AFSCME Council 5, Local 34, Hennepin County Social Services and Related Employees s1

http://www.afscmelocal34.org/ AFSCME Council 5, Local 34, Hennepin County Social Services and Related Employees Remember – Day on the Hill is April 1st and 2nd!

At the Affordable Health Care Conference, Local 34 Stewards Nobody should have to spend L 34 Banner – 04/2008 Fatuma Kassim and Betty Pharr more than 5% of their income Issue Contents: meet Senate candidate Al Franken Pg 2 – Officer/Steward List; 2008 on health care. Local 34 Election – Nominees Listed  MN AFSCME Pg 3 – March General Assembly Meeting Notes; Richard Johnson’s e-  The 5% Solution mail to County staff Pg 4 – Good & Welfare; Upcoming Schedule Pg 5 – AFSCME Council 5 News; AFSCME Scholarships; Thank Yous Pg 6 – Richard Johnson’s Address on the County’s Positioning of Itself Pgs 7 – 8 – AFSCME’s Affordable April 2008 Health Care Conference – is your General Assembly health care affordable?; Health Care Reform Myths Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Pgs 9 – 10 – More Health Care News – 5:15 pm Doctors Like Single Payer; Health Care What is Guaranteed Reform Legislation; Medicaid Health Services Bldg, Room 112 Regulations that Affect our Funding Affordable Choice? Pg 11 – Legal News – New Jersey Case Special accommodations will be made on Paid Family Leave; NY Case Against for our physically challenged members. Every American deserves Please call 596-7455 or 348-0266 if CINTAS Anti-Union Efforts; Oregon arrangements need to be made. guaranteed affordable health Public Employee Drug Testing Case Pgs 12 - 14 – Politics – Recession will insurance with a choice of Impact Blue Collar Jobs; Huge State public or private plans that Budgetary Shortfall; Governor’s Hiring Freeze; AFSCME Takes on Attorney cover all necessary medical General Lori Swanson’s Anti-Union Efforts in her Office; Presidential Race services paid for by taxes on Pg 15 – VP Volkenant’s Column; May 2008 Pawlenty Seeks to Burden Low- General Assembly employers and individuals on a Income Renters with Reduced Renter Credits Wednesday, May 7, 2008 sliding scale. (HSB 110**) Pg 16 – President Diederich’s Column; Note: The May meeting will be in Room Inside, this issue brings highlights and AFL-CIO Column on Corporate Greed 110 instead of Room 112 themes from AFSCME’s Affordable Health Care Conference…

