If you are a member of SEIU Local 888 and are tired of the lack of represenation, the constant turnover of staff and the absence of democracy in our union . . . the time to get organized is now.
The purpose of this website is to provide a forum for 888 members to communicate and learn about their union by sharing information with each other and to organize ourselves take responsibility and control of our own union.
In less than a year SEIU 888 will hold an election for all union offices. If you are dissatisfied with the lack of leadership and representation that you have seen over the past 5 years, now is the time to start organizing a member led slate of candidates. Now is the time to step up and get involved.
Please take a few minutes to post your thoughts and ideas on this blog for other members read and respond to. This is the only way we can communicate with each other openly. If you believe that union members should control their own union please speak up now and join with us to reform SEIU Local 888.
5 comments:
It's vital for the future of our local that we organize a reform slate of candidates for office in 888 and do everything we can to convince members to vote for that slate. We must restore democracy to our local. SEIU and Local 888 are a union and part of a union in name only unless they are run by the rank-and-file members. Chapters of the local must be revitalized and regular meetings of them held in which everybody not only has a chance but is encouraged to speak out. The executive board should go back to meeting once a month, as it did in the old 285. But to realize these goals we must organize a reform slate and get that slate elected. Please, everybody, for the sake of our local, for our dignity, self-respect and self-protection as City employees, join us in doing this.
Interesting that local 888 has already made the uniltaeral decision to implement resource centers without member input, immediately after passing a dues "equity" vote. Recently, the international executive board has developed a platform of issues it intends to take to the convention in June that calls for things such as establishing these member resource centers while it simultaneously adopted a set of principles that speaks to the importance of union democracy, transparency and member participation in decisionmaking. It appears that in President Segats enthusiam for getting ahead of the curve she seems to have misplaced her commitment to the democratic process and her obligation to the members by putting the cart before the horse on this issue. The right thing to do would have been to bring the issues to convention and act according to the delegates decisions. Clearly the issue of member participation is not something she is interested in. We need a reform slate that can ensure the goals that the international executive board itself (of which she is a part of)established can be fulfilled. Members of this local unite! Assert your rights to a democratic, transparent and member driven organization!!
The following should be added to The List of Departed 888 Staff:
Atty. Joshua Coleman, hired in early 2008 as Director of Grievances & Arbitrations. Position eliminated in March/April 2008.
Atty. John Maher, retired Arlington town counsel, hired as a bargaining representative in April 2008, resigned approximately three months later.
Atty. Marsha Graham, hired February 2008 as Director of the Member Resource Center, laid off on October 17, 2008 "due to serious fiscal issues."
Long-time staffer Tina Hayes, who represented members in grievances that came through the MRC, laid off on October 17, 2008 "due to serious fiscal issues."
Atty. Glenna Wyman, bargaining representative hired in March 2008, laid off on October 17, 2008 "due to serious fiscal issues."
Unknown attorney hired to start as a bargaining representative on October 20, 2008, notified October 17 or over the weekend before his start date that his position was eliminated due to serious fiscal issues.
Related news as of 10-19-08:
Appointed official Patrice Devin is expected to staff the Member Resource Center, overseen by staff attorney Harold Jones, hired in April 2008. That is the extent of the MRC staff. It is rumored that grievances will now be handled by Local 888's four "Engagement Representatives," three of whom were hired in February 2008 with no union background/experience and no training.
Local 888's "serious fiscal issues" rumored to include the following: E-Board treasurer Fred Fantini's recent review of 888's books raised concerns about solvency; post-Columbus Day meetings with state officials indicate projected layoffs may substantially reduce dues revenue; high legal bills incurred for, among other things, arbitrations assigned to outside counsel after loss of internal legal staff, and legal responses to chapters seeking to decertify.
when was this union any good?
segate give herself a paid raise with out going to the membership???
how nice..
I worked for mass highway and i never once seen anyone from this union come to the berkshires.
as alway we the people out here are getting screw over. its time to get out of this union.
The members of 888 deserve the right to have the right quality of representation, by Union staff that actually do know what they are doing. But are being badly managed,& are doing the work of two people.what is important is for the president that will represent the local to take there job seriously & responsibly for the better of the local & to strengthen the membership & moral of both members & staff.
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