LOCAL 5
AFL-CIO
MSEA
NEWS
MARCH/APRIL
March-April
2015 2014
24, ISSUE
VOLUMEVOLUME
25, ISSUE
2 2
53rd General Assembly & Candidates
Pages 15 - 19
MSEA T-Shirt Quilt To Be Auctioned Off
Page 14
(above)
IN MEMORIUM
MSEA extends sympathy and condolences to:
Region VIII Director Sylvester Berry, Jr., on the death of his mother, Emma Jane Berry.
Gregory Briggs (IV DOC) on the death of his sister, Colliss (Dee Dee) Lee Marble.
Georgia Enness (VI Treasury) on the death of her son, Gordon Richard Enness.
MSP Spokesperson Bryan Martin on the death of his mother, Vera Marion Martin.
Region V Alt. Director Michael Walker on the death of his mother, Mary Alice Gipson Walker.
Former UAW
national vice
Donald Francis Hoffman
president
(VI MDOT), age 50, of Brighton,
General
Michigan, died April 14, 2015. He
Holiefield age 61,
was a transportation maintenance
of Harrison Twp.,
worker at the Brighton Garage. He
died March 9,
is survived by his wife, Christie, and
2015. A Chrysler
sons Donald and Matthew Hoffman,
employee for 40
siblings and many nieces and
years, he was instrumental in helping the
nephews.
automaker receive federal assistance that
prevented it from going bankrupt in 2009.
Richard James “Dick” Reid (Retired V DOC), age 66, of
Beaverton, Michigan, died April 8, 2015. Dick was a long-time
MSEA member and a former Region V Director. He retired from
the Saginaw Correctional Facility as a licensed electrician, to his
farm in Beaverton, Michigan, where he owned over 40 acres.
Dick was also a former member of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW). He is survived by his wife, Ruth, adult
children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many nieces and
nephews.
Michigan State Employees Association
AFSCME Local 5, AFL-CIO
2012 - 2015 State Board of Directors
Executive Council
President: Ken Moore
Vice President: Mark Sanchez, Jr.
Secretary: Brenda Kafer
Treasurer: Randy Jecks
Alternate
Region Directors
Region Directors
Neil Seelig
Region I
Kay Countryman
Edward Drier
Region II
Patricia Kitchen
Thomas Kelley
Region III
Dan Ashenfelter
Mark Baker
Region IV
Mike Kelley
Paul Buchler
Region V
Michael Walker
Michael Morey
Region VI
Bryan Martin
Tim Maxson
Region VII
Dan Matthies
Sylvester Berry, Jr.
Region VIII
Chuck Riker
James Hedrick
Region IX
Vacant
Matthew Roback
Region X
James Guest
2
MSEA NEWS MARCH-APRIL 2015
MSEA Staff
Administrative Assistant:
Nancy Durner, ext. 110
Accounting Assistant/Computers:
Kari Wilson, ext. 125
Communications Director:
Karen Murphy, ext. 122
Labor Relations Coordinator:
Joan Bush, ext. 116
Labor Relations Specialist:
Peter Clark, ext. 115
Labor Relations Specialist:
Richard Ransom, ext. 111
Assistant to the President:
Toni R. Linn, ext. 113
Contact Us
Lansing Area Phone: (517) 394-5900
Toll Free: 1-800-228-5901
Fax: (517) 394-4060
Website: www.msea.org
2015 Litigation & Arbitration Dates
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING A GRIEVANCE:
Article 8, MSEA Primary Agreement
Jan. 9 & 10, Feb. 6 & 7, Mar. 6 & 7,
Article 8 of MSEA’s Primary Agreement details requirements
for properly filing a Grievance. This is only a summary which
Apr. 3 & 4, May 1 & 2, June 5 & 6,
is not meant to replace Article 8 in the current MSEA contract.
July 10 & 11, Aug. 7 & 8, Sept. 11 & 12,
Please refer to the contract for specifics.
Oct. 2 & 3, Nov. 6 & 7 and Dec. 4 & 5.
Employee
Grievances must be filed within 15 week days from the date
MSEA received a 30-day
Reduction In Force (RIF) notice the employee knew OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN of the infraction.
from the Michigan Dept. of
Step One
Corrections (MDOC) “related to The employer has 10 days to answer at Step One.
revision/reorganization of the
--The employee has 10 days from answer or absent a Step
prisoner store operation.”
One answer, 10 days from the time the First Step Answer was
Further information will be
DUE to appeal to Step Two.
posted on the website as we
Step Two
The employer has 15 days to Answer at Step Two.
receive it.
In accordance with Article 12 of the collective bar- --IF a Step Two meeting is held, such a meeting must take
place within 15 days of the Employer’s receipt of the appeal to
gaining agreement between MSEA and the State of
Step Two. The Step Two Answer is then due within 10 days of
Michigan, this is to advise that the Department of
that meeting.
Corrections is preparing plans for indefinite layoff of
Grievance to MSEA
employees due to lack of funds, reduction in spending The employee must then IMMEDIATELY request, in writing,
authorization, or administrative efficiency. This reduc- that the matter be considered by MSEA’s Litigation and
tion in force is the result of the reorganization of prison- Arbitration Committee. Only MSEA may appeal a Grievance
er stores. The scope of position abolishments and
to arbitration and such MUST be filed within 45 week days
impact on your members is expected to be department- from the date of the employer’s Second Step Answer or from
the date the employer’s Answer WAS DUE. NOTE: This is
wide.
The projected commencement date of layoffs will be the most common time issue. Employees have to submit
appeals to the Lit and Arb Committee which only meets
no earlier than May 1, 2015. Notices to affected
once a month.
employees and concurrent written notice to your organi- Litigation and Arbitration Committee
zation will be provided in accordance with applicable
Given MSEA’s Request for Arbitration procedure, MSEA’s
contractual provisions. In accordance with the collec- appeal procedure, and Demand filing deadlines, the employtive bargaining agreement, the Department will meet
ee’s written request for consideration by the Lit and Arb
with MSEA upon request to discuss the potential impact Committee MUST be forwarded to the office as soon as possible.
on bargaining unit members.
--Arbitration & Litigation requests MUST have a cover letter attached specifying that it’s an Arbitration & Litigation
CORRECTION
request.
Russ Waters (VI DTMB) was incorrectly listed as a
--Failure to timely and appropriately submit a Grievance and
retiree on p. 12, Waiting for the Michigan Supreme
its supporting documentation may result in the Grievance
Court to Rule (Jan-Feb 2015, MSEA News). He
being considered untimely/improperly filed.
anticipates retiring in 2016 and is looking forward to it.
