May/June 2014 Volume 19 Number 3

An Information Pipeline for Members and Friends of Local 17

Getting Portland Pools Ready for Summer page 10

Insight

Also in this issue:

Communications Officer at Washington State Patrol Helps Save a Life page 9

Early Election Endorsements page 15

News and FeaturesOn Unity ...................................................................................3Union Peanut Butter Drive a Success.............................................4Seattle Mayor Announces $15 Minimum Wage Plan...................5Portland Residents Vote Down Water District Initiative.............6State Negotiations Begin for 2015-2017 Contract........................7King County Roads and Transit After Prop 1 Failure.................8WSP Communications Officer Helps Save A Life........................9 Staff Perspective: Deidre Girard....................................................11Executive Board Column: Rachel Whiteside..............................16

Public AffairsNASHTU Conference...................................................................13 Money Talks: Why You Should Donate to the PAC.................14Early Election Endorsements........................................................15

On the Cover:

Gerry Verhoef, Local 17 member, COPPEA Chapter President, and Engineering Associate for the City of Portland, inspects the Sellwood pool in SE Portland in preparation for the summer season. Read more on page 10.

InsightJoe McGee, Managing Editor; Deidre Girard, EditorInsight (ISSN 1093-1694) is the official publication of Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17. Insight is published bi-monthly by Local 17, 2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98102. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington. Postmaster: Send address change to: Insight - 2900 Eastlake Ave. E., Ste. 300, Seattle, WA 98102-3012. www.pte17.org

Insight May/June 2014 Vol.19/ No. 3

Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17 2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Ste. 300 Seattle, Washington 98102Phone ...................................................206-328-7321Toll-free..................................................800-783-0017Fax ........................................................206-328-7402E-mail .............................................. union@pte17.orgWebsite ............................................... www.pte17.org

President: Lois Watt Vice-President: Hossein Barahimi Secretary-Treasurer: Sean SimmonsTrustee: Ray CeaserTrustee: Elizabethe GeierTrustee: Rachel Whiteside

Executive Director: Joe McGee Ext.101•mcgee@pte17.orgDeputy Executive Director: Behnaz Nelson Ext.112•behnaz@pte17.orgFinance Director: Jackie Miller Ext.102•miller@pte17.orgOperations Director: Anthony Davidson Ext.121•anthony@pte17.orgUnion RepresentativesWhitney Abrams Ext.122•whitney@pte17.orgAmy Bowles Ext.118•amy@pte17.orgDenise Cobden Ext.127•denise@pte17.orgAnnie Costello Ext.120•annie@pte17.orgKate Garrow Ext.133•kate@pte17.orgPatti Kieval Ext.106•pkieval@pte17.orgYoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe Ext.103•yoko@pte17.orgSarah Lorenzini Ext.110•sarah@pte17.orgJacob Metzger Ext.129•jacob@pte17.orgGuadalupe Perez Ext.109•perez@pte17.orgCharles Primm Ext.107•charles@pte17.orgPatrick Silvernale Ext.113•patrick@pte17.orgProgram DirectorsCommunications: Deidre Girard Ext.130•deidre@pte17.org Legislative: Vince Oliveri Ext.108•vince@pte17.organd Legislative: Adrienne Thompson Ext.115•adrienne@pte17.orgResearch: Elliot Levin Ext.128•elliot@pte17.orgSpecialProjectsCoordinator:Nikola Davidson Ext.111•nikola@pte17.orgOffice StaffCommunications Assistant: Donna Clarke Ext.104•donna@pte17.orgMembership Administrator: Laura Elia Ext.123•laura@pte17.org

Notice to Persons in Agency Shop Units Local 17 has a policy regarding rights of those employees in agency shopbargainingunitswhoobjecttoexpenditureofanyportionof their dues for purposes not related to collective bargaining, grievance processing and contract administration responsibilities of the union. This policy is provided to all new employees hired into Local 17 bargaining units, to employees at the time agency shop provisions are established; to those persons who submit a fair share representation fee request annually; and to all representation fee payers. If you would like a copy of this policy, please request one from Nikola Davidson at 206-328-7321, Ext. 111.

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About This Issue

Sorry to start off on a downbeat note, but not to worry, I hope I leave you smiling at the end. Some of us were recently at a conference in Washington, D.C. for unions with members who work in transportation (see story on p.13). The doom and

gloom and congressional dysfunction about funding for infrastructure maintenance and construction, and transportation systems in particular, was rampant.

For a nation as great as ours to essentially be paralyzed about something as basic yet critical as building and maintaining highways, water and sewage systems, airports and rail lines, is just plain foolhardy and preposterously shortsighted. The rest of the industrialized world will eventually pull ahead of us because people in those countries seem to know that without a solid foundation (infrastructure), the economy on which it rests will eventually collapse, just as surely as a house built on a crumbling foundation will eventually fall down.

This whole unfortunate drama comes down to a central polarizing issue of our time: government spending – which is inextricably bound up with what makes such spending possible: taxes. There was a time, not all that long ago, when transportation and infrastructure funding was a bipartisan issue, a no-brainer, to put it bluntly.

After all, it was a Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower who, with bipartisan support, presided over the building of our now deteriorating interstate highway system. Unfortunately, there are very few Republicans like him around anymore. As much as I hate to generalize, it is usually the GOP at the national level that just says “No” to most government spending, whether for critical infrastructure projects or not. They do however, consistently, and amazingly, support lower taxes, especially for the already wealthy. I get it; no one wants to pay “too much” in taxes, and everyone has a different notion of what “too much” means. But we aren’t going to keep our country great if we don’t invest in it. It’s our community, whether at the national, state, or local level. You get what you pay for, and you reap the dividends from what you invest in.