Local 34 Banner April 2008 1

Local 34 Officers & Stewards Updated March 2008 1/1/08 Local 34 Elections President: Jean Diederich 348-0266 – 880 New Officer Slate Will be Completed in April Vice Presidents: Here are the final nominations to lead Local 34 in 2008-2009 – uncontested positions Mary Kay Windels 348-7546 – 961 saw those individuals elected by “white ballot” at the March GA: Wesley Volkenant 348-9592 – 630 President Chief Stewards: Jean Diederich Cliff Robinson 348-7542 – 961 Cathy Cowden 543-0301 – L890 Vice-Presidents (two positions) Recording Secretary: Mary Kay Windels, Wes Volkenant Rita Salone 596-1003 – L890 Chief Stewards (two positions) – Contested in Election Treasurer: Cliff Robinson Patrick Regan 348-8760 – L890 Cathy Cowden Membership Secretary: Ester Killion Kela Williams 596-0949 – 630 Recording Secretary Sergeant-At-Arms: Rita Salone Margaret Yzaguirre 348-2194 – 630 Members-At-Large: Secretary-Treasurer Andrea Lazo-Rice 348-2249 – 959 Patrick Regan Ibrahim Adam 348-2313 – 961 Membership Secretary – Contested in Election Chalmers Davis 521-3056 – N704 Kela Williams Vicki Moore 348-5939 – 140 Kathleen Farber Katie Farber 543-0306 – L890 Angel Alexander 596-1863 – 630 Sergeant-at-Arms – Contested in Election Margaret Yzaguirre Stewards: Chalmers Davis Betty Pharr 348-8263, Century Plaza 1 Members-at-Large (six positions) Zachary Rice 348-2274, Century Plaza 1 Angel Alexander, Andrea Lazo-Rice, Ibrahim Adam Ester Killion 596-7858, Century Plaza 1 Jacquelin Poole, Betty Pharr (there is now one Board Vacancy) Miguel Salazar 596-7465, Century Plaza 2 Nancy Scarlotta 348-9452, Century Plaza 2 Trustee (Aweis seat) Fatuma Kassim 596-8457, Century Plaza 2 Osman Aweis Jamoda Williams 596-8948, Century Plaza 4 CLU Delegates Diane Fossen 302-4704, North Point Dental (Jean Diederich), Pat Regan, Andrea Lazo-Rice, Chalmers Davis Shawnice Watson 302-4638, North Point Dental Edgar Kusleika 348-3633, Msgs, Home Monitring Trades & Labor Delegates James Stevenson 596-9220, STS Lindsay Schwab, Bob Velez, Laurie Simon, Jean Diederich Phillip Gray 348-5771, Juvenile Justice Ctr Terry Grace 348-7308, Juvenile Justice Ctr Officer elections are being conducted through the mail in April. Aboubker Ouassaddine 543-0373, Family Justice Ctr Ballots will be mailed to members on April 7th. Members must return Bob Velez 348-4869, Family Justice Ctr their ballots postmarked no later than April 28th. If you have not Grace Anderson 543-0595, The Village Jeff Meyer 348-5880, Govt Center A14 received your ballot by April 14th, please contact Joe Weston, (612 Susan Frame 348-0293, Govt Center A15 348-3072), so another ballot can be mailed to you. Brian Arneson 348-7641, Govt Center A16 Hennepin County AFSCME: A Full Service County Made Excellent Maureen Glover 348-4492, Govt Center A16 Carolyn Johnson 348-8586, Govt Center A16 Monica Jochmans 348-4192, HSB 5 Council 5 Business Representative: Penny Wile 348-7133, HSB 9 th Matt Nelson 651-287-0578 Elena Izaksonas 821-4539, 4 Precinct Station e-mail Matt at: [email protected] Dennis Moore 879-3560, 1800 Chicago Council 5 Contact Information: 300 Hardman Avenue South, Trustees South Saint Paul, Minnesota 55075-2469 Jim Evans, Audie Lussier, Osman Aweis (651) 450-4990 (651) 455-0773 - Fax: (651) 450-1908 (651) 455-1311

