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United for Dayton

Submitted by AFSCME Council 5 on August 11, 2010 - 8:11pm.

AFSCME-endorsed Mark Dayton won the Democratic primary for governor by more than 6,000 votes Tuesday night. Wednesday, he stood side by side with party and labor leaders united to beat Tom Emmer in November. Watch video of the unity rally. Dayton congratulated his DFL opponents, Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Matt Entenza, for running “positive and respectful and honest” campaigns. Dayton said, “What binds us together is our principles….We know it's not possible to cut $6 billion from the state budget without costing jobs, hurting schools and raising property taxes.” Dayton also thanked his union supporters – AFSCME Council 5, Teamsters Joint Council 32, United Steelworkers, and the Police and Peace Officers – for believing in him and getting his voters to the polls. Now, our hard work continues for 83 more days with the help of many partners. The Minnesota AFL-CIO will endorse for governor Aug. 16.

On the Nov. 2nd ballot, Dayton will square off against Independent Tom Horner and Republican Tom Emmer, who promises to “cut government by a third” and eliminate our guaranteed pensions. By threatening our jobs and our retirement, Emmer has motivated an army of AFSCME volunteers to help Dayton win.

For Minnesota’s first-ever August primary, our volunteers made more than 100,000 calls to identify and persuade voters, plus another 50,512 calls to get them out to vote for Dayton.

That effort, combined with our billboards and radio commercials, really made the difference in northeastern Minnesota, where voters carried Dayton across the finish line in a very close election that was called at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Dayton’s narrow margin of victory was found in St. Louis County, where he won 7,184 more votes than Kelliher. With nearly 4,000 Council 5 voters in that county, we helped bring home the win.

“Mark has always been a great friend to northeastern Minnesota and they remember him,” said Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, Dayton’s running mate from Duluth.

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AFSCME ENDORCED CANDIDATES

Governor:

• Mark Dayton

2010 US Congress (6th District):

• Tarryl Clark

Secretary of State:

• Mark Ritchie

Auditor:

• Rebecca Otto

State Senate: 

• LeRoy Stumpf, District 1
• Rod Skoe, District 2
• Tom Saxhaug, District 3
• David Tomissoni, District 5
• Tom Bakk, District 6
• Roger Reinert, District 7
• Tony Lourey, District 8
• Keith Langseth, District 9
• Taylor Stevenson, District 12
• Bruce Hentges, District 15
• Rick Olseen, District 17
• Kathy Sheran, District 23
• Kevin Dahle, District 25
• Dan Sparks, District 27
• Mike Germain, District 37
• Ron Case, District 42
• Ann Rest, District 45
• Paul Meunier, District 49
• Don Betzold, District 51
• Becky Siekmeier, District 52
• John Marty, District 54
• Chuck Wiger, District 55
• Katie Sieben, District 57
• Linda Higgins, District 58
• Scott Dibble, District 60
• Patricia Torres Ray, District 62
• Sandy Pappas, District 65
• Ellen Anderson, District 66
   

State Representative:

• Dave Olin, District 1A
• Bernie Lieder, District 1B
• Brita Sailer, District 2B
• Tom Anzelc, District 3A
• Loren Solberg, District 3B
• John Persell, District 4A
• Meg Bye, District 4B
• Tom Rukavina, District 5A
• Tony Sertich, District 5B
• Mary Murphy, District 6B
• Tom Huntley, District 7A
• Kerry Gauthier, District 7B
• Bill Hilty, District 8A
• Tim Faust, District 8B
• Greg Lemke, District 9A
• Paul Marquart, District 9B
• John Ward, District 12A
• Rob Jacobs, District 14A
• Larry Hosch, District 14B
• Anne Nolan, District 15A
• Zachary Dorhold, District 15B
• Gail Kulick Jackson, District 16A
• Tom Heyd, District 16B
• Jim Godfrey, District 17A
• Cindy Erickson, District 17B
• Terry Morrow, District 23A
• Kathy Brynaert, District 23B
• David Bly, District 25B
• Robin Brown, District 27A
• Jeanne Poppe, District 27B
• Douglas Wunderlich, District 29A
• Tina Liebling, District 30A
• Katie Rodriguez, District 32B
• Leann Kunze, District 34A
• Sandy Masin, District 38A
• Mike Obermueller, District 38B
• Will Morgan, District 40A
• Ann Lenczewski, District 40B
• Kevin Staunton, District 41A
• Paul Rosenthal, District 41B
• Maria Ruud, District 42A
• Audrey Britton, District 43A
• John Benson, District 43B
• Steve Simon, District 44A
• Ryan Winkler, District 44B
• Sandra Peterson, District 45A
• Melissa Hortman, District 47B
• Jerry Newton, District 49B
• Carolyn Laine, District 50A
• Kate Knuth, District 50B
• Zak Chlebek, District 51A
• Tom Tillberry, District 51B
• Adam Best, District 52A
• Paul Gardner, District 53A
• Mindy Grieling, District 54A
• Bev Scalze, District 54B
• Leon Lillie, District 55A
• Nora Slawik, District 55B
• Julie Bunn, District 56A
• Marsha Swails, District 56B
• Jen Peterson, District 57A
• David Page, District 57B
• Diane Loeffler, District 59A
• Marion Greene, District 60A
• Frank Hornstein, District 60B
• Karen Clark, District 61A
• Jeff Hayden, District 61B
• Jim Davnie, District 62A
• Jean Wagenius, District 62B
• Linda Slocum, District 63B
• Erin Murphy, District 64A
• Michael Paymar, District 64B
• Jeremiah Ellis, District 65A
• Carlos Mariani, District 65B
• John Lesch, District 66A
• Tim Mahoney, District 67A
• Sheldon Johnson, District 67B