This is especially true with spending on, and investing in, infrastructure and modern transportation systems which need reliable new era funding to be viable and sustainable. If we don't pay now, we will watch our bridges, roads, rail and water systems deteriorate, as many already are, and pay a prohibitive price later. It could be too late then and other countries which have made the prudent and necessary investments will literally leave us in the dust of our crumbling infrastructure.

And on that “happy” note – it is a pretty depressing subject after all – I’ll shift gears. Summer is upon us, finally! Get out into that long awaited and generally superb Pacific Northwest summer weather. Savor every bit of it and the long-lasting daylight it treats us with. Enjoy it with friends and family. As you well know, this special season passes too quickly. Our political challenges will be there in the fall and winter just as surely as the darker and shorter days will return. But if we stop to catch our breath and indulge in the joys of this wonderful time of year, we’ll be able to face all of our coming challenges with renewed vigor and energy.

Here’s to a great one!

The Infrastructure Funding Blues

Joe McGeeLocal 17 Executive Director

In unity,

Insight 3

On Unity

Yakima Health Member Honored for 39 Years of Service

Seattle Members Ratify Tentative Agreement for 2014

Yakima Public Health member Art McEwen was honored by members of the Yakima Board of Health and the Health District at his retirement party in May. McEwen served 39 years as an Environmental Health Specialist. Here he stands with Dave Cole, who McEwen mentored to replace him as Local 17 Steward.

Local 17 Seattle members in the Mas-ter contract, the IT contract, and the Mu-nicipal Court contract voted overwhelm-ingly to approve the Tentative Agreement (TA) for 2014, which includes a 1.8% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). The Agreement with the City will now work its way through the City’s legislative process. You can read the details of the agreement on the Local 17 City of Seattle webpage: www.pte17.org/seattle.

Local 17 and Members Contribute to Successful Union Peanut Butter Drive

In May, unions in the Puget Sound area held a peanut butter drive for local food banks. The event – started by the Pierce

County Central Labor Council (PCCLC) and now in its fourth year – collected over 7,500 pounds of peanut butter.

Local 17 members in Pierce and Snohomish counties collected and donated jars of the protein-rich food that will sustain children throughout the summer months when school-time free or reduced lunch programs are unavailable. Local 17

Local 17 member Kathy Pierson speaks at the donation ceremony in Snohomish.

The Local 17 Executive Board paused for a photo at their monthly meeting in May. Left to right: Ray Ceaser, Trustee; Rachel Whiteside, Trustee; Sean Simmons, Secretary/Treasurer; Lois Watt, President; Hossein Barahimi, Vice President; Elizabethe Geier, Trustee.

Local 17 Executive Board

contributed to the cause, too, with efforts coordinated by Patrick Silvernale, Union Representative for Pierce County, Clark County and the City of Tacoma.

"As a mom who is keenly aware of the importance of good nutrition on a child's development, I'm thankful to work for an organization that recognizes that there are families who are less fortunate, and that we can make a difference in our commu-nities," said Local 17 Deputy Executive Director Behnaz Nelson of the cause.

Chelan-Douglas Members Meet Their State Representatives

On May 15, Chelan-Douglas Health District members had the opportunity to present to their three legislators: Senator Linda Parlette, Representative Cary Con-dotta and Representative Brad Hawkins. Members Jackie Dawson and Stephanie Snitily, who is also the Chapter President, stressed the importance of public health by highlighting a recent E. coli outbreak in the area.

The remainder of the public affairs training session focused on civil engage-ment, issues facing public health and what to anticipate in the state budget for the 2015 session.

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Briefly

Local 17 Contributes to Emergency Assistance Fund for Seattle Employees

Since its inception in 2006, the Emergency Assistance for Seattle Employees (EASE) program has raised tens of thou-sands of dollars for City employees who have encountered

unfortunate circumstances and need a little extra financial help. Through employee payroll-deducted donations, union and cor-

porate sponsors, and fundraisers, EASE raised more than $36,000 in 2013. At the annual open house this spring, the EASE program honored its sponsors, including Local 17, which makes a gener-ous contribution on behalf of members each year. Local 17 Vice President Hossein Barahimi, and Trustee Ray Ceaser were on hand to accept the certificate of recognition.

Marta Idowu, Local 17 Seattle Chapter Secretary and EASE Board member, was also at the event. "It is a pleasure working on the EASE Board and to see first-hand how the generosity of city employees makes such a big difference in the lives of fellow employees who find themselves in need," said Idowu.

Local 17 Executive Director Joe McGee said: "Local 17 is proud of our commitment to EASE and the support it offers to Seattle employees in need."

At the EASE open house (left to right): EASE Board Member and Local 17 Seattle Chapter Secretary Marta Idowu; Local 17 Vice President Hossein Barahimi; Local 17 Trustee Ray Ceaser; Local 17 Union Representatives Charles Primm and Patti Kieval; and EASE President Rachel Schade.

On May 1, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced his plan for phasing in a city-wide minimum

wage of $15 per hour. Murray at a press conference unveiling

the details of the plan, said: “Throughout this process, I’ve had two goals: to get Seattle’s low-wage workers to $15-per-hour while also supporting our employers, and to avoid a costly battle at the ballot box between competing initiatives. We have a deal that I believe accomplishes both goals.”

