gloria has represented her chapter on the negotiating team and the labor/management committee. She is also very active politically and in her community.

Another rank and file member, Kevin Smith, has accepted a field representative position in our Fresno office. Kevin officially started his new career with us on September 23. He is a long-time activist from Fresno County Unit 2, the Juvenile Correction Chapter. Kevin is filling the vacancy created by Gilbert Gonzalez’s reassignment to organizing.

Fresno Unified School District chapter member Rudy Waller is now on permanent staff as an organizer in Fresno after being on temporary status for several months. He has been appointed to fill an organizing position vacancy and is currently working on the Fresno court agency shop campaign.

Welcome back to Fresno Organizer Andy Christiansen, who returned to work on September 9, after an extended medical leave.

2002 CALENDAR

Nov. 5, election day

Oct. 25-27, 535 Budget Committee meeting (Oakland)

Nov. 16-17, 535 state executive board (Oakland)

TRAINING/EDUCATION PROGRAM

Oakland office
Wednesday night training series:

Nov. 6, communication/problem solving

Dec. 4, grievance case study

Fresno Office
Tuesday night training series:

Nov. 26, topic to be determined

Chapter-specific programs:

Oct. 27, Southern California Red Cross bargaining training

Local 535 Executive Board Restructure

A committee of Local 535’s state executive board has been examining ways to make the work of the state board more effective while maintaining the local’s democratic process that is deeply rooted in our tradition. As 535’s membership grows and our workplace and social issues become more complex, it becomes more important to have a governing structure that can effectively address those issues and represent our membership. The members of the committee are committed to a phased approach to any restructure. They will continue to meet to review and evaluate changes on this “work in progress” with the executive board’s ongoing oversight and input.

The first steps in the restructure will change the executive board quorum requirement and establish new statewide officers to oversee our industry divisions. In November, the executive board will vote on the following amendments to the Local 535 constitution:

•EXECUTIVE BOARD QUORUM: The 535 constitution currently requires a quorum of a majority of delegates and a majority of chapters to be present. The proposed amendment would require only a majority of chapters. This quorum would be less burdensome (as all chapters do not send delegates or their full delegations) but still require a democratic representation of chapters. As is the current practice, only certified chapters that duly elect board delegates would be counted toward the quorum. (Certified status requires a chapter to adopt bylaws consistent with the 535 constitution, elect officers—including state executive board delegates—by secret ballot, and hold regularly scheduled meetings.)

•INDUSTRY DIVISION VICE PRESIDENTS: The creation of industry officers is one of the mandates of the New Strength Unity Plan adopted by SEIU and 535’s executive board. The proposed amendment would create three new vice presidents—for public sector, private sector/non-profit, and health care divisions—to be elected in 2003 (to begin their terms in 2004). These new officers would have statewide responsibility for industry programs and activities. They would work with executive board committee leadership, the program director, and the program coordinators on the work of the industry divisions. Their role and functions may include presiding over division meetings, working with political/legislative directors to coordinate industry political programs, and working with SEIU divisions and other local unions on industry issues and programs. Public sector, private sector/non-profit, and health care divisions will meet in 2003 to begin work on statewide industry and worksite issues.

KAISER WORKERS RETURN TO NEW YORK

Kaiser sent five mental health workers from northern and southern California to New York City to work with those affected by the September 11 tragedy last year. Executive board delegate Priscilla Kania from the Kaiser Psycho-Social Chapter in Los Angeles spent a week at NYU Hospital (the nearest to the Trade Center site). She and other members worked with hospital staff to assist them in dealing with the emotions and stresses they experienced during the anniversary of the tragedy. After the tragic events of September 11, Kaiser and SEIU Locals 535 and 250 collaborated to send psychiatric social workers to provide grief counseling to victims’ families in New York with paid time and expenses. This year’s effort is a continuation of that collaboration.

Social and Economic Justice Conference

More than 20 Local 535 members and staff participated in the SEIU Social and Economic Justice Conference in Los Angeles on September 20 to 22. Congratulations to the following members who were elected to caucus office: Kevin Johnson (Catholic Charities), co-chair of the SEIU Western Region Lavender Caucus; Terri Perez, parliamentarian of the SEIU Western Region Latino Caucus; Danny Ramos, treasurer of the SEIU Western Region Latino Caucus; Darlene White, secretary of the SEIU Western Region AFRAM Caucus; Marilyn Shepherd-Leake, sergeant-at-arms of the SEIU Western Region Women's Caucus; and Helen Benson, vice president of the SEIU Western Region Women's Caucus.