Know Your
MSEA Rights!
(If called to a meeting with
management, read the following to
management or present the card
before the meeting starts.)
If this discussion could in any way lead to me
being disciplined or terminated, or issued a less
than satisfactory service rating, I respectfully
request that my union representative, officer, or
steward be present at this meeting. Without
representation present, I request that this meeting
be postponed until such time as I have
representation present.
ALL ISSUES OF THE AWARD-WINNING MSEA NEWS
ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE at:
www.msea.org
If you need help registering for the website, contact
Karen Murphy, Communications Director, at:
(517) 394-5900 ext. 122
PUBLICATION OF MSEA NEWS
Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr, May-June, July-Aug, Sept-Oct & Nov-Dec. All
issues are mailed as well as posted on the MSEA web site.
MSEA News (ISSN 0747-2587USPS 594-900) is published in
February, April, June, August, October and December by the Michigan
State Employees Association, 6035 Executive Dr., Lansing, MI 48911.
Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, MI. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to: MSEA News, 6035 Executive Dr., Lansing, MI
48911.
www.msea.org
3
RETIREES
We’re looking for one adventurous retiree from each of MSEA’s 10 Regions to be a volunteer
coordinator on the Retiree Committee. We would also like to form a special MSEA Veterans
Group. If you’re interested, please feel free to contact the committee co-chairs
with any questions or to volunteer your much-needed time and energy!
Chair Mike Kelley
(269) 838-7908
mikek49058@yahoo.com
The cost for retirees to belong to MSEA is just $12 a year as stated in the MSEA Constitution: Article VI, Section 8: Any
retired Union member age fifty (50) years or older or with at least ten (10) years of membership, or a disabled Union member, shall be entitled to retain membership in the Union for $1.00 per month, to be paid in advance at the rate of $12.00 per
year. Retiree’s dues are to be pro-rated from the date of retirement to the next January 1st. Thereafter, the retiree’s dues
shall be payable on January 1st, with thirty days advance notice given by MSEA Central Office. By paying your retiree
dues of only $12 per year, you will continue to receive the MSEA News. Please make checks payable to Michigan
State Employees Association and mail to: MSEA Central Office, 6035 Executive Dr., Suite 104, Lansing, MI 48911
A group of about 100 active and
retired school employees from around
Michigan rallied at the state Capitol on
April 14 to urge legislators to hold off on
Senate Bill 102, sponsored by Sen. Phil
Pavlov (R-St. Clair), that would close the
school employee pension system to new
hires and shift them into 401k style
retirement plans.
Nick Ciaramitaro, president of the
Coalition For Secure Retirement, told the
group assembled in the Mackinac Room
of the House Office Building, “It’s important that legislators hear from seniors
about what their issues are, especially
the new legislators. As a former legis(l-r): Nick Ciaramitaro, president of the Coalition For Secure Retirement (CSR)
lator, myself, I know they spend a lot of
and AFSCME Director of Legislation and Public Policy; Moreno Taylor II,
effort to communicate with their constiGrassroots Midwest; and Todd Tennis, Capitol Services Lobbyist.
tuents.
Todd Tennis, Capitol Services Lobbyist, noted that the average amount in a state employee’s 401k account is
$50,000 and for those state employees nearing retirement, it’s $123,000. “Anyone who tries to tell you that a 401k
and a traditional pension plan are the same are wrong.”
“The state has made some pretty silly decisions over the last 15 years that have affected the Michigan Public
School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) which has been underfunded in order to plug gaps in the budget. If
we stop making bad decisions, we can get back on the right track where it’s fully funded.”
Tennis said threatening that the state could go bankrupt is just an excuse to shut down pensions.
“The state can’t go bankrupt--there are constitutional protections. Don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes. The
next generation who doesn’t have pensions can’t live off a 401k or IRA.”
Moreno Taylor II of Grassroots Midwest offered tips on how to talk to legislators. “They care about what you think
because they want to come back.”
Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.
Errors in the Social Security Association’s Death
Master File can be devastating.
“It can take months to fix the mistake of being improperly reported as dead, not to mention the agony, frustration, red tape, and very serious consequences that come
with that mistake,” said U.S. Senator Gary Peters during
a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
4
MSEA NEWS MARCH-APRIL 2015
--Mark Twain
Committee hearing in March.
“Michiganders deserve better than to have their bank
accounts abruptly closed on any given day simply
because the federal government wrongly declares them
deceased. I look forward to working with my colleagues
to address this problem in a comprehensive and bipartisan way.”
Michigan Supreme Court Rules MPSERS Changes Are Constitutional
The Michigan Supreme Court
upheld a previous judgment by
the Michigan Court of Appeals
and ruled on April 8 that
changes to the Michigan
Public School Employee
Retirement System (MPSERS)
that passed the Michigan
Legislature in 2012 are constitutional. The court ruled
the government isn’t taking money from employees
because retiree health care contributions aren’t
mandatory.
Unions had challenged portions of the law that
increased the amount all public school employees
have to contribute to their pensions in order to keep
getting benefits. Public school employees are required
to contribute 4% of their salary to the retirement sys-
tem. The move was to plug a $45 million shortfall in
MPSERS in 2012.
The Coalition of Unions is waiting for the Michigan
Supreme Court to rule on their Right-to-Work (RTW)
and 4% Pension lawsuits, after the court heard oral
arguments on Jan. 13, 2014.
“We still have a chance,” said Region VII Alternate
Director Dan Matthies, who has studied the issue and
the Michigan constitution at length.
“The teachers don’t have any constitutional protections like state employees have. If the state Supreme
Court rules against us, they’ll be rewriting 50 years of
previous court rulings in which the Civil Service has
absolute power over state employees. The court
would have to come up with a very creative argument
to both rule against us and, at the same time, avoid
the previously discussed constitutional issues.”
A study released the beginning of March by the National
Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS), showed that 86%
of people polled believe there is a retirement crisis in
America, 85% believe all Americans should have access to
a pension and 67% would be willing to accept smaller pay
increases in exchange for guaranteed retirement income.
“Our nation is facing a tsunami of a retirement crisis and
the American people can see it coming,” said AFSCME
President Lee Saunders. “It’s no accident that as Wall
Street-backed politicians double down on their attacks on
pensions, Americans’ fears about retirement security are
higher than ever. For workers and families, the best path to
economic peace of mind and a secure retirement has
always been through a union.