Depending upon the size of a business and their employee benefit options, businesses can expect to be paying their workers the higher wage within three to seven years. Larger businesses (defined as greater than 500 employees) will be paying their employees $15 by 2017. Small businesses and non-profits will be given a longer amount of time to implement the wage. The plan will also allow small businesses to factor in health

Seattle Mayor Presents City-Wide $15 Minimum Wage Plan

benefit expenditures and tips into the wage equation, at least within the first 5 years of implementation.

Despite the long implementation timeline, the plan has received widespread support from both the labor and business communities. The plan, however, does not directly address the wages of employees at the City of Seattle.

The Coalition of City Unions, which includes Local 17, is urging the Mayor to

act on the Executive Order he put forth in January pertaining to a $15 an hour minimum wage for all City of Seattle employees. The Coalition does not believe that the same issues that exist with the business community in regard to requiring a phase-in approach apply to an increase in City employee wages.

A $15-an-hour minimum wage would significantly improve the lives of more than 800 city workers – including a few Local 17 members – who currently make less than $15 an hour.

Additionally, if a $15 minimum wage were implemented with City employees, Mayor Murray would be aligned with the recommendations of the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative and Gender Equity Task Force. Many of the employees earning below $15 an hour are women and people of color.

As Mayor Murray put it, enacting this change will make Seattle “a model for the rest of the employers in this city.”

Local 17 member Joe Steinmeyer at City Hall for the rally to raise the minimum wage.

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News

Portland Residents Block Water District Initiative in May VoteLocal 17 Members Canvass, Phone Bank, and Meet with Mayor to Stop Initiative

On May 20, ballots were counted in

the City of Portland. Local 17 members in the COPPEA Chapter were keeping a close eye on measure 26-156, which threatened to create an independent Water Bureau, putting hundreds of COPPEA jobs and environmental programs in jeopardy.

Luckily, Portland citizens voted overwhelmingly to keep water and sewer services within the control of the City of Portland. Votes were nearly 3:1 against the measure. This decisive victory means that Portland citizens will not have to worry about a similar ballot measure for years to come.

During election season, Local 17 partnered with Stop the Bull Run Takeover – the campaign against the ballot mea-sure. Through this partnership, Local 17 developed stronger relationships with labor and political leaders in Portland, including Mayor Charlie Hales, who invited Local 17 members into his home for breakfast before a canvassing event. These relation-ships will continue to be of tremendous value to the Local 17 COPPEA Chapter in the future.

Local 17 also donated time and money to the campaign. Staff spent countless

hours writing voter guide statements, vol-unteering at the campaign offices, meeting with other partners, developing and presenting trainings to COPPEA Chapter members, canvassing, participating in phone banks, and attending campaign-sponsored social events. Along with the many other contributing organizations, Local 17’s donation of $4,000 helped make the victory possible.

Thank you to those COPPEA Chapter members, friends, and family members

who also committed time and money. This victory simply would not have been possible without the grassroots efforts of those volunteers who did everything from posting yard signs to canvassing neighbor-hoods in the community.

Local 17 staff will continue to keep a close eye on the issues in Portland, and in Salem, that could affect COPPEA Chapter members as the fall election season gets closer.

Portland residents from the No on 26-156 campaign gather together before a canvassing event in May.

Local 17 Scholarship Deadline is July 31!

Local 17 offers an annual $3,000 academic scholarship to dependents of members who will be attending college in the fall. Applicants are evaluated on their academic achievement, community service,

extracurricular activities, and educational goals. Applicants are also asked to write a labor-related essay which is reviewed by outside labor educators.

Alex Hansen, our 2013 scholarship winner, (pictured at the right with his parents) is currently studying physics at the University of Chicago.

Visit our website—www.pte17.org—for more information about the scholarship, and to find the application. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2014.

Do you have a dependent who is a graduating high school senior?

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News

Negotiations Begin for 2015-2017 State Contract

In April, the Local 17 State employee bargaining team began negotiations with Washington state on the 2015-

2017 contract that is due to take effect in July 2015.

Members from across the state, working at the Department of Licensing, Department of Transportation and the State Patrol, met throughout the winter to discuss bargaining issues important to their colleagues, as well as to select members of the negotiating team that will work together with Local 17 staff in negotiations.

In the two initial bargaining sessions between Local 17 and the State of Wash-ington, each party took a day to outline its initial proposals covering work rules within our contract.

Beginning with the session scheduled for June 12–13, the parties will begin to exchange counter-proposals to each other in regard to the initial proposals. This pattern will continue until a tentative agreement is reached.

We predict that this will be accom-plished in late August or early September,

and will immediately be followed by a vote by Local 17 State members on whether to accept the package. By law, negotiations must be completed by October 1.

Thus far the parties have exchanged initial proposals on a variety of issues including sick leave, shared leave, person-nel files (and public disclosure), off-duty conduct, discipline, seniority, layoffs and recall, and classification (reallocation requests).

In addition to work rules, proposals on financial subjects will soon be introduced into the mix. As the state economy slowly continues to recover from the economic crisis in 2008, Local 17 will be propos-ing upgrades to salaries that recognize the sacrifice that public employees have made in order to assist the State in weathering the economic crisis.

