OREGON AFSCME

e-lert #1 ¥ Jan. 29, 2010

Edited by Don Loving, Council 75 Public Affairs Director

Should we dispense with the governor's election in the fall and simply have a free throw contest instead? Your union goes to the airwaves to protect our state employees, and everybody loves a parade, right? Yes, these teasers may seem disjointed — that's why you've got to read each and every word of the e-lert ... starting now!

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WE WIN! — With expected strong support from Multnomah County but also with solid support from several other counties, including a few surprises, Oregon voters passed Ballot Measures 66 and 67 on Jan. 26.

Both measures passed at a rate wavering between 53 and 54 percent "Yes." In addition to a big margin in Multnomah, the measures also had a majority vote in Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Marion, Polk, Tillamook and Washington counties.

Even in areas where the measures failed, the margins were often razor thin. For example, both measures were defeated in Clackamas County, but by a tally of less than 300 votes each out of more than 105,000 votes cast on both measures in the county. Even small, rural, conservative Wheeler County came within 50 votes of passing both measures.

Combined, the measures fill a $733 million hole in the Oregon General Fund, and both were referrals from action taken by the 2009 Oregon Legislature to balance the state budget. Measure 66 raised income taxes for the highest-earning Oregonians, while Measure 67 increased the tax burden on businesses and corporations, with a distinct emphasis on larger corporations.

"This was a true grass roots victory, as evidenced by the support we see in places other than Multnomah County," said Oregon AFSCME Executive Director Ken Allen. "We won in some places where we don't traditionally win.

"I want to thank all of our union's members and staff who talked to co-workers, leafleted their workplaces, volunteered for phone banks and walked in door-to-door canvasses," Allen continued. "All of that effort really matters, as we saw when the results came in."

AFSCME also played a key financial role in the "Yes" campaign. In addition to a general donation of $1 million ($500,000 from Council 75 and $500,000 from AFSCME International), Oregon AFSCME also funded a series of radio advertisements debunking the opposition's claims that state employees were receiving $259 million in raises (see below) and paid for a final election weekend wraparound ad in the Oregonian that corrected several errors and/or exaggerations made by the opposition. The radio ads cost $150,000 and the Oregonian ad was another $20,000; both were paid primarily from a media grant given Council 75 by the national union at last April's Oregon AFSCME Convention.

"It was a prudent and necessary investment to protect our members' jobs and to protect vital resources and services here in our state," said Allen. "Now, the February legislative Special Session can focus on other important issues."

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TAKING TO THE AIRWAVES — The opposition campaign sunk to new lows in disparaging Measures 66 & 67, a scary thought in these days of negative campaigning. But they lied in their TV ads — not exaggerated, lied — by saying part of the revenue from the measures if passed would go to fund $259 million in salary increases for state employees. That was "so not true" that your union was prompted to do something about it.

Council 75 made a $150,000 independent radio buy that covered the greater Portland metropolitan area, the Willamette Valley from Salem, Eugene and through Roseburg, along with spillover east to Hood River and The Dalles.

"The other side was lying in their advertising, especially in regard to their assertions that the current state budget includes millions of dollars for state employee salary increases," said Allen. "As every AFSCME-represented state employee can tell you, we took serious reductions in pay and mandatory unpaid days off to help the state balance its budget — and we have many municipal government members who have done the same in their cities and counties.

"It was troubling to see opponents go to these lengths to lie about the truth," Allen continued. "You expect to see some 'campaign hyperbole,' but this was way over the line and we were not about to sit back and take it when our members have sacrificed for the common good of the state."

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JOHN v. BILL — Two longtime friends of AFSCME came calling to the Salem office in mid-January, seeking the union's endorsement for governor in the Democratic primary election come May.

Bill Bradbury and John Kitzhaber both spent about an hour in front of a combination of Council 75 E-Board members, PAC members and miscellaneous Salem-area members, outlining their vision and goals for the governor's office and answering questions.

Bradbury was first. The longtime former legislator and Secretary of State talked about his deep Democratic roots and ardent support of unions. Kitzhaber, seeking to become the first-ever former Oregon governor to later be elected governor again (Tom McCall tried and failed in 1978), reiterated many of the same points made by Bradbury but overall seemed to strike a somewhat more bipartisan tone, according to many in attendance.

