AFGE, Local 3937

Local Business Meeting

July 10, 2013  

Labor Temple, Seattle WA

Present were: Carrie Kitchin-Kofahl, Susan Campbell, Laura Novakoski, Ivan Weich, Ana Rivers and Tim Roark.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm.

Agenda:

• Treasurer’s Report
• Old Business
• New Business
  • Elections
• Reports
• Minutes review

Treasurer’s Report:

Deferred because Treasurer is not present at tonight’s meeting.

Old Business:

None.

New Business:

The King County Labor Council has sent us an invitation to their Labor Day celebration, and a request for a donation of a minimum of $100.  It will be held in shelters 1-3 at the Lower Woodland Park in Seattle WA on September 2, 2013 from 11am to 3pm.  We also received an invitation and request for the Marion-Polk-Yamhill Counties Central Labor Council Labor Day Picnic, and they are happy to receive any amount from us (we are one of their smaller unions).  Carrie will send out copies to the reps in the King County offices in case their members would like to attend, and Tim will share the Marion-Polk-Yamhill County CLC’s invitation with those offices.  Tim made a motion that we donate $50 to each of these Labor Day picnics; Ivan seconded.  Motion passed.

On 8/28/2013 citizens from across the country will converge on the capitol to commemorate the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, most noted by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  The AFL-CIO, along with other labor, civil rights and community organizations will commemorate the event with a national symposium, educational workshops, teach-ins and other activities, culminating with a reenactment of the historic march.  The CBTU-Puget Sound Chapter (Coalition of Black Trade Unionists) and the Pierce County Chapter plan to have a local event, scheduled for Saturday August 17^th with a march through the community followed by a rally at the park afterwards (MLK Memorial Park, 2200 MLK Way South, Seattle 10:00am – 6:00pm).  Tim made a motion that we donate $100; Laura seconded.  Although we’ve come a long way since 1963 as a country, we still have a long way to go – consider the Supreme Court’s recent decision about the Voting Rights Act.  When Martin Luther King Jr was killed, he was rallying garbage workers and was closely associated with the Union movement, so it would be fitting for us to donate.  Carrie will send out event information to reps in our King County offices.  Motion passed.    

Elections business – the members present made nominations for and voted on the following people to serve on the election committee (none present tonight):

Jewel Abdul-Matin

Jeff Saul

Steffen Pleiness

Ben Konrady

Lydia Marsh

They all live or work in commute distance of Seattle, and would be responsible for conducting the elections for Local 3937’s Executive Board, OQP and delegate positions this year.  All were approved by vote, contingent on their acceptance of the position.  The committee must be comprised of an odd number of members, no less than three.

Reports:

Ana recently attended the WA Summer Institute for Labor Women in Seattle, with help from a scholarship from the WA State Labor Council Women’s Committee.  She took classes in contract bargaining, leadership/mentoring and other workshops, and participated in a rally at SeaTac airport in support of the maintenance workers there.  She met a lot of women in various unions, from Canada and across the United States, and appreciated the opportunity to learn and network.

Contract update - The Agency and the Union have agreed to the remaining 4 Contract Articles (Work at Home by Exception, Telework, Merit Promotion, and Appraisal/PACS).  The telework article will be implemented prior to ratification by membership, in a pilot that will begin within 60 days.  There will be about 2,000 operations employees participating (to include program centers and regional offices, categorized as an 11^th Region for equitable distribution), with about 500 employees participating for 6 months.   It may then be rolled out to an additional 1,500 employees.  Selections/numbers will be apportioned by Region and seniority (so Region 10 may only see about 10 employees).  This will be the first time that telework has been offered to field operations employees, and it will involve a contract between the Agency and employee regarding the work space and duties, home inspection, the employee’s own high-speed internet access, locking file cabinet and landline.  These articles will still be subject to ratification and vote by Union members only, and that vote will be coming up shortly, as soon as all disputes are resolved.

Ivan recently completed a course at the National Labor College on Living Labor History, and began one in Research Methods.  His research project topic is the decline in transportation and its impact on jobs in WA state.

Minutes review:

Tim made a motion that this evening’s LBM minutes be approved as read and amended; Ana seconded.  Motion passed. 

Tim moved to adjourn at 7:50pm.  Motion passed.

Minutes written and submitted by Laura Novakoski, Secretary.