One thing that negotiators will utilize in formulating economic proposals is the state Economic Forecast that will receive its quarterly update on June 18. Interested members should be on the lookout for news reports on the forecast around that time, or can check the website of the state

Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (http://www.erfc.wa.gov).

Negotiations will continue throughout the summer with sessions scheduled for July, August and September.

Later this summer, Local 17 will also participate in a separate Union Coali-tion bargaining, together with other state employee unions, regarding health care premiums.

We encourage Local 17 members to make a point to attend their local chapter meetings in order to get more specific information about the negotiations. We have also created a blog for the negotia-tions: www.pte17.org/statenegotiations/ that includes a link to our members-only page where state members can access more in-depth coverage, participate in polls to gather input on issues, and leave feedback for your union negotiating team. (You will have to register for access to this page at the website above. Only Local 17 members who work for the State will be approved for access to that page.)

The 2015-2017 State Negotiations Team (left to right): Sarah Lorenzini (L17 Staff), Tom Darcy (DOL), Joan Oestreich (DOT), Daniel Jones (DOT), Yoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe (L17 Staff), Dean Robinson (WSP), Stacie Huibregtse (WSP), Donna Blume (DOL), Natalie Kaminski (L17 Staff), Vince Oliveri (L17 Staff), Steve Morgans (DOT).

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News

News & Features

Fight for Transit Funding Continues After Prop 1 FailureLocal 17 Members in King County Roads and Transit to be Impacted

On April 22, King County voters rejected Proposition 1, jeopardiz-ing the future of public transit in

the Seattle/Metro region. Without the additional transit funding

proposed in Proposition 1, King County Metro will implement the first of four rounds of bus-service cuts in September 2014. Once all four rounds of cuts are implemented, 550,000 annual bus-service hours or approximately 16% of all bus service will be cut and hundreds of jobs, including Local 17 positions, could be lost.

Oddly enough, this news comes on the heels of other recent news that the City of Seattle’s population grew by a greater per-centage than any other city in the country in 2013, and ridership is at record levels.

But all is not lost. Shortly after the election results were tallied, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that while he remains “fully commit-ted to a regional transportation solution” King County would explore “an enhanced Metro program” that would allow cities to buy additional bus service hours from King County Metro. In response, compet-ing funding proposals for City of Seattle bus service have emerged.

First, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray an-nounced that he would be asking Seattle

residents to approve a .01% sales-tax increase and $60 car-tab fee on the No-vember ballot to fund transit service for Seattle.

Sound familiar? It should, because Mayor Murray is asking Seattle voters to approve the same funding mechanisms that King County voters rejected in Proposition 1. While King County voters rejected Prop. 1, voters in the City of Seattle approved it by an overwhelming margin and Mayor Murray is betting they will do so again in November.

Unfortunately, waiting until Novem-ber means that Metro would still proceed with its September 2014 service cuts.

In May, Seattle City Council mem-bers Nick Licata and Kshama Sawant announced their own funding plan that would “prevent the first round of devas-tating cuts to Metro service and shift the burden of long-term funding off Seattle’s working people…”

The Licata/Sawant plan calls for a Council enacted employee head tax of up to $18 per year, and a five percent increase in the existing parking tax, in conjunc-tion with a voter approved $60 car-tab fee for transit. (This plan does not seem to be getting much traction as we go to print).

In early June, King County Council member Rod Dembowski proposed another potential alternative funding plan that would defer 2015 cuts in order to utilize increased projected revenues from the county sales tax. This will be voted on by the council later in June.

One thing is for certain: cutting transit during a time of unprecedented popula-tion and economic growth doesn’t make any sense, and in that light, any plan that sustains transit service, even in the short term, deserves support. That being said, it is incumbent that the state legislature act to create a permanent funding solution that provides transportation for the region's workers.

In the months to come, Local 17 will be working with State, county and city government to advocate for secure and permanent transit funding and to mitigate the potential job losses that could impact our members in transportation.

Local 17 Executive Director Joe McGee noted that our union poured lots of energy and financial support into the effort to pass Proposition 1. He expressed deep disap-pointment about its failure. He added that: "Local 17 will remain focused on this issue and will actively support any viable funding proposals."

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News

WSP Communications Officer Talks Woman Off of I-90 Bridge

In her 13 years with the Washington State Patrol (WSP), December 25, 2013 was one of the most intense days

on the job for Mindi Mezek. As a Communications Officer I,

Mezek acts as a dispatcher for calls that come into the State Patrol call center in Bellevue. Typically, this entails answer-ing calls about traffic violations, which she then routes to the appropriate city or state agency for follow-up. But on this fateful day, Mezek was acting as a back-up call taker for 911, when a woman called to say she was going to jump off of the East Channel Bridge on I-90 near Mercer Island.

That’s when Mezek’s instinct kicked in. She knew she had to keep the caller on the line to bide some time until she could pinpoint exactly where the jumper was and get a trooper to that location. The woman on the other end of the line mentioned a daughter, so Mezek asked her lots of questions about her daughter as the GPS mapping software honed in on a location based on the caller’s cell phone.

Once Mezek found the location, Sgt. Curt Boyle, a State Trooper, quickly left from the Bellevue center to find the woman. With the caller still on the line, Mezek suddenly spotted the woman on one of the traffic camera feeds at her desk. As Sgt. Boyle pulled up, Mezek watched the whole thing unfold.

“When you see it happening on the camera like that, it becomes truly real,” said Mezek, who watched as Sgt. Boyle grabbed the woman from the ledge.