“Americans now see that 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts are the cause of, not the solution to, the
retirement crisis. But recent decades have seen Wall Street
brokers line their pockets with the crumbling 401(k)s workers thought they could count on in their golden years, while middle-class Americans retire into poverty in skyrocketing numbers. It’s clearer than ever that the nation needs more retirement security, not less--our nation
cannot afford a continued race to the bottom.”
Social Security Numbers To
Be Taken Off Medicare Cards
Michigan Ranks 6th In ID Theft
A March report from the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) ranked Michigan fifth
in
the nation for most fraud and sixth for
In four years, Medicare cards will
no longer have Social Security numbers identity theft. Social Security, Medicare
and other government benefits fraud
on them. The change was signed into
law by President Barack Obama on April accounted for more than one in three
16. The law gives Medicare officials up to four years from the date the law reports of identity theft, followed by
was enacted to issue Medicare cards with a new, randomly generated iden- fradulent use of credit cards (17%), and
phone or utilities fraud (13%). Stealing
tification number. Congress allocated $320 million to pay for the change.
Social Security numbers have been of increasing concern to Americans money from bank accounts was responsible for 8% of fraud. The data is based
as identity theft has skyrocketed in the past few years. People are unsure
who has access to their personal information and what they could be doing on consumer complaints filed with the
FTC.
with it.
www.msea.org
5
FYI
Bill Would Track State Vehicles
Senate Bill 8, sponsored by state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton), would begin using GPS technology to
track state vehicles with a year-long pilot period beginning October 1. The bill was approved by the Senate
Elections & Government Reform Committee on April 16 and has advanced to the full Senate for consideration.
Schuitmaker introduced the bill after a state elevator inspector was videotaped by a local TV station using a
State of Michigan vehicle to golf numerous times during work hours last summer.
The Michigan Dept. of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) supports the bill and would initially track
120 vehicles across multiple departments and jobs. DTMB would report to legislators by fall 2016 if the GPS
trackers showed “significant and improved” efficiencies. If the pilot period is successful, all state vehicles added
to the fleet after Jan. 1, 2017, would have to be tracked.
In an interview with the Lansing State Journal, MSEA President Ken Moore stated: “We’re always encouraged by transparency and efficiencies in state government. I’ve heard from members that they spend a big
chunk of time each day on logs and documentation, so if it helps reduce administrative costs and assists in time
management, that would be very useful. MSEA will work with DTMB to implement any bills that are passed.”
WARNING!
Polar
Bears In
Michigan
A Facebook post circulating this winter
alerted readers that “Lake Erie is frozen and
polar bears are now in Michigan. Polar bears
have crossed the ice from Canada.” In red
letters, the message went on, “Bring your pets
in immediately! Do not go outside! Polar bears
have been walking a long time and are very
hungry!”
Even though Michigan has had record ice
cover during the last two winters, the message
is a hoax, according to Snopes.com which is
devoted to debunking urban myths.
“There was no warning about an influx of
polar bears posted on the Michigan DNR’s web
site or Facebook page...” Snopes.com wrote.
“Polar bears are arctic animals that live in the
northernmost parts of Canada, Greenland,
Russia and Norway. The only state in the
United States that regularly provides a home to
polar bears is Alaska.”
6 MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
by Peter Clark, J.D., Labor Relations Specialist
Our country’s history is peppered with little-known events that have shaped the labor
movement. Sadly, it took some tragic turns of fate to shine a light on the abysmal treatment of the rank and file in the United States. One such event was the Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory Fire of 1911. When you hear the term, “sweat shop,” it is conditions like those at
the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory for which it was coined.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was located on the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of the Asch
Building in New York City. Immigrant women comprised the workers, many as young as
13 years old. The women sat at sewing machines for 10 to 12 hours a day and were paid by the piece. The
doors to the factory, which opened inward, were routinely locked from the outside.
In 1909, Clara Lemlich, a 23-year-old Ukrainian immigrant, had succeeded in organizing a strike of nearly
20,000 garment workers. Lemlich was appalled at the conditions she was exposed to in the shirtwaist factories.
The women’s starting wage was as low as $3 for a six-day workweek; less than half the average wage for the
era. The strike lasted two months and led to improvements in wages and safety in many factories. This strike
proved to be a cornerstone in the labor movement.
Greed and corruption persisted within the industry and particularly with Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, owners
of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. There had already been three suspicious fires in factories owned by Harris
and Blanck. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was one of only a few that had resisted the organizing efforts of
Lemlich. The owners hired police to imprison strikers and bribed politicians to look the other way. On March 25,
1911, their greed and ignorance led to tragedy.
The fire started in a rag bin. The manager of the factory
attempted to put it out with the building’s fire extinguishing
system, only to discover the valve was rusted shut and the
hose rotted out. The factory floor was like a tinder box. It
was filled with dust, lint and shards of fabric. The fire quickly grew to a blaze and the women began to panic. The
elevator operator was only able to take four loads of workers to safety before it failed.
Many women were found dead at the bottom of the
elevator shaft--choosing death by falling instead of burning.
The women who tried to escape down the stairs found the doors locked from the outside. Those on the floors
above the fire were able to reach the roof and managed to cross safely to adjoining buildings. However, many
women remained trapped inside. In an ominous foreshadowing of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center,
many people jumped to their deaths to escape the inferno. Survivor Bessie Gabrilowich said this about her
friend, Dora Wolfovitch, “Everybody was running to get out. And there was this beautiful little girl, my friend,
Dora, I remember her face before she jumped.” She was only 15 years old.
The horror was over in a mere 18 minutes. There were 143 people dead; mostly women and many of them
young girls. Of the 143 victims, 36 were found dead at the bottom of the elevator shaft, 58 had leaped to their
death on the sidewalks and the remaining 49 were burned to death or succumbed to smoke inhalation.
As for Harris and Blanck, they were acquitted of manslaughter. Three years later they were ordered to pay a
meager $75 to each of the 23 families that had joined in a civil lawsuit against them.
Clara Lemlich went on to champion women’s suffrage and she served on the
American Committee to Survey Trade Union Conditions in Europe. Lemlich had
negotiated the union standard that prohibited the locking of doors and required
accessible fire escapes. Union bargaining activities were the only way to get provisions like these. The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Occupational Health and
Safety Administration (OSHA) did not exist. It was only through grassroots organization that the rank and file could bring attention to these conditions. This was not
the beginning, nor was it the end of the movement, but the martyrdom of the dead
brought greed into the spotlight and strength to the labor cause.
www.msea.org
7
TRYING TO TAKE DOWN UNIONS
Now that voters have emphatically turned thumbs down on Proposal 1, a
top priority for Senate Republicans is to repeal Michigan’s 1965 prevailing
wage law. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) is sponsoring SB 0001, SB 0002 and SB 0003 which would remove provisions in state
statute that require government contracts to be based on wages decided in
collectively bargained agreements. Meekhof testified before the Indiana
Legislature a few weeks ago in favor of a bill that repealed commonconstruction wage that was signed into law by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. It
has been reported that Gov. Rick Snyder promised not to sign prevailing
wage repeal as part of Proposal 1 negotiations.