Anoka County Attorney:

• Brad Johnson

Hennepin County Commissioner:

• Mark Stenglein, District 2
• Gail Dorfman, District 3
• Peter McLaughlin, District 4

Ramsey County Commissioner:

• Janice Rettman, District 3
• Toni Carter, District 4
• Rafael Ortega, District 5
• Jim Mcdonough, District 6

Ramsey County Attorney:

• John Choi

Ramsey County Sheriff:

• Matt Bostrom

Washington County Commissioner:

• Jeff Birttnen, District 2

 

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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Now is the Time to Elect Mark Dayton
The primary election is Aug. 10. This is it — time to get Mark Dayton one step closer to becoming Minnesota’s next governor.

If you think this is just another election, start counting your co-workers: 1-2-3, 1-2-3. Then imagine every third worker gone. That’s Tom Emmer’s goal if he is elected governor.

Dayton is the best candidate to defeat Emmer in November. But first Dayton must win the DFL primary on Aug. 10. So, first, you need to vote.

Second, Council 5 is coordinating phone-banking, door-knocking and other get-out-the-vote efforts throughout Minnesota. To get involved, contact:

• Metro: Jon Grebner, 651-287-0587
• North: Chelsa Nelson, 218-726-9607
• South: Laura Askelin, 651-238-5334

If Necessary, Vote Absentee Now
You can cast an absentee ballot now if you will be on vacation or otherwise unable to get to your polling place for the Aug. 10 primary election. Voters have two options:

1. Vote in person before Aug. 10 at your county auditor’s office (or, in some cases, at your municipal clerk’s office).
2. Request a mail ballot before Aug. 3. Election officials will send you the ballot; you must return it by Aug. 9.

To download a ballot application, or for full details on absentee voting, see the secretary of state’s web page.

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NEW! Volunteers Needed for the following Committees:

 

Good & Welfare: Members contact you when a staff is out due to an accident or surgery for you to send them a get well card or you are notified of deaths in a member family for you to send a sympathy card and a remembrance book from the local.

Local Reporter: Assist in the preparation of and distribution of a Local newsletter to our members.

MAT Leader: Assist in the organization of member volunteers to distribute information to the entire local membership and facilitate distribution of and talking to those members.

Please contact Local 1092 Secretary Pam Sater if you are interested in volunteering.

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AFSCME COUNCIL 5

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tom Emmer’s Hatchet Job
Tom Emmer, the Republican nominee for governor, says he could “easily” cut government by one-third. That’s $20 billion. Emmer would wipe out thousands of public employees’ jobs and the services they provide.

Emmer hasn’t released many specifics while pontificating against “bloated government.” But we know he wants to eliminate 14 state agencies. That includes the Met Council, Bureau of Mediation Services, Department of Human Rights, Housing Finance Agency, and Office of Enterprise Technology. He says the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and DNR are “out of control.”

It’s not just state agencies on the block: Emmer also wants to eliminate all state aid to cities and counties.

Compare the candidates: To get a better idea of where Emmer and other candidates stand – and why it’s crucial for AFSCME members to help elect Mark Dayton – download a comparison flier.

What Bloated Government?
Think Emmer has bothered to look at the latest Minnesota unemployment statistics? In the last six months, state government has eliminated 1,100 jobs. Local governments have eliminated 700 jobs.