“This call was the one that physically affected me the most,” said Mezek. “It was so intense – I cried once I got off the phone. And I’m usually a pretty tough person.”

Years ago, Mezek had received an-other call from a suicidal person, which prompted her to request more training on how to best handle these situations. She attended a King County 911 training class on suicidal calls, which was helpful, but thinks it mostly boils down to instincts in each situation.

“With or without training, your in-stinct just kicks in,” she said.

Mezek says her job can be stressful, but the stress of it is generally due to the high volume of calls, not the content of the individual calls themselves.

“We are the smallest State Patrol cen-ter, but we answer more than 40 percent of the calls in Washington,” she said.

As a native Washingtonian, Mezek is proud of her work for the State. She’s also happy that the State Patrol provides her with a secure job with good benefits.

“I’ve been laid off from jobs before, so I really appreciate the security that comes with this job,” she said.

Since December, Mezek has gone back to answering calls mostly about people texting while driving, road-rage incidents, and traffic accidents. But she’s ready for whatever calls might come in next.

“Everything happens for a reason – I think you get the calls you’re supposed to get,” said Mezek.

Note: The woman who attempted suicide later came into the station to thank Sgt. Boyle and to let him know that she was get-ting the help she needed.

WSP Communications Officer Mindi Mezek at the Bellevue call center where she received the 911 call back in December.

Insight 9

Features

“Everything happens for a reason – I think you get the calls you're supposed to get.”Mindi Mezek, Communications OfficerWashington State Patrol

10 Insight

The days are getting sunny and warm, and kids are starting their summer vacations, which means

that the City of Portland’s outdoor pools will open to crowds of families, swimmers, and water enthusiasts. While residents are happy to have a place to splash around in the city, most have probably never wondered what it takes to get the pools ready for the summer season. That’s where Local 17 member Gerry Verhoef comes in.

As an Engineering Associate with the Parks & Recreation Bureau, Verhoef spends a good number of her early spring days providing engineering support to maintain the infrastructure at Portland’s pools. This entails investigating the needs at each facility, initiating funding, acquiring contractors, and overseeing construction. Sometimes projects are small and just require replacing a part here and there; other times they are full-scale remodeling projects.

Portland has seven outdoor pools. The yearly preparations needed to get the pools open by mid-June – including cleaning, paint touch ups, and preventative maintenance on mechanical and filtration systems – begin in March, and are completed by the facilities staff at Parks and Recreation. If preparations are deemed to be more complex, Verhoef is sent to investigate. She may find that the paint needs to be removed entirely, the

caulking or plasterwork may need to be redone, or that repairs to the concrete shell or mechanical systems are required.

This year, the Sellwood pool, pictured here, will need to have the plaster removed and refinished, damaged tiles replaced, and caulking redone. Once the plaster is removed, Verhoef will inspect the concrete for any additional repair needs. She coordinates all of the installation work, and will make several more visits to the pool before it's ready for the season opening. The pool will also be getting a new pool slide and cover; and the pool play features will be painted.

“The work is always weather dependent,” said Verhoef. “Painting has to happen in dry weather and must be done sufficiently ahead of opening for the paint to cure. With the Oregon weather, it is always a juggling act to complete the work in the appropriate time frames and weather windows.”

Verhoef enjoys being able to provide expertise that supports the parks and her community.

“Public pools and parks benefit the community by keeping families and children active; providing social and health-benefiting activities to residents; and creating opportunities for people to interact with nature within the City,” said Verhoef.

Verhoef also serves her community as the Local 17 COPPEA Chapter President, a position she’s held since January 2011 when COPPEA first began its partnership with Local 17. “One of my biggest thrills as President is seeing the COPPEA Chapter’s membership get more involved,” she said.

“It’s so important to participate in your union because as a union member, you don’t stand alone – you have a voice that is on par with management.”

Even though the outdoor pool preparation season is winding down, Verhoef is busy with many other engineering projects throughout the Portland parks system, including indoor pools, community centers, basketball and tennis courts, park sidewalks, and much more. She has been working for the City of Portland since 1994.

Gerry Verhoef examines a loose piece of concrete at the Sellwood pool in Southeast Portland.

“With the Oregon weather, it's always a juggling act to complete the work in the appropriate time frames and weather windows.”Gerry Verhoef, Local 17 Member and COPPEA Chapter PresidentPortland Parks & Recreation

Portland Gets Public Pools Ready for SummerLocal 17 Member Spends Her Spring Inspecting Outdoor Pools Across the City

Features

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Features

Changing Public Perception Through Storytelling

Staff Perspective By Deidre Girard Local 17

Communications Director

Why is it that there’s so much negativity surrounding the word “union”? In the news

media, online, and out in the public, the general consensus seems to be that union staff employees and members are greedy, or even worse, “thugs”; and that the labor movement itself is antiquated. But is any of this true?

Of course not. We know this, but our message is not

as loud and consistent as the opposition's message – the one created by corporate America that has been feeding public sentiment for decades; the one that misin-forms, and tries to make truths out of lies.

Yes, unionized workers have better pay and benefits than most non-union workers. But does that make us greedy? All workers should be paid a decent wage and their work should be valued enough to warrant a good health care plan and a sufficient retirement package. Yes, union-ized workers sometimes come together to rally for change. What’s wrong with that? Sometimes you have to make a little noise to be noticed.