In an interview with MIRS, House Minority Leader Tim Greimel (D-Auburn
Hills) said in the aftermath of Proposal 1’s defeat, that Democrats are focused
on protecting middle class families in their road-funding plans, while Senate
Republicans are pursuing prevailing wage repeal, which could lower wages.
“It’s very disappointing that Senate Republicans have decided to focus on reducing wages for hardworking
Michiganders instead of focusing on fixing the roads as Michigan residents want,” said Greimel. “The reality is
that states without prevailing wage laws do not have lower bids for construction work. They have much higher
contractor profits.”
Pat Devlin of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council, says that repealing prevailing wage
won’t bring about the projected savings supporters claim, but would only harm workers and chip away at the
standards of training and skill currently expected of contractors.
“The thing they don’t understand is, you pay for what you get,” Devlin told MIRS. “I hope the Governor puts
up a fight.”
But Americans for Prosperity Michigan (the group that put up a giant tent on the Capitol lawn during Right-toWork protests) praised Meekhof and said they’ll be mobilizing their activisits to support the legislation’s passage.
Meanwhile, some of these same anti-union groups are trying to repeal prevailing wage laws in several states
around the country including Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Kentucky and Nevada. But Wisconsin
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told a conservative Milwaukee radio talk show that some Republicans are nervous
about voting to repeal prevailing wage because it would lower the wages of construction workers and reduce
paychecks for too many constituents too soon after Wisconsin legislators approved the controversial Right-toWork law.
As contract
FEE PAYERS SIGNING UP IN DROVES
negotiations
between the
AFSCME reports that over 1,000 fee payers have signed up to become
U.S. Postal
full dues-paying union members and more are joining them every day since
Service and
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an executive order in early February, cutthe American
ting the gross pay of all fee payers by the amount that would normally be
Postal Workers
deducted for fair-share, and keeping that amount of money in the agencies’
Union draw to
own budgets.
a close, postal
AFSCME, the Illinois AFL-CIO and 26 other unions have filed a lawsuit
workers need
seeking to have the executive order overturned, charging that Rauner vioa strong demonlated state law and multiple collective bargaining agreements when he
stration of support.
issued his executive order. On Friday, April 10, a St. Clair County Circuit
Good Postal Service! Good Jobs!
Court judge in Illinois issued an order requiring state agencies to immediGood Contract!
ately reinstate the transmission of “fair-share” fees deducted from employee
Attend an event at a post office
paychecks. Now all affected unions will continue to receive fees while the
near you--watch the website for
lawsuit is pending and will also receive any fees that have been withheld so
details. Spread the word via social
far. Fair-share fees are authorized by state law to ensure that bargaining
media. Sign a postcard to the
unit employees who choose not to join the union, pay a proportional share
Postmaster General at:
of the costs of the union representation from which they benefit.
8 MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
http://www.apwu.org/postcare-i-standpostalworkers
“One of the most critical
threats is to close the W.J.
Maxey Training School
(l), despite its outstanding
work,” said Nick Ciaramitaro,
AFSCME Director of
Legislation and Public Policy.
On April 21 and 22, the Senate Appropriations
Committee approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budgets with few
changes. Many of the recommendations from Senate
Appropriations subcommittees were kept, while amendment
proposals from Democrats failed. Sen. Vincent Gregory
(D-Southfield) offered several amendments to the Dept. of
Health and Human Services (DHHS) budget, one of which
would have kept Maxey open, which would close under the
approved budget.
Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Dave Hildenbrand
(R-Lowell) said he hopes the full budget could make it
through the Legislature by the end of May or the first week of
June.
“There are many benefits of Michigan’s state juvenile
justice centers,” said Ciaramitaro and listed them below.
Marie Waalkes has
been appointed by Gov. Rick
Snyder to replace Jan Winters
as Director of the Office of the
State Employer (OSE). Her
appointment was effective
April 26. Waalkes will
negotiate new contracts with
Marie Waalkes
the state employee unions in
photo courtesy
July, as the current contracts
State of Michigan
expire at the end of 2015.
She wouldn’t say what the key issues would be in the
upcoming contract talks, but said her first step would be
to build collaborative relationships and trust with the
unions’ leadership.
Waalkes was previously OSE’s employee health
management director. Before that, she served as a
member of the Employment Relations Board of the
Civil Service Commission (CSC). Waalkes has also
been director of security for the Michigan Court of
Appeals and director for the Ottawa County Dept. of
Human Resources. She worked as a practicing attorney in Lansing where she specialized in labor and
employment law.
Waalkes served 25 years with the Michigan State
Police, rising from a trooper to ultimately a major. She
earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from
Michigan State University and a law degree from
Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Winters is the new state personnel director. She
replaces Janet McClelland who was appointed to the
CSC by Snyder when the term of Commissioner
1. Shawano and Maxey are the only secure residential
juvenile sex offender programs in the state--public or private.
2. The Department has decreased capacity at Maxey for
several fiscal years. Increased demand from the courts recognizing that the long-range costs are less, as opposed to
failure at other facilities or adult incarceration, has resulted in
increased bed utilization.
3. Michigan law gives first option to private providers. The
number of juveniles rejected by private facilities has
Charles Blockett, Jr., expired in Dec. 2014.
increased due to the difficulty of cases.
On April 10, 2015, the Dept. of
4. Residents of state facilities have either been placed there
Community Health (DCH) and
by court order or have been rejected or failed (often more
the Dept. of Human Services
than once) in private facilities.
(DHS) merged, creating the
5. State facilities do not receive School Aid Foundation
largest department in Michigan-grants for educating residents. Private providers do. Maxey
the new Michigan Dept. of Health
is an accredited high school awarding a high school diploma
and Human Services (DHHS),
recognized by the State of Michigan, not a G.E.D., and Bay
with about 14,000 employees.
Pines issues diplomas through the Escanaba school district.
There are 130 MSEA members in
Shawano should have a similar agreement in place by
DCH and about 260 in DHS.
September.