Delta Dental Trustee Monica Jochmans

News from the March GeneralTo Assembly—March Contact the Newsletter Editor:5, 2008 Call or e-mail— Wesley Volkenant - 612-348-9592 Officers attending were: Jean Diederich, Wes Volkenant, Clifford Robinson, Patrick Regan, Rita Salone, Katie Farber, Kela Williams, For Distribution concerns, contact Rhonda Griffin at 612-348-8328 Chalmers Davis, Andrea Lazo-Rice, Vicki Moore, Ibrahim Adam , Margaret Yzaguirre,Internet Angel Web Alexander Site Developer: Excused Absence: John HerzogMary Kay – Windels952-492-5233  We had a guest speaker – Jeff Sabin, Lead Organizer in Council 5’s  For the April 1-2 2008 Day on the Hill, the Organizing Department, who addressed the need for volunteers to help Local approved sending 15 members (and organize clerical, technical, and professional staff in Anoka County, from authorized the President to name up to 15 April 4-14 (potentially 1800 workers). Katie Farber volunteered to work more by March 14). Representing the Local on this campaign. Long-time Local 34 members will remember that this year will be: Jean Diederich, Betty AFSCME used to have Anoka County Social Services organized, but after Pharr, Bob Velez, Patrick Regan, Cliff a devastating strike in the early-1980s, the union was decertified about Robinson, John Herzog, Penny Wile, Ester 20 years ago. Council 5 will be training its volunteer organizers and will Killion, Ibrahim Adam, Katie Farber, Laurie spend evenings meeting Anoka workers at their homes. Anoka County Simon, Andrea Lazo-Rice, Miguel Salazar, staff has come to AFSCME asking to be organized – they face high levels Angel Alexander, Chalmers Davis, of intimidation and fear in the workplace. Catherine Rinaldo, Diane Bourgeois, and  Local 34 approved a motion to renew our NAACP membership at $100. Vicki Moore.  Local 34 approved a motion to send one member (at $50) to attend four  For the March 27 2008 Nellie Stone Johnson evenings of training from UCAN – Union Community Activist Network – Dinner, the Local approved 6 members to sponsored by the St. Paul Trades & Labor Assembly and the Greater attend, and authorized the President to Twin Cities United Way. appoint up to two additional members.  On President Diederich’s motion, the Local approved requesting a Attendees are: Lindsay Schwab, Katie current Seniority Report, as members begin to ask where they stand in Farber, Rhonda Griffin, Bob Velez, Betty their class. Pharr, and Jean Diederich.  Chief Steward Cowden proposal to change the Local’s Standing Rules to  Lindsay Schwab acted as Nominations reimburse members for the cost of not only child care, but Chair in Chair DeLoach’s absence, and dependent/elder care, was approved. She also reported on a very completed the process of nominations for successful I LOVE THE UNION day at the FJC on February 14th. 2008 Local 34 offices. One Additional  Treasurer Regan’s report, which reflects a great drop in Fair Shares, was nominee was Katie Farber, nominated for accepted. Between 01/07 and 01/08, Fair Shares fell from 356 to 282. Membership Secretary. One vacancy  Vicki Moore reported that the PEOPLE fund had over $3300 as of remains for Member-at-Large, and 12/1/07, and she will discuss the Local’s role in campaign contributions vacancies remain for CLUC and Trades & with Council 5 political director, Jim Niland. We discussed receiving Labor Assembly. Contested races exist for member complaints about how AFSCME and the Local spend their the offices of Chief Steward, Sergeant-at- political dollars. Currently, we deposit just 3 cents per member, per Arms and Membership Secretary (see month in our PEOPLE fund. Our PEOPLE fund expenditures are separate page 2 of this newsletter for details). from our general fund, and expenses are tracked separately – but a After a motion was approved to close political position is still vital to this Local. nominations, a motion was made to elect  Chief Steward Robinson reported on continuing disciplinary actions non-contested offices by “white ballot,” being taken at North Point, which may lead to grievances or discussion and officers for 2008-2009 were approved of discipline as a Meet & Confer topic; President Diederich and Chief for President (Diederich), Vice President Steward Cowden suggested we put a discussion of discipline – also an (Volkenant and Windels), Treasurer issue with members’ scents – on the next Meet & Confer agenda. (Regan), Recording Secretary (Salone),  We discussed the Mileage policy – again. It appears the new policy will Members-at-Large (Lazo-Rice, Adam, be for mileage from the first trip to the last trip per day, and if home is Alexander, Poole and Pharr), and Trustee the main office, mileage will be from home. Still at issue – persons who (Aweis). CLUC and Trades & Labor are telecommuters part-time, and whether there is a right to appeal. Assembly delegates were also approved in  Business Rep Matt Nelson reported on a stability pay grievance – we the motion. believe an HSPHD policy affecting 52 reinstated employees (since 2005)  Three Local 34 members expressed who are not receiving stability pay, is in conflict with the contract. He is interest in attending Council 5 Member also dealing with a member’s 5-day suspension for performance issues, Reporting training on May 2, 2008 – John and a Social Worker terminated for purportedly requesting mileage for Solomon, Katie Farber and Philip Gray. A trips not made – but which simply may not be properly recorded in MSIS. motion was approved to pay their mileage  Chief Steward Cowden reported further on scent issues and progressive and lost time. discipline for one member at the FJC, as well as a grievance for a  President Diederich asked VP Volkenant to computer-sharing pornography issue, and a grievance over the use of sit in for her at the March 10 Corrections medical leave. We had discussion about ADA and FMLA issues and how Department Meet & Confer.

the County – through Jim Ramnaraine in HR – presents information on these important issues. One concern – the County has to consider Note – March’s HSPHD Meet & Confer whether to act on an ADA issue, but the County is not going beyond meeting was cancelled – the next consideration at this time. scheduled meeting is on April 16.