With that in mind, what if we could show the public who we really are and what we really do, and get our positive stories in the news media on a regular basis? What if we could demonstrate how

vital our jobs are to community health, or public safety, or getting people from point A to point B? My bet would be that the public would gradually come around. They would realize that you are hard-working people just like them, that the work you do is important, and that every worker deserves a decent living.

Let’s get noticed!Local 17 has many avenues to convey

positive stories about you and the impor-tant work that you do for your communi-ties. Using our magazine Insight, press releases, social media, and more, we can work together to change public perception.

In the two years I’ve been with Lo-cal 17, I’ve gotten to meet many of you and learn about what you do. When first meeting, members are often doubtful that their jobs are interesting enough to profile, but time after time, I leave each interview thoroughly impressed.

You can see a few of my favorite Insight profiles from the last two years in the collage below. From our nurses in Chelan Douglas who provide vital health services to residents of mulitiple counties; to our WSDOT Engineers who protect people from avalanches on our mountain passes; to our City of Seattle Transportation Planners who design and build neighbor-

hood greenways for safe bicycling and pedestrian traffic – you all do such great work!

In this issue, be sure to read about Gerry Verhoef and how she gets Portland's outdoor pools ready for the summer (p.10), and Mindi Mezek, a 911 Operator who helped save a life on the I-90 bridge (p.9).

Share Your Story! Our readers are interested to learn

about you. After nearly every issue hits mailboxes, I get a few complimentary emails. They're not complimenting me, though – they're complimenting you! I think the public is ready to learn more about you, too.

I encourage you to share your story. I always aim to paint our members in the best light possible.

There are a lot of stories to tell, and a lot of minds to change. If you would like to share a little bit about what you do (in Insight, and maybe beyond!), please contact me: deidre@pte17.org.

And (shameless plug!) if you haven't joined us online recently, be sure to visit us on the web: pte17.org, and on social media: facebook.com/PTE17, twitter.com/PTE17, and youtube.com/user/17PTE.

What's Your Story?

Insight 12

Features

We’ve all worked hard to get where we are in our careers, our lives, and in our passions outside

of work. Sometimes, though, we take for granted some of the benefits to which we’ve become accustomed. We forget that not everyone has the protections of a union con-tract and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are part of a unified group.

So Why Should You Care?It’s no coincidence that the erosion of

the middle class and the decline in union membership has happened at roughly the same rate since the New Deal, and especially since the Reagan years. A strong middle class means a healthy economy for all of us. That’s why we need to be in-volved in the fight for a higher minimum wage.

When workers don’t make enough money to get by, who foots the bill? We do! No one is taxed at a higher rate than the middle class.

But what does that mean? When a Wal-Mart worker can’t pay their bills or feed their family, they rely on state subsidies. This creates a situation where taxpayers are supplementing the profits of multi-billion-dollar corporations, which only perpetuates the ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor.

We are all workers: engineers, teachers, nurses, servers, and cashiers. Good unions,

like Local 17, know that an effective, pro-gressive union fights not just for its own members, but for all workers. And paying a livable wage benefits everyone in the long run by stimulating the economy and ensuring we all pay our fair share for the greater good of everyone.

Raising the StandardsUnion contracts help, and in some

cases determine, the standards in a given industry. As union members, we need to embrace our role in raising these standards – not just for ourselves, but for our fellow workers who are ringing up our groceries and cleaning our offices.

Local 17 members are leaders in our workplaces and industries, as well as our communities. One of our biggest com-munities – Seattle – is at the forefront of a historic movement to increase the mini-mum wage to $15 dollars per hour. Let’s embrace this role by showing our support for all workers.

Why You Should Care About Raising the Minimum Wage

Sometimes, we get criticized for having these things – as if having a pension, some job security and a decent wage should be the exception, not the rule. After all, it’s easier to criticize, than it is to try and make a difference. Luckily, Local 17 is committed to ensuring that all workers are treated fairly. Raising the standards for some should not come at the cost of improving and maintaining the standards of others.

Imagine trying to live off of $9 per hour… Even at 40 hours per week – a schedule that is getting harder and harder to find in retail and food-service jobs – that’s only a gross income of $18,720 per year. And these jobs aren’t all being performed by high school and college students as they once were; there are adults with bachelor’s and master’s degrees behind those grills and behind the counter ringing up your socks.

These workers did everything right: they went to college; they pay their bills; they give back to their communities. The only difference is that they have the misfortune of seeking work in an economy that’s working for no one except the very rich.

Local 17 Participates in National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions Conference in Washington, DC

The National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions (NASHTU) held its annual

meeting in Washington, D.C., in late April. As a current member of NASHTU, Local 17 joined 38 member organizations from 20 states to discuss federal fund-ing, combating the privatization of public services, and the status of our current transportation system.

The main topic of conversation was the potential insolvency of the federal High-way Trust Fund. The fund is authorized only through this fiscal year, October 2014, however the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the High-way Account of the Highway Trust Fund

gas consumption and through the use of more fuel-efficient cars. Some experts warn of the potential collapse of the system as legislators seem incapable of putting poli-tics aside to find agreement on a new plan.

Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray recently summed up the crisis: "The Highway Trust Fund is heading toward an avoidable crisis as early as July, and if we don't act, could lead to a con-struction shutdown on our nation's roads and bridges. Every day that Congress waits to address this looming crisis, states will be forced to make difficult planning decisions, as many already have, to delay projects that improve roads and bridges in their communities."