Gov. Rick Snyder touted the merger, saying it will
6. Michigan unemployment compensation is paid by the
lead to efficiencies and make it possible for customers to
State (the State is self-insured and doesn’t pay into the
get more services from one central agency.
unemployment insurance fund). Any payoffs are a direct cost
However, UAW Local 6000 represents DHS caseto the General Fund and generate additional General Fund workers across the state who say they’re overwhelmed.
costs that include sick pay, annual leave and severance pay- In February, DHS workers picketed along Greenfield
ments.
Road in Detroit, chanting, “We are the front line, not the
7. The experience in our Mental Health system has proven bottom line,” and “Hire more workers.”
that the lack of a state-run safety net leads to underservice of
A Lansing State Journal article by reporter Justin
the most severe cases, often resulting in costly imprisonHinkley (3-17-15), said that “State government services
ment.
are taking longer and longer for Michigan citizens to
8. The State has increased administrative rates for private access, affecting everything from investigations into child
providers several times over the last few years.
welfare to processing permit applications.” State officials
9. Inability to place some of the most severe juvenile justice claim that many more services are available online and
children will likely lead to more imprisonment, homelessness that efficiencies are being incorporated “wherever possiand even death.
ble.” But unions say it’s being demanded that state
workers, already stretched to the breaking point, do
much more with much less.
www.msea.org 9
“Laws are like sausages.
It’s better not to see them being made.”
--attributed to Otto von Bismarck
German Prussian politician (1815 - 1898)
When evaluating the credibility of political polls, The American Association for
Public Opinion Research recommends asking the following questions.
1. Who paid for the poll and why was it
done?
2. Who did the poll?
3. How was the poll conducted?
4. How many people were interviewed and
what is the margin of sampling error?
5. How were those people chosen?
6. From which area or group were people
chosen?
7. When were the interviews conducted?
8. How were the interviews conducted?
9.
Which questions were asked? Were
they clearly worded, balanced and
unbiased?
10. In which order were the questions
asked? Could an earlier question influence the answer of a later question that
is central to the story or the conclusions
drawn?
11. Are the results based on the answers of
all the people interviewed, or only a subset? If a subset, how many?
12. Is the data weighted, and if so, to what?
HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW
10 MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
CAPITOL WATCH
The $6.4 million restoration of Michigan’s Capitol dome began on
March 30 and it’s now covered in scaffolding (r). This is the first significant restoration on the outside of the state’s Capitol buidling since
1992. A fence spans the entire west side of the Capitol which will close
the west entrance from mid-May to the end of June. The work is being
subcontracted through the Christman Company which oversaw the
Capitol’s renovation in the 1990s and is scheduled to end Sept. 30.
The dome’s decorative elements will be replaced and repaired.
The entire dome and more than 200 windows are slated to be repainted. According to state Capitol Facilities Director Dan Brocklehurst,
In an effort to bring more visitors to
most of the exterior stonework hasn’t been refurbished since the buildthe state Capitol, the Capitol
ing was constructed in 1879. Three-dimensional images of the medalCommission voted on April 20 to open
lions surrounding the Capitol have been taken to recreate those
the Capitol in Lansing on Saturdays
destroyed past the point of renovation. Also, most of the Capitol buildfrom 10 am - 4 pm, beginning on June
ing will be washed after years of grime that created some discoloration.
6. Currently, guided tours are available
“Many years ago, a tacky chemical was applied to the Capitol to
from 9 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday, at
keep away pigeons,” said Brocklehurst. “That substance has attracted
the intersection of Capitol and West
dirt and other pollutants.”
Michigan Avenues. With the expanded
Part of the money for the restoration is coming from the Dept. of
hours, another tour guide will be hired.
Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB). Another part is coming
The Capitol has been closed on
from the Capitol Commission budget and more is coming from the
Saturdays for tours since the 1990s,
tobacco settlement. All of it was factored into the Fiscal Year 2015
when each state department had to cut
budget.
back. An estimated 115,000 people,
The Capitol Commission,
mostly school children, take guided
which was formed in
tours of the Capitol every year. Total
2014 to oversee the
visitation--including residents who visit,
building, wants to build
rally or attend meetings at the Capitol-an $88 million Welcome
is estimated to be around 120,000Center on the Capitol’s
150,000 people a year. For tours, call
west lawn (l). It’s hoped
(517) 373-2353 or (517) 373-2348
the Welcome Center
http://council.legislature.mi.gov/Capitol/Tours
would increase visitors
and would include a
DOING MORE WITH LESS
cafeteria, a large comCapitol
Security Police now number 23!
mittee room, new rooms for education events and enhanced security
Last fiscal year, after the Capitol
measures. A parking lot would be moved underground as part of the
Security force dwindled from a high of
plans. The Welcome Center has been put on hold due to shortfalls in
about 70 officers in the late 1970s to just
the state’s budget. In order to finance the Welcome Center, the
eight in 2012, the Legislature tripled fundCommission plans to request that the Michigan Strategic Fund issue
ing for Capitol security to $2.4 million.
bonds be paid back over time. It’s unclear if the project will require
In a Lansing State Journal article by
additional general fund money.
reporter Justin Hinkley, a Michigan State
House Democrats are vowing to Police official said additional money from
put a stop to the state Senate’s the Legislature has made the Capitol
Complex more secure. There are now
planned move to the Capitol
View building from the Farnum increased patrols, training and enforceBuilding in downtown Lansing, ment at the Capitol building and surrounding state facilities.
home to senators since the
Patrol hours climbed from about 11,000
1970s. The building is in
in
2013
to 21,000 in 2014. Capitol
need of updates and repair, but
Security
Police investigated 410 comDemocrats say it’s more than
plaints
and
made 26 arrests in 2014,
adequate, calling the estimated
compared to 145 complaints and eight
$134 million price tag over 32
The Michigan State Senate at Capitol
arrests the year before.
years
a waste of taxpayer
View, as envisioned in a bid from the Boji
MSEA proudly represents the
money.
Group.
Capitol Security Police.
www.msea.org
11
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING...
Workers Compensation
legislation would screw injured
workers. It makes Workers
Compensation almost voluntary
and gives authority to
insurance companies.
Tim Hughes, Legislative Director,
United Auto Workers
The repeal of Prevailing
Wage won’t save the state a
single penny. Workers have
the right to a fair wage and it
just levels the playing field.
The Building Trades spent
$40 million on training last
year--only the Armed Forces
spends more.
Patrick “Shorty” Gleason,
Nurses rely on collective Legislative Director, Michigan
Building and Construction
bargaining to protect
Trades Council
In 1971, OSHA became law.
It wasn’t easy to pass
through Congress, but
them when they stand
unions had been
up for patients.
fighting for it.
