Hello Local 284 Union Members and Future Union Members,
What does it mean to be a member?
The union is a group of workers who pool their resources to ensure they can improve their working conditions and their pay and benefits! Being part of a union means that we work together to ensure that our contract is protected, without our union, there would be no contract. We would not have any protection; we would be at will employees and we could be let go for any reason! Now, some people say that the union only protects the bad workers, that is not true, we only ensure that they get to have due process and an opportunity to be given another chance to improve their performance. Without a contract, the benefits that you currently have could be taken away, and you would not be able to do anything about it! With the union, we have the ability to improve the contract every two years, and you get to have a voice and a vote in that decision. We do work on legislative issues as well, we are working to try to get unemployment for our hourly workers, what we saw with this pandemic is that we need greater protections for our workers, we ensure that members kept their pay and worked to ensure that we kept their health insurance also, there is more to do and we will be right there working with you on your issues that affect you and your families, but we can’t do it without you! There are many other opportunities as well in your union, we have trainings for professional growth, we have free college for you and your whole family (including grandma) we have scholarship drawings, help buying a new home, memorial benefits and more! We are always working to improve and ensure that our members see the union difference!
We are stronger together! We all have to be at the table to make the decisions that benefit us, otherwise we allow our voices not to be heard.
SENIOR MEMBER REPORT, MARK HANSON
People are always questioning why join the union! Being a person who has experience working both Union and non-union jobs, the answer for me is Union all the way. Unions are always the driving force behind the wage for both union workers and nonunion workers. With union jobs comes good safe working conditions, livable wages, 40 hour work week, paid holidays, paid sick time, overtime pay, health benefits, paid vacations, pension plans and so on. This list is very impressive and important. The most important thing a union member has that a non-union member does not have, is a voice. Voice to advocate for themselves for issues that affect them in their daily life in the workplace. Besides the voice they have professional individuals from the union to help them develop skills to bring these issues to their employer to resolve the issues in their contracts.
With this union solidarity much headway has been made in the past for workers rights. But as we work together for the future employees many gains in benefits and workers rights will be made for a stronger community as a whole, where pay equity, racial biased and poverty will be eliminated. As a union member, as a worker, and now the senior member in the union I’ve benefited from the strong contract that we negotiated in my working career. But also as a retired member I’ve benefited from the contract in my retirement, with retiree health insurance, payout of sick leave and pension I was able to retire early.
I’ve been a union member since 1985 and plan on staying active in my union. Because my union has given me so much in my working career and in my retirement, I want to give back. Participation is the best way to do this. In life, much does not come easy, but when we work together wins are more possible and not as difficult as going it alone. As a union member just starting your working career or in your retirement your voice makes a difference. Our union is only as strong as its membership! So now it’s time to roll up your sleeves, like that iconic picture of Rosie the Riveter! There are many issues our Union can use your help on, our union is each one of us, it’s just not the union staff or the executive board or the union steward. It is each of us working together that make our union work. We all have to work together, to sign up employees who are not members of our union, support each other to strengthen our contracts and work on social justice issues in our communities.
Solidarity brothers and sisters of Local 284!
The Good News: Union Wins
We have had several arbitrations:
- One day suspension - West St. Paul School District - WON
- Termination - West St. Paul School District - LOST
- Termination - West St. Paul School District - WON
- Health Insurance - West St. Paul School District - WON
- Summer para - West St. Paul School District - Pending
2021 Executive Board Election Results
The following seat was contested and decided by mail ballot and announced and sworn in 3/18/21 at the General Membership Meeting:
- Member at Large = Cindy Swaim
The following seats were uncontested and won by acclamation, below officers were sworn in 2/20/21 at the General Membership Meeting:
- Executive Director = Kelly Gibbons
- 1st Vice President = Mark Krey
- Trustee = Steve Miltich
- Member at Large = Cynthia Gross
If you’re not a member, now is the time to join. We are stronger together!
In solidarity,
Kelly Gibbons
Executive Director, SEIU Local 284**KellyG@local284.com**