On the last day of the conference, the Obama administration announced its GROW AMERICA Act (Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Com-munities throughout America Act). The four-year bill provides a $302 billion in overall funding. It includes $199 billion for highways/road safety (22% increase), $72 billion for transit (70% increase), $19 billion to rail, $10 billion to multi-modal freight program, and $9 billion for transportation grant programs. It will also

shore up the $87 billion balances in the Highway Trust Fund.

The Administration’s proposal is funded by supplementing current revenues with $150 billion in one-time transition revenue from pro-growth business tax reform. The plan maintains that this will prevent Trust Fund insolvency for four years and increase investments to meet na-tional economic goals. The GOP expressed immediate opposition.

As we move forward to find solutions to fund our transportation system, a theme throughout the meeting was to make sure public workers are performing the design, survey and oversight. With the public sec-tor under attack throughout our country, Local 17 staff and the other convention delegates heard from subject matter ex-perts on ways to combat privatization.

Local 17 staff also had the opportunity to meet with Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Rick Larsen. They are both supportive of long-term solutions to fund the Highway Transportation Trust Fund and having the bulk of work performed by public employees. It is important for Local 17 to build relationships with our congres-sional delegation to keep them informed on our issues and seek support for Local 17 members.

will be exhausted sooner, perhaps as soon as late August.

Several speakers at the conference in-cluded members of Congress, congressio-nal staff, industry and NASHTU experts. The common theme to address the insol-vency was a short-term fix, by transferring of revenue from the general fund over 6 to 12 months. There was discussion of a possible long-term solution to occur dur-ing the "lame duck" session between the November election and the new Congress in January 2015, but it's uncertain what that may look like.

The challenge moving forward is the current funding structure. The primary funding component is the federal gas-tax, which has not been increased since the mid-'90s and cannot keep pace with inflation. In addition to inflation issues, revenue for the current program continues to decline due to motorists cutting back on

Local 17 Legislative Directors Adrienne Thompson and Vince Oliveri (left), Executive Director Joe McGee and Deputy Executive Director Behnaz Nelson (right) after meeting with Washington Senator Maria Cantwell (center) to discuss transportation issues.

The Local 17 delegation with Oregon Congressional Representative Earl Blumenauer.

Insight 13

Public Affairs

Contribute to the PAC Today!14 Insight

Public Affairs

Money has always been a driving force in politics. In today’s political environment, money

is the most important asset a candidate or an issue can have, and unfortunately, without strong financial support, it is often difficult to succeed.

The recent ruling by the U. S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United case allows corporations and associations to spend unlimited amounts of money on independent political communica-tions – basically allowing people to buy influence. How is the average American citizen able to compete?

Political Action CommitteeA Political Action Committee (PAC)

is one way to meet this challenge. A PAC is a pool of money donated by the members of an organization that is then contributed to campaigns and candidates that support issues aligned with organiza-tional values.The first PAC was created by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (the CIO in the AFL-CIO) shortly after the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act prohibited labor unions from contributing to candi-date campaigns.

Professional & Technical Employ-ees (PTE) Local 17 also has a PAC. It is funded ENTIRELY by voluntary contributions from members – never with union dues – and money is given to public office candidates who support workers’ rights, middle-class values, and other issues directly affecting Local 17 members.

The success of the Local 17 PAC is critical in getting the influence we need to reach out to candidates who sup-port the issues that are important to our members. The flow of PAC money needs to be consistent and robust. Many of our contracts allow members to sign up for a voluntary PAC deduction, whereby your employer will deduct a desired amount

from your paycheck and send it directly to the PAC. Other contracts do not pro-vide this option – which makes it more difficult to plan a legislative action budget – so we also rely on members to donate directly with a check contribution.

Imagine the possibilities!One only has to look at the state of

Wisconsin and the election of Gov. Scott Walker as a reminder of how quickly things can change – especially for public employees – when an anti-worker politi-cian takes office. Virtually overnight, Gov. Walker eliminated many basic union rights for public workers. His cam-paign was funded with huge amounts of corporate cash, as well as donations from wealthy individuals. Their interests were his primary concern - not those of his own government’s workforce.

In this day and age of “money talks," we need a loud and powerful voice. Local 17 has nearly 9,000 members. If each of us were to donate just one dollar per

week, we would raise over $450,000 per year! This money would be used to further support our needs as public employees and as citizens in our communities. The more influence we have throughout the political system, the stronger we become as a union.

If you’d like to be a part of making the voice of the worker heard, please reach out to your Union Representative and let them know that you would like to sign up for the PAC via payroll deduction. If payroll deduction is not an option in your contract, you can ask for a PAC contribu-tion envelope and join your fellow mem-bers who are already participating; or take it a step further -- ask for the PAC payroll deduction option in your next contract!

Let’s make our voices heard! In the words of Jerry Lewis, the famous actor and comedian who hosted the Labor Day telethon: “Don’t give until it hurts, give until it feels good!”

Money Talks: Why Contributing to the PAC is Important

Insight 15

Public Affairs

Early Election Endorsements

Local 17 has begun to make early candidate endorsements in the upcoming August and November elections, see below. The Primary Election is scheduled for Aug 5. The top two candidates who receive the most votes will move on to the General Election. The General Election is scheduled for November 4. Local 17 has interviewed and screened

candidates to evaluate their support of public employees and their unions. In addition, we evaluate their support of transpor-tation, local government, and public health funding.