Dawn
Kettinger, Director of
AFL-CIO President Karla Swift
Advocacy
and Outreach,
commemorating Workers
Michigan
Nurses
Association
Memorial Day at a Legislative
Briefing held in downtown
Lansing on April 28, 2015
Republicans are driving a wedge
into the labor movement so we
can’t support our friends. As
times goes on, contracts will
expire and we’ll lose members.
We’ll be charging up the hill with
bayonets and no bullets.
Bill Black, Legislative Director,
Teamsters
Laborers do things
like remove hazardous
material and build
I’m tired of the vitriol foisted on
pipelines that
public employees in this state
transport water.
who work day in and day out for
Prevailing wage is
the citizens of Michigan. They’re very important to our
harassed and treated very poorly
members.
by the public.
Jon Byrd, Legislative
Liza Estlund-Olson, Staff Director,
Director, Michigan
Service Employees International
Laborers District
Union
Council
12
MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
Our members provide
services every day that are
taken for granted.
Some Legislators believe
that what our members do
aren’t “real jobs.” I can
assure them that’s not true.
Outsourcing of our jobs is a
major concern.
Nick Ciaramitaro, Director of
Legislation and Public Policy,
AFSCME
ERIC B. WATERS 1964 - 2015
The union is labor’s life in action
--The Michigan Miner’s Bulletin, 1913
The Mayor of Romulus issued a proclamation designating Wednesday, Feb. 25,
2015, as “Eric Waters Day.” The Rev. Alonzo Bell read the proclamation at Eric’s
funeral service and said, “I don’t know anybody who has a day named after him except
Jesus, and he has Christmas!”
Eric B. Waters (VIII LARA) of Dundee, Michigan, passed away suddenly on
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, leaving a host of family, friends and co-workers to mourn and
miss him. The Crane Funeral Home in Romulus was packed with people, including
many of Eric’s union brothers and sisters. His funeral program stated: “Eric was
employed through the State of Michigan as an OSHA Senior Safety Officer for 15 years. He
enjoyed being able to keep Michigan workers safe. He was also a very active Union Rep.
for MSEA and devoted much of his time to his co-workers.”
Union brother Jim Zoccoli (IX LARA), Co-Spokesperson of LARA with Eric,
said just a few days after his death, “I would talk with Eric several times a day.
He was a great sounding board and I miss him already. Eric was a valuable
member of the MSEA bargaining team, especially during negotiations. He was
very knowledgeable about the contract and really cared about the members.”
Jim wanted to make sure that Eric’s trip to New Orleans in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina was remembered. “Eric was always involved in a dozen
projects. He had a lot of energy and was constantly on the go. I don’t think
people realized how much Eric did behind the scenes, both professionally and
in his personal life.”
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama, with 80% of New Orleans eventually underwater. Eric swung into
action, recruiting his brothers and two large trucks to deliver water and supplies to the stricken people in the South. MSEA supported Eric with substantial financial donations from his union brothers and sisters.
“We arrived and realized how badly they needed the supplies,” Eric said in
Eric Waters loading a truck full of
an Oct. 2005 MSEA News interview. “I was really humbled and felt honored to
supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims.
be able to help out my fellow Americans.”
Angelina Chapman (V LARA) said she first met Eric about seven years ago. “He was an excellent mentor,” she
said. “He challenged me on so many different levels, and was very encouraging. Eric was always a voice of reason...always helpful. He made sure the stewards followed the contract, but he followed it with his heart, too. He had a
sense of calmness and a great sense of humor--everybody knows how funny Eric could be. He’ll be sadly missed. It’s
a great loss.”
Mark Richard (V LARA) said Eric will be hard to replace. “He was so generous with his time and had such a big
heart. I’ll miss my conversations with him and his perspective at meetings. I’ll no longer be able to use Eric’s wise
counsel when making decisions.”
In an interview about Right-to-Work on June 27, 2013, Eric said he had a message for MSEA members: “Pledge to
become active in the union. Those before us worked so hard to achieve what we now have. All of it can be diminished if you don’t get involved.”
According to Mark, accolades poured in from both co-workers and employers alike about what a good job Eric
always did. In a tribute to Eric at his funeral, a nephew using a family nickname said, “Uncle Easy, this isn’t easy.”
GA July 22, 2006
His first GA
July 2004
Eric, Gov. Jennifer Granholm
Eric and AFSCME president
and the late Kay Ryzenga,
Lee A. Saunders, GA 2012
G A 2006
www.msea.org 13
GET YOUR BIDS READY!
What to do with all those MSEA t-shirts...make a quilt, of course!
Marie Watts (II MDOT) gathered all her MSEA shirts, and with substantial contributions from Birdie Spalding (VII MDOT) and Brenda
Kafer (VIII MDOT), made a giant t-shirt quilt which will be auctioned off
at the General Assembly in July. MSEA members who have seen the
quilt have already declared they want it, so the bidding promises to be
lively. Marie used 25 shirts for the quilt, mostly the fronts with a row of
t-shirt backs at the bottom. The hardest part was matching the corners
because t-shirt material is stretchy.
“It took me about a month,” said Marie. “I tore it apart five times
and did it over. Some spots aren’t perfect, but unless you look closely,
you won’t notice.”
Marie says she always customizes her quilts--gets an idea and
starts saving scraps of material, “I like to recycle.”
“About five years ago, I made Charles (the late Charles Dorsett) a
quilt of flannel and blue jean squares with a chenille bedspread backing. He said it was the warmest blanket he’d ever had.”
(l-r)
Conservation
Officers
Mike Drexler
(IX DNR)
and
Michael
Feagan
(III DNR).
JOB STEWARD TRAINING
HEROES AMONG US
On the afternoon of March 5, 2015, Conservation
(front, l-r): Lonnie Thomas, Renee Rimkus, Jason Zylstra,
Officers Michael Feagan (III DNR) and Mike Drexler
and Steve Morse. (back, l-r): Aaron Begley, Joshua
(IX DNR), along with Sgts. Ron Kimmerly and Todd
Newton, Michael Carter, Ben Lasher, and Greg Gulick.
Szyska, rescued two women and one man who had fallen
ADVANCED STEWARD TRAINING
through thin ice near the marble lighthouse on the east
end of Detroit’s Belle Isle.
According to the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR),
after getting out of the water, one of the women used her
cell phone to communicate with dispatchers for about an
hour while attempting to give their location. After searching the entire east end of Belle Isle, CO Drexler found the
victims on the canal between the golf course and water
plant. Sgt. Szyska coordinated with the Detroit Fire Dept.