The Council's Political Action Committee is set to make an endorsement recommendation in March. Oregon AFSCME Political Coordinator Janice O'Malley says audio from both interviews should be available on the Council 75 website soon; members are asked to listen to the two candidates when that feed goes live and contact PAC members with their thoughts.

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MAKE ONE, MISS ONE — Speaking of the gubernatorial election, this is almost too perfect to be true. You have heard, certainly, that former Portland Trail Blazer Chris Dudley is running for governor in the Republican primary. You've likely also heard the hullabaloo about his voting record: he's missed voting in seven of the past 13 elections.

If you're a basketball fan, you'll recall that Dudley was not exactly a stellar NBA player; he was, in fact, the proverbial "journeyman center." His worst Achilles' heel as a player was undoubtedly his free throw shooting, as he was a notoriously poor foul shooter — to the point that coaches would take him out at the end of games because opposing teams would foul him on purpose to send him to the line.

I got to wondering which was worse, his voting record or his free throw percentage. So if he missed seven of 13 elections, that means he voted in six of 13 — rounded off, that's 46 percent. A quick check on the Internet for Dudley's career NBA free throw percentage reveals .458 — ergo, 46 percent rounded off. Just think, people, you get these insights free from me! J

To be fair, here are the stats (for voting, not free throws) of the other major candidates for governor, culled from reporter Jeff Mapes' online blog for the Oregonian. Bradbury is the only perfect voter, having not missed an election since 1994 (as far back as records go). Kitzhaber has missed five of the past 13 elections. On the GOP side, former legislator John Lim has the best mark, missing only two elections since 1994. Allen Alley is on par with Kitzhaber, having missed five of the past 13. And Mr. Ballot Measure himself, Bill Sizemore, has skipped voting in 14 of 42 elections since 1994. You don't get to vote if you're in jail, so Sizemore may at least have a built-in excuse in the future.

Should the November General Election feature, let's just say for fun, a Dudley vs. Kitzhaber race, at least one political pundit has suggested that rather than voting, we simply have a free throw contest between the two at the Rose Garden, televised statewide. I don't know a lot about Kitzhaber's athleticism, though he is a runner and an avid fisherman, but I'd take the ex-guv in a heartbeat over Dudley from the foul line. There's no way Kitzhaber couldn't make at least half his free throws, something Dudley couldn't accomplish as a professional basketball player.

OK, on a more serious note, both Dudley and Alley have expressed a willingness to meet with Council 75 and seek an endorsement for the GOP primary. O'Malley and the other political staff are doing their best to work out dates that work for everyone, so stay tuned for that. And no, we don't expect that Mr. Sizemore will be attending.

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SPECIAL SESSION — The Oregon Legislature meets most of February in a planned Special Session. With the passage of Measures 66 & 67, this session figures to be considerably toned down from what it could have been. There many not be enough "news" to warrant weekly e-lerts, but we'll certainly let you know what's happening.

Keep in mind that the political staff will mostly be at the capitol all month, so if you need to contact them, do so via e-mail or cell phone, not at their respective offices. Here is that info:

Joe Baessler — joe@oregonafscme.com or (503) 319-1912

Mary Botkin — botkin@oregonafscme.com or (503) 539-4642

Ralph Groener — ralph@oregonafscme.com or (503) 806- 5407

Janice O'Malley — janice@oregonafscme.com or (503) 739-3009

On to some other disparate topics ...

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STATE OF THE UNION (NOT OUR UNION, THE U.S. ONE) — Here in Oregon, with the focus on the Jan. 26 Special Election it was easy to be a little distracted when President Obama gave his first "State of the Union" address the very next day.

There has been, of course, a plenty of commentary available from many perspectives in the mainstream media, but while reporters like to talk about organized labor, they seem to rarely talk to organized labor. So here is the perspective of two labor leaders of note, AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee and national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

McEntee says AFSCME agrees with Obama's new emphasis on job creation.