Legislative District 1House 1 – Derek StanfordHouse 2 – Luis Moscoso Legislative District 3House 1 – Marcus Riccelli House 2 – Timm Ormsby Legislative District 5House 1 – Essie HicksLegislative District 6Senate – Rich CowanLegislative District 11House 1 – Zach HudginsHouse 2 – Steve BergquistLegislative District 17House 1 – Monica StonierLegislative District 19House 1 – Dean TakkoHouse 2 – Brian BlakeLegislative District 21Senate – Marko LiiasHouse 1 – Lillian Ortiz-Self Legislative District 22House 1 – Chris Reykdal House 2 – Sam HuntLegislative District 23House 1 – Sherry Appleton

House 2 – Drew HansenLegislative District 24House 1 – Kevin Van De WegeHouse 2 – Steve TharingerLegislative District 25House 1 – Dawn MorrellLegislative District 26Senate – Judy ArbogastHouse 1 – Nathan SchlicherHouse 2 – Larry Seaquist Legislative District 27House 1 – Laurie JinkinsHouse 2 – Jake FeyLegislative District 28Senate – Tami Green House 1 – Mary MossLegislative District 29Senate – Steve ConwayHouse 1 – David SawyerLegislative District 30Senate – Shari SongHouse 1 – Roger Freeman Legislative District 31Senate – Pam Roach Legislative District 32Senate – Maralyn Chase

House 1 – Cindy Ryu House 2 – Ruth KagiLegislative District 33Senate – Karen KeiserHouse 1 – Tina OrwallHouse 2 – Mia GregersonLegislative District 34Senate – Sharon NelsonHouse 1 – Eileen CodyHouse 2 – Joe Fitzgibbon Legislative District 35Senate – Irene BowlingLegislative District 36Senate – Jeanne Kohl-WellesHouse 1 – Reuven CarlyleHouse 2 – Gael Tarleton Legislative District 38Senate – John McCoyHouse 1 – June RobinsonHouse 2 – Mike SellsLegislative District 40 House 1 – Kris LyttonHouse 2 – Jeff MorrisLegislative District 41House 1 – Tana SennHouse 2 – Judy Clibborn

Legislative District 43Senate - Jamie PedersenHouse 1 – Brady WalkinshawHouse 2 – Frank ChoppLegislative District 44Senate – Steve HobbsHouse 1 – Hans DunsheeHouse 2 - Michael WilsonLegislative District 45Senate – Matthew IsenhowerHouse 1 – Roger GoodmanHouse 2 - Larry SpringerLegislative District 46Senate – David FrocktHouse 1 – Gerry Pollet House 2 – Jessyn Farrell Legislative District 47House 2 – Pat SullivanLegislative District 48Senate – Cyrus HabibHouse 1 – Ross HunterLegislative District 49House 1 – Sharon WylieHouse 2 – Jim MoellerSnohomish County ExecutiveJohn Lovick

Rachel Whiteside Local 17 Trustee

Professional and Technical Employees,Local 17

2900 Eastlake Ave. East, Suite 300Seattle, WA 98102 www.pte17.org

Did you move? Change your address online at:

pte17.org/address_form/form.html

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at Seattle WA

Executive Board Point of View

I’d like to introduce myself – you can call me super woman. I’m mom to two preschoolers, supportive wife to a spouse who runs his own business, and a full-time professional at the City of Portland. I volunteer at my children’s school, cook dinner weekly for my husband’s 90-year-old grandmother, and ride my bike to work year round. With all of these balls (and more) in the air, why would I add the titles of “union officer,” “bargaining team,” and “executive board trustee” to the mix? Be-cause of what my union has done to allow me to achieve a work-life balance (and feel like super woman).

If you Google the phrase “work-life balance” you will be bombarded with a barrage of clichés, clip-art graphics, and tips on how to improve your home life or find a job that satisfies your soul. I’m not complaining – I love my job and coworkers, but it’s hard to deny that people are finding it more and more difficult to balance work de-mands with personal life desires all the time. Flexibility is what makes a balanced, busy life possible.

For working parents, flexibility makes the world go round. It’s that extra strrrrrrretch that allows us to deliver: for a manager, a child or a partner. Working parents don’t just value choices in how to manage our time—we rely on them.

At a time when high-profile corporate employers like Yahoo, Bank of America and Best Buy each announced plans to eliminate or scale back some flexible work initiatives, my union contract contains great provisions for working flexible schedules. It’s a troubling signal that when business becomes difficult, some employers

make an early cut to flexibility. An experience that is all too familiar for some of my colleagues around the City.

When the economic recession forced major layoffs at the Bureau of Development Services and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, management attempted to eliminate flex schedules for all employees. Officers and members of the COPPEA Chapter worked together to poll members, compile a compelling list of statistical data in support of flex schedules, and tackled the issue head-on at Labor-Management Committees. In the end, we were successful in saving flex schedules for most of our mem-bers, whereas non-reps and some other union groups were not so fortunate.

Studies show that a feeling of control is key to achieving work-life balance. Union participation and having the abil-ity to bargain over my wages, hours, and working condi-tions gives me that sense of control. Sitting at the Labor-Management table and having a voice in how my bureau forms policies or the City establishes healthcare benefits is empowering.

I read once that we are all a reflection of the good that came before us. I am grateful for everything my union has gained for me, but I sincerely believe there’s lots of room to attain additional protections and benefits for working parents and all members. I dedicate my time to the union cause to keep good going.

In Solidarity,