Ladder 6 and U.S. Coast Guard personnel as well as
EMS MEDIC 12. The conservation officers scaled the
fence and rushed to assist the victims who were experiencing signs of hypothermia and going in and out of
consciousness while being carried out.
“This was an exercise in teamwork between various
(front, l-r): Steve Boyer, Ken Irwin, Tom Kelley (row 2, l-r):
agencies...I want to commend all who responded to the
Earl Johnson, William Greene, Lonnie Thomas (row 3, l-r):
scene and worked together to rescue these individuals,” Tim Stevens, Steve Richardson, Rob English (row 4, l-r):
said DNR Law Enforcement Chief Gary Hagler.
Tim Scholton, Scott Waterson, Mike Martindale, Paul
14 MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
Buchler (back, l-r): Greg Gulick, Aaron Begley, Mark
Richard and Julius Guinto.
MSEA 53rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
MSEA 53rd
ASSEMBLY
JulyGENERAL
24 - 26, 2015
July 24 - 26, 2015
General Assembly Voting
Only Delegates and Delegates-at-Large of
the General Assembly may vote in the
General Assembly.
Causeway Bay Lansing Hotel & Convention Center
(formerly Best Western Plus Hotel)
6820 S. Cedar St., Lansing, MI 48911
(517) 694-8123
RESOLUTIONS
www.msea.org
Delegates and Alternate Delegates will be
MSEA Constitution
nominated from each Region of MSEA.
Under Member Menu,
The number of Delegates and Alternates click on the MSEA
from each Region are determined by the Documents tab.
number of dues-paying members, as
Resolution Forms
reflected in the MSEA Central Office
Under the General
records on the first day, of the fourth
Assembly
tab, click on
month, immediately preceding the convenResolution
Certification
ing of each session of the General
Form
and
Late
Assembly (every three years).
Resolution Form.
The Constitution also provides for
Delegates-at-Large which include State
Officers, Executive Council and Regional
Directors.
Resolutions are proposals to amend MSEA
Board Policies or the Constitution and may
be submitted for consideration at General
Assembly by:
1. A majority vote of the State Board of
Directors.
2. A majority vote of a committee or
departmental/agency caucus of the
Union at an announced meeting of the
committee or departmental/agency
caucus.
3. A majority vote of the Executive
Council.
4. A majority vote of members of a Region
attending a Region meeting.
5. A majority vote of the Board of Directors
of a Region.
6. A member of the Union, provided that
such a resolution be accompanied by
the signatures of not less than twentyfive (25) members of the Union.
MSEA’s Legal Counsel Archie Fraser administers the “Oath of Office” to the new state
officers and regional directors Sunday at General Assembly. (June 1960)
Representing members for over 60 years!
STRONG UNIONS -- STRONG MICHIGAN
“Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.”
www.msea.org 15
MSEA STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES--PRESIDENT
PAUL K. BUCHLER
--19 years of state service
--Storekeeper VII, Michigan Dept. of Corrections (MDOC), since 1995
--19 years as MSEA member
--11 years on the Board of Directors
--Region V Director, Alternate Region Director
--MDOC Caucus
--Committees: General Assembly, Next Wave
Paul K. Buchler
--Chief Steward, Job Steward
--Hometown: Flint, MI
Statement: None submitted
KENNETH MOORE
Hometown: Portland, MI
Statement only provided:
Brothers and Sisters-We have experienced historic times in Michigan with the ongoing assault on the
middle class. During these past 33 months, we have experienced horrendous
challenges as we have seen the introduction of Right-to-Work (RTW) in early 2012. We
must continue to address the effects of Right-to-Work and the assault on us, the middle
class, and Labor as a whole. We stood in Solidarity with 17,000 labor supporters in the
Kenneth Moore
December 2012 rally as the Right-to-Work law was pending Gov. Snyder’s signature. It
was only after the rally dispersed, and in the darkness of night, that Snyder signed the Right-to-Work law that
now stands as the Law of the Land.
MSEA has been to the bargaining table with all four bargaining unit agreements. Despite the Law of the
Land, we have led through these bargaining cycles with little adverse impact to all agreements. Although we
continue to have a pending decision from the Supreme Court on the two bargaining units in state government,
we led the Coalition through our united front, on our Constitutional arguments that are pending the Supreme
Court ruling.
We have led in the same set of bargaining cycles the effects of healthcare reform during our current term!
Our membership has experienced greater out-of-pocket expenses due to the mandated statutes, but we presented in all bargaining our intent to preserve our current benefits. We have made minimal losses in healthcare benefits, but we have made minimal gains as well.
As we had made gains in the representation of our membership in the prior term, we have continued to
address the integrity of our Collective Bargaining agreements.
From those improvements, we have delivered many positive decisions in arbitration awards during this term!
We have addressed this with necessary training and administrative direction in the grievance processing. As we
have improved the integrity of Collective agreements and the grievance processing, we have obtained the ability
to process meritable grievances within the time lines of our agreements. This was several decades overdue!
As we have moved forward in these very challenging times, given the Employer’s disregard for Labor, we
have continued to build Coalition relations on behalf of Labor. Our survival strengh relies in solidarity efforts with
our Coalition partners.
As your current seated President, I thank everyone that has stepped up during this term and provided their
services as WE delivered continued positive changes in MSEA.
In addition, it is important that I recognize the passing of our seated Vice President Rod Snyder. It was my
immense pleasure to serve with Vice President Snyder; his dedication and determination is a great loss to our
membership. Vice President Snyder served from the heart and I will continue to miss him.
We will also miss our Sister Kay Ryzenga, Audit Chairperson, as she lost her fight with cancer. Kay’s dedicated service to our membership was selfless service as she had been a past treasurer for 2 1/2 terms.
In addition, our Brother Eric Waters, Chairperson of the Steward and Training Committee, as well as the
Co-spokesperson for LARA, was suddenly taken from us in February 2015. My Brother’s dedicated service to
16 MSEA NEWS MARCH-APRIL 2015
continued on next page
with
MSEA STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES--PRESIDENT
continued from previous page, Kenneth Moore statement
our membership will be dearly missed!
We are facing the greatest challenges in the climate of RTW that MSEA has ever seen. As we move forward
into the next term with your continued support, we will continue to deliver the commitment of positive change.
As your President, I am dedicated to continue my commitments as I have in the past and current term. It is with
your continued support that we have been able to deliver improved representation to our membership. I will
continue to stand proud in serving you as President and delivering continued positive change!
Thank you.