Critical Funding Still in Limbo
$24 billion in critical fiscal relief for states continues to stall in the U.S. Senate.

The funding (known as FMAP) is part of a larger jobs bill being blocked by politicians who prefer to cut spending rather than save jobs. The funding literally could save nearly 1 million jobs nationwide by helping states plug their budget deficits.

Minnesota would get $591 million. That’s enough to save 9,100 jobs and reduce the pressure for service cuts in state and local government.

Make a call. You can encourage Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken to support a six-month FMAP extension. Call them toll-free at 1-888-340-6521.

Keep Track of AFSCME’s Convention
AFSCME’s 39th International Convention takes place June 28-July 2 in Boston. You can keep up to date online.

Local Presidents Meet July 13
Presidents from Council 5’s local unions will meet July 13. The meeting runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Council 5’s offices in South St. Paul.

Who Deserves Some Recognition?
Nominations are now open for Council 5’s annual Achievement Awards. The rundown:

• Rick Scott Political Activism Award: Nominations of individuals should be sent to Jim Niland.
• Jerry Wurf Organizing Award: Nominations of an individual, local, or group of individuals or locals should be sent to Eric Lehto.
• Local Union Development Award: Nominations of an individual, local, or group of individuals or locals should be sent to Michelle Stein.

Complete information about eligibility and guidelines for each award is available at Council 5’s website.

The 2010 awards – for activism in calendar year 2009 -- will be presented during Council 5’s convention in September in Bloomington.

Put the Human in Human Services
Council 5 is part of a statewide task force seeking better ways for the Department of Human Services to deliver what the state’s vulnerable residents need.

If you’ve got suggestions for making Human Services more human, contact Council 5’s DHS liaison,
Scott Grefe.

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PATIENT ASSAULTS ON STATE HOSPITAL STAFF PROVE DANGEROUS AND COSTLY

Submitted by AFSCME Council 5 on March 23, 2010 - 3:46pm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 23, 2010                                    click here for PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt ▪ 651-357-8544

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) released a plan this month to redesign the state’s mental health services by cutting $17 million and 200 jobs. Today, the union representing regional treatment center workers told legislators that this blueprint is likely to increase costs, put more staff in danger, and harm the treatment of adults with mental illnesses.

Case in point: St. Peter Regional Treatment Center. Four years ago, the state laid off staff in the State Operated Services Forensic Division. Today, with 200 fewer workers, patient assaults against staff have increased 408 percent – from 35 assaults in 2005 to 143 in 2009. In the last year, security counselors have been hospitalized 117 times with injuries including broken limbs, concussions, skin lacerations from human bites, and burns from being doused with boiling liquids. One mentally ill patient was responsible for 43 of the assaults and management did nothing to control his violent behavior.

“The human cost of understaffing is unconscionable,” says Eliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 5. “The pain and financial cost of these injuries could be avoided with adequate staffing.” In 2009, there were 1,300 lost work days due to patient assaults at St. Peter. Nearly 32,500 hours of overtime cost DHS more than $1 million. Add to that the staggering cost of emergency room visits and workers’ compensation.

“Keeping workers and the public safe is our top priority,” explains Seide. “Frontline workers know how to reduce costs without compromising safety, but DHS didn’t ask us. They’ve done nothing to address these violent assaults. And now they’ve got a blueprint to repeat the same mistakes.”

To streamline services for the mentally ill, Seide recommends that “DHS needs to move resources to the point of services, flatten layers of management, and drive fear from the workplace. That’s the kind of change that staff, patients and taxpayers deserve.”

AFSCME Council 5 is a union of 43,000 workers who advocate for excellence in public services, dignity in the workplace, and opportunity and prosperity for all working families.

 

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AFSCME Publications
Read the latest issue of AFSCME WORKS magazine, which includes a cover story about the next generation of AFSCME activists. AFSCME WORKS

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We would like to thank www.cybertpc.com in Askov, MN for providing Local 1092 with a great deal on a laptop for the locals secretary. Please patronize this buisness for all your home computer needs.

 

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A video showing highlights from the Next Wave Conference is now available on the AFSCME webpage! Check it out at: http://www.afscme.org/members/26241.cfm

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To find out more about what a MAT Committee is click HERE

1.	Threaten or coerce employees in order to discourage support for the union.
2.	Spy on your union activities.
3.	Inquire about your union activities or opinions.
4.	Discharge, transfer, or demote employees for union activities.
5.	Deny employees the right to vote for the union.