New to the County? Good and Welfare Upcoming AFSCME Training Just transferred into Local 34? The Good and Welfare Committee was established to send Basic Steward Training – St. Cloud, April 8-9, Technicalremembrances College; toCouncil dues paying5 Metro members Office, May at times7-8 of happiness or To sign up as a full union member,Chief forSteward Delta TrainingDental – Councilsorrow. 5 Duluth This Office, includes April marriages, 17 the birth or adoption of a child, Insurance information, or to get answers to questions prolonged illness or hospitalization, or the death of a member, about AFSCME and membership benefits, please From County Administrator Richard Johnson’s recent e-mail toimmediate Hennepin family employees: member or significant…On the other.cost side, we know that complete this form and for the time being, send it to: the county is experiencing cost increases just as each of us in terms Inof the risingcase of price surgery of gasoline or prolonged and for manyillness, of orthe for other the birth or products andKela services Williams, we purchase. Membership In addition, Secretary in a number of areasadoption there is ofa rising a child, demand flowers for or countyplants can services. be sent We to aneed member. to take steps to Century handle Plazathe impact – 2 nd this Floor will – have 630 on, 612-596-0949 the county. This will be approached from a countywide perspective, not from just one department’s. I have instructed all county departments to review theirIn currentsituations spending involving plans the death in order of toa membersuggest ways or a theydeath can in the family of a member, memorials can be sent. (“Family” is defined reduceName expenses, ______make processes more efficient, change policies that could reduce costs and look for opportunities to increase revenues. …Budget preparation instructions for 2009 will be distributedthe to same departments as in Article later 16 this – month Funeral by Leave the Office – in ourof Budget contract; and it includes: spouse, child, significant other, aunt/uncle, father/mother, Finance. Those instructions will include direction to develop scenarios and strategies for planning to operate with reduced funding sister/brother, grandparent/grandparent-in-law, grandchildren, nextJob year. Title The ______reductions in state and federal funding most likely will result in staff reductions in 2008 and 2009. How we will niece/nephew, or a person regarded as a member of the member’s immediate family). Work Location ______In the event of members getting married, retiring, gaining U.S. Mail Code ______Phone ______citizenship, or for a death in the family of a member or in the case of the death of a member, a card can be sent to the family. I’m especially interested in: Please send all requests for remembrances to the Chairs for the Good and Welfare Committee - Lisa Durkot (MC 965), Marcia Dietz (MC L890) and Cathy Cowden (MC L890). The referrals must  I want to sign up as a full member include the name of the member and the reason for your request. Local 34I want Banner to sign up for Delta Dental AprilIf the request2008 is for a plant or flowers, you will 4also need to include Council 5 Contact for Delta Dental Questions: the person’s home phone number for delivery purposes. Cindy Pince – 651-287-0564 Welcome to Marcia as a new Good & Welfare co-chair!

Are you interested in setting the Local 34 website as your Microsoft Explorer home page? If so, go to the website address listed above. Click on “Tools” in the menu bar at the top of your page. Select “Internet Options.” Under the “General” tab, find the option for Home Page, and copy the Local 34 address there. The next time you bring up your Internet connection, the website will be your new Home Page.

Sign Up for the PEOPLE Fund The AFSCME People Fund is AFSCME’s political action fund, and is used to support our endorsed candidates. If many members pledge as little as $2.00 a payroll period, our ability to get our endorsed candidates elected will be greatly enhanced. At $4.00 per pay period, a contributor receives an AFSCME green jacket. Please contact Jean Diederich at 348-0266 to sign up now! Do You Have Friends Who Would Like to Receive Our Newsletter?

GET UPDATES! There is now a quick and simple way for you to become informed on a wide variety of issues concerning AFSCME Local 34. Just sign yourself up for our free on-line newsletter! Please follow the directions below…  Send an e-mail to the following address: [email protected]  In the Subject Line or Text, state “Subscribe to 34 Newsletter”, identify who you are, and send it off  You will receive a confirmation e-mail within a week; you should have the latest issue attached, so you can determine if you will be able to receive – and read – the e-mail newsletter attachments in the Subject Line or Text, and your name will be removed from our list. ** You can also access us from our Local 34 Website at: http://www.afscmelocal34.org ** For Netscape users, you may need to press “Reload” to get the most current version.

UPCOMING MEETING SCHEDULE 9th ** 16th 7th 21st April GA - HSB 112 E-Board - HSB 917 May GA - HSB 110** E-Board - HSB 917

2008 Minnesota AFL-CIO Scholarships and Martin Duffy Adult Learner Scholarships – Deadline: April 30th! Five Minnesota graduating seniors – union members or dependents of – may claim MN AFL-CIO Scholarships. Two union members can receive the Martin Duffy Scholarships to assist with adult learning tuition costs (for more information, contact Joyce Hegstrom at the U of MN’s L.E.S. at 612-624-5020). The Tobey Lapakko Labor Leadership Grant for women union members in good standing and the Charles McKenna Leadership Grant for union men of good standing are also available from the MN AFL-CIO. For more information, check the Minnesota AFL-CIO web site or call 651-227-7647.

Good & Welfare: News from AFSCME Council 5: Thank You Messages WELCOME