JAMES ZOCCOLI
James Zoccoli
--23 years of state service
--Senior Workplace Safety Representative E-12 since 1992
--23 years as MSEA member
--MIOSHA Construction Safety Officer E-11
--MIOSHA Senior Construction Officer E-12
--MIOSHA Construction Supervisor 13, working out of class accumulatively
for one year
--LARA Co-Spokesperson
--Chief Steward
--Region IX Director, Alternate Region Director
--Regional By-Laws Committee, LARA Caucus Secretary, LARA Secondary
Negotiation team, Delegate and/or Alternate Delegate to 50th, 51st, 52nd
General Assembly
--Constitution Resolution author, Regional By-Laws Committee, Membership
Survey Committee
--Ironworkers Local 476 Examining Board (1990-1992)
--Ironworkers Local 426 Recording Secretary (1991 Interim)
--MIOSHA Disaster Response team; member at World Trade Center 9/11,
Hurricane Katrina & Enbridge Oil Spill
--MIOSHA Employee Service Program team member
--Hometown: Garden City, MI
Statement:
Brothers and Sisters-In this era of Right-to-Work, the membership deserves truthful/fair/responsible/forthcoming Leaders who can
demonstrate that Unionism is the right choice. I am entering this election campaign as a candidate for President
for some clear reasons.
I believe lack of fiscal responsibility and accountability of your hard-earned dues money is a prime reason
Members choose not to participate and be active. Legal costs in our union are out of control due to poor leadership decisions. Members have not been provided a full financial accounting of costs regarding internal staff,
where MSEA has not had favorable legal decisions over the past three years. A junket to Chicago for a few to
attend the AFSCME National Convention without MSEA Constitutional election of delegates, having voting rights
to represent and speak on your behalf, the dues-paying members, is a travesty. I will not rest until full accountability to the membership is achieved.
I look to renewed member participation in activities such as community volunteering, personal health and an
active retiree committee. I would propose a building committee to rent out our vacant space and rectify building
deficiencies and inefficient design. I believe teamwork is a must, but not at the expense of a single option. I
look forward to vibrant debate on all issues Members hold dear. Alternative positions provide you, the member,
with needed checks and balances.
Your Regions have had meetings to elect delegates who vote on your behalf. I am asking you to contact
your Region, search out your delegates, and indicate to them who you believe would best represent you as your
President. My words to you are, “Let’s Get It Done.” I look forward to serving you.
16 MSEA NEWS
MARCH-APRIL 2015
www.msea.org 17
MSEA STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES--VICE PRESIDENT
BRENT HEYER
Brent Heyer
--19 years as an active Union member
--Electrician E10, Dept. of Technology, Management & Budget
--3 years state service
--DTMB Spokesperson
--DTMB Chief Steward
--DTMB Secondary Negotiations Team
--General Assembly Committee (currently)
--International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Local 665, 16 years before state hire, Job Steward (still active dues payer)
--Hometown: St. Johns, MI
Statement:
For 19 years as a proud Union member, I have participated in many union activities. My wife and I were
carried out of the Romney building in the Right-to-Work protest. I also participated in the 50,000 strong
Right-to-Work rally in Indianapolis, Indiana. As part of the IBEW, I was involved in many picketing duties, was
an active Job Steward and volunteered time at Habitat for Humanity. Since joining MSEA, I attended Steward
Training even though I had one more month as a probationary employee. I actively file grievances and believe
it should be a requirement to file at least one before becoming a Chief Steward.
My Goal: I think the membership is lacking information on why they pay dues. I would like to inform the
membership exactly what the dues pay for. Members keep asking the same question, “Why do I pay union
dues?” and I want to answer that for all members! I’m known for motivating members to get active in our union.
After all, this is “OUR UNION!!” I would like to become Vice President because I feel that right now is a crucial
time for unions to succeed. I’m looking forward to working diligently with the President and will strive to make
Our Union stronger.
CANDIDATES FOR MSEA REGION OFFICES
NAME
Thomas P. Kelley
REGION DIRECTOR
Region III
EXPERIENCE
Region Director 5 years;
Chief Steward 8 years
Mark Baker
Region IV
Region X Alternate Director;
Region IV Alternate Director;
Region IV Director
NAME
Brenda Kafer
REGION SECRETARY
Region VIII
18 MSEA NEWS MARCH-APRIL 2015
20+ years of experience with
MSEA and Board activities;
12+ years as State Secretary;
MDOT Chief Steward
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
RICHARD J. “DICK” REID
With profound gratitude
for his steadfast commitment and contributions
to the Union.
JUNE 2015
REGION V
LICENSED ELECTRICIAN
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
IN SOLIDARITY
KENNETH MOORE, PRESIDENT
MICHIGAN STATE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
AFSCME LOCAL 5, AFL-CIO
MSEA NEWS
Michigan State Employees Association
AFSCME Local 5 - AFL-CIO
6035 Executive Dr., Suite 104
Lansing, MI 48911
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
LANSING, MI
PERMIT NO. 75
WOMEN--WANT EQUAL PAY?
JOIN A UNION!
This year’s Pay Equity Day occurred on Tuesday,
April 14, 2015, marking the day when women’s wages
catch up to what men were paid in the previous year.
According to the National Women’s Law Center,
women in Michigan earn 77 cents for every dollar
earned by men. And the wage gap is even wider for
mothers, especially single mothers and mothers of
color, most of whom are essential breadwinners and
caregivers for their families.
Projections indicate that the wage gap between
men and women won’t be closed for another 71 years.
In a gathering at the Capitol Rotunda to mark Pay
Equity Day, Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor)
called it the equivalent of having pay equity “over my
dead body” because she said she would likely be dead
before the year 2086 rolls around.
However, unions have been the great equalizer for
working women. To prolonged applause, AFL-CIO
President Karla Swift urged working women to join a
union. “Union contracts protect equal pay for men and
women doing the same jobs. And women who join a
union see their wages go up an average of 11% compared to non-union women workers in similar fields.”
But for women workers who don’t have the protection of a union and equal pay due to a collective bargaining agreement, they and their families suffer.
During World War II, women worked in a variety of
positions previously closed to them because of a
shortage of male workers. Unions made special
efforts to integrate women into their organizations
through education programs. The U.S. government’s
“Rosie the Riveter” campaign stressed the patriotic
need for women to enter the work force, and it became
one of the most successful recruitment tools in
American history. As the model for artist Norman
Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter,” Mary Doyle Keefe
became the symbol of American women working on
the home front during World War II. The iconic painting became the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on
May 29, 1943. “Rosie” recently died at 92 years of
age in Connecticut on April 21, 2015.