We Need the SEIU
I don't need the Union; they don't do anything for me and sometimes you just have to scream.
I work with non-members that tell me they will join when the Union does something for them.
Overtime, the 40 hour week, health care and benefits don't count.
Here in Maine, last year the non member got a pay raise negotiated by the Union.
Some of the same members got huge raises because the Union had a reclassification process in the contract and it worked.
The Union fought off Republican sponsored increases in health care costs so I asked the non members to join today after the Union had just saved them $90.
00 a month and a $2000.
00 deductible on health care.
I mentioned some of the other things like a Flexible work schedules allowing the non member to have three day weekends with their family.
They laughed, and said they got their (Union negotiated} health care without joining the Union and they don't want to work four ten hour days to get three days off.
I am still screaming.
How much is enough? We have full time members that show no more understanding of the Union than nonmembers.
The Union web site tries to print positive articles saying what a great job is being done and much of it is true, but where are the stories of members insulted and hurt by nearly $4.
00 gas and the States refusal to pay a fair mileage rate? The true story is we have been getting less than the cost of living in raises for years.
Those stories don't get printed because the real cause is the members failure to fight for themselves.
This year the Union activists have done an outstanding job, having gotten just enough support to fight off some of the attacks on health care-this time, but not enough to do better.
So far the active Union members have carried the ball.
They need help! The SEIU national is sometimes perceived as giving orders to locals, but in Maine the MSEA does not take orders well.
We run our union, but we won't keep running it if no one wants to get involved.
Whether for good or bad, our dues have not gone up recently because of member involvement.
This year I am going to vote FOR a dues increase if it goes toward politics and organizing workers outside of State government, workers with energy that have lived without a successful union for years.
We have it better than they do but if we don't help raise them up, the politicians will have an audience screaming to tear us down.
If the current members can't help we need to reach out to survive.
They are coming for your health care, they are coming for your wages, and they don't like you.
What are you going to do about it?
I work with non-members that tell me they will join when the Union does something for them.
Overtime, the 40 hour week, health care and benefits don't count.
Here in Maine, last year the non member got a pay raise negotiated by the Union.
Some of the same members got huge raises because the Union had a reclassification process in the contract and it worked.
The Union fought off Republican sponsored increases in health care costs so I asked the non members to join today after the Union had just saved them $90.
00 a month and a $2000.
00 deductible on health care.
I mentioned some of the other things like a Flexible work schedules allowing the non member to have three day weekends with their family.
They laughed, and said they got their (Union negotiated} health care without joining the Union and they don't want to work four ten hour days to get three days off.
I am still screaming.
How much is enough? We have full time members that show no more understanding of the Union than nonmembers.
The Union web site tries to print positive articles saying what a great job is being done and much of it is true, but where are the stories of members insulted and hurt by nearly $4.
00 gas and the States refusal to pay a fair mileage rate? The true story is we have been getting less than the cost of living in raises for years.
Those stories don't get printed because the real cause is the members failure to fight for themselves.
This year the Union activists have done an outstanding job, having gotten just enough support to fight off some of the attacks on health care-this time, but not enough to do better.
So far the active Union members have carried the ball.
They need help! The SEIU national is sometimes perceived as giving orders to locals, but in Maine the MSEA does not take orders well.
We run our union, but we won't keep running it if no one wants to get involved.
Whether for good or bad, our dues have not gone up recently because of member involvement.
This year I am going to vote FOR a dues increase if it goes toward politics and organizing workers outside of State government, workers with energy that have lived without a successful union for years.
We have it better than they do but if we don't help raise them up, the politicians will have an audience screaming to tear us down.
If the current members can't help we need to reach out to survive.
They are coming for your health care, they are coming for your wages, and they don't like you.
What are you going to do about it?
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