"President Obama knows that we cannot lose sight of the millions of working families who are still suffering from the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression," said McEntee. "Too many Americans are out of work and too many jobs are at risk."

McEntee said AFSCME agrees with Obama that America needs to lay a foundation for long-term economic growth.

"Too many services in communities across the country are being cut to the bone," said McEntee. "AFSCME members understand this first hand. Our members you are on the front lines of this crisis, trying to do more and more with less and less. State and local governments need help and they need it now."

Trumka was in the U.S. House gallery for Obama's address.

"After our collective wake-up call in Massachusetts, I was eager to hear the president's plans for 2010 and beyond," says Trumka. "The president was absolutely right to make jobs a top priority, and we must act on a scale that is meaningful."

You can view further thoughts from Trumka regarding Obama's address on a special video clip.

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ELVYSS LIVES — Did you pay close attention to your January/February issue of AFSCME Works, the national union's bi-monthly magazine? The cover boy, so to speak, was Elvyss Argueta of Local 88 (Transition Projects Inc.) in Multnomah County. Argueta is one of three "Next Wavers" featured in the cover story, the other two being from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Here's an excerpt from the article, written by Clyde Weiss of the national union's Public Affairs Department:

Argueta ... jumped head first into what he now calls the "deep end of the pool," where his enthusiasm has flourished through union activism. "Next thing you know," he says, "I'm doing things like training and volunteer member organizing." He also sits on his local's contract bargaining team and was elected to the local's executive board.

Elvyss found his voice through Next Wave, which he calls a "catalyst or the door into the union" — but one with a unique approach for young members. "You need to connect one-on-one first" before talking union, he explains. That's why they conduct food banks, plant trees and do other non-traditional union activities. "We're trying to show we're not just about benefits and salaries. We're also about social justice."

You can click here if you'd like to see an electronic version of the entire article and the magazine.

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'CAPTIVE AUDIENCE' BILL UNDER ATTACK — One of organized labor's crowning achievements from the 2009 Oregon Legislature is headed to court.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with Associated Oregon Industries on a federal court challenge of a new Oregon law — SB 519, the so-called "captive audience measure" allows workers the right to walk away from mandatory meetings called by employers if such meetings are called solely to discuss religion, partisan politics or union organizing.

The new law took effect Jan. 1. It does not affect communication where there is employee consent. The challenge was filed by the national workplace law firm of Jackson Lewis LLP. It is arguing that SB 519 is pre-empted by the National Labor Relations Act.

Lawyers and AOI officials predictably talk about violation of employers' "free speech rights" in contesting SB 519. That argument rang hollow with Oregon legislators who passed SB 519 into law, for the very simple reason that the bill makes no limitation on employers' ability to speak freely — employees simply have the option of saying "No thanks, I don't want to listen to this."

As we have learned firsthand the past decade with various PERS lawsuits, the federal legal system churns slowly, so don't expect any court decisions anytime soon.

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RETIREES UNITE! — The Oregon AFSCME Retirees Chapter is hoping to hold a full-fledged founding convention in April, with plans to establish (for now) new sub-locals in Salem, Eugene and Pendleton in addition to the Portland group that has been meeting for several years now.

The AFSCME Retiree charter allows membership for any retiree of any pubic employee union, so the potential field is not necessarily limited to former AFSCME members. For now, if you are interested in more information yourself — or if you have contact information for a potential member — please contact Retirees Chapter President Michael Arken or staff liaison Dave Raahahn. And look for more information soon.

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DO YOU LOVE A PARADE? — Calling all parade float builders and former marching band members! Oregon AFSCME is putting together a committee to enter a float in the 2010 Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade and also a marching unit with a band piece.

What is the Starlight Parade? The Starlight Parade is an auxiliary event held prior to the Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade; the date for next year is June 5. As the name implies, the Starlight Parade it is held at night so all the floats and marching units need to be illuminated.

The theme of the float will be "AFSCME Gives." We would like pictures of our members at their jobs and also of them helping out in the community, so please keep that in mind if you're a National Guard member, Scout leader, help out at a community kitchen or a food bank, etc. in the coming months. We plan to enlarge such photos, place them on the float and have members walking alongside.

We are also trying to put together a marching unit carrying the banners of our locals from across the state to show people who we are. If there are enough people who could form a band line or a kazoo line that would be great and lots of fun. The Starlight Parade is a relaxed, family-friendly event and a great way for people to see us in a more positive light. We have to be chosen to be in the parade and that deadline is approaching soon.

Can you help? Here are some things that are needed:

People with experience building floats

Donations from AFSCME local unions

Someone who has led a band

And, most importantly, member participation! We need members to donate pictures, other float ideas and, of course, to walk with the float in the parade. Entire families welcome!

If you would like to be on the parade committee please contact Oregon AFSCME Organizer Rodney McCambridge, Council 75 Staff Representative Kate Baker or Carol Justice of Local 189 (City of Portland). All ideas are on the table and any help is welcome.

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HELP! — We are marching inevitably toward a day that many Americans dread: April 15, the day your state and federal income tax returns are due. However, the possible pain of April 15 can be lessened for many by simply taking advantage of numerous tax credits that are not always well known or understood. AFSCME International is encouraging all members to take a look at such credits that could be a benefit, especially to lower-wage workers.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) included important expansions of the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit, and included the Making Work Pay Credit and American Opportunity Tax Credit. But not everyone is familiar with the possible benefits under ARRA, especially those who do their taxes on their own.

The federal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has posted brochures, fact sheets, outreach flyers and posters in English and Spanish on its website. Those who are not able to access the kits online and would like a hard copy can contact the national union's Gene Moore in the Research and Collective Bargaining Department at (202) 429-5025 or via e-mail at gmoore@afscme.org.

Here are further details on four major tax credits that you should take a look at:

á Earned Income Credit (EIC). The EIC is a tax credit that supplements the earnings of people who work but don't earn high incomes. It benefits working families with children as well as low-income workers without children. Last year, 24.6 million workers claimed the EIC to the tune of $48.7 billion. A new tier of benefits increases benefits to families with more than three children. Also in 2010, the maximum credit increases to $5,657. Single or married workers might qualify for the credit, depending on their income. Workers raising one child with incomes of less than $35,463 (or $40,462 for joint filers) may be eligible for an EIC worth up to $3,043. Workers not raising children but earning $13,440 (or $18,440 for joint filers) may qualify for an EIC worth up to $457. In addition, Oregon is one of 23 states where members may qualify for a state EIC.

á Child Tax Credit (CTC). Many workers also receive a substantial boost from the Child Tax Credit, a federal tax benefit for each dependent child up to $1,000. The CTC can reduce a family's income tax. Even families that earn too little to owe income tax can get the credit in the form of a refund check from the IRS. This credit is in addition to any EIC for which they may qualify. Most low-income working families will qualify for both credits.

á Making Work Pay Credit (MWPC). This is a new tax credit worth up to $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples with adjusted gross incomes up to $75,000 (or $150,000 for joint filers). Workers must have a valid Social Security number. If filing jointly, one filer could have a Social Security Number and the other an ITIN, and the couple still could be eligible.

á American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). This credit is available to students who are in the first four years of college and are pursuing an undergraduate degree. Workers may be eligible if they paid for "qualified educational expenses" for themselves, their spouses or their dependents and have an adjusted gross income in of less than $80,000 (or $160,000 for joint filers). The ATOC is worth up to $2,500.

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THIS & THAT — Finally, a new e-lert section highlighting upcoming events from around the state. These will typically be events that are not necessarily found on the online Council 75 calendar, but are large enough to warrant your possible attention and/or sponsored by a particular local union but open to others.

Ÿ In Pendleton, there are steward training classes set for Feb. 1, 2 and 18 at the AFSCME office, taught by AFSCME International Westerm Region Education Coordinator (and former Council 75 staffer) Deb Kidney. Contact LeAnna Duchek in the Pendleton office for more details.

Ÿ In Portland, there is a public speaking training event scheduled for Feb. 5 and 6. Mary Botkin is the contact.

Ÿ In Eugene, steward's training (Module 2) has been scheduled for Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 30, with Kidney again heading up the training effort. Contact Wanda Wedmore for a flier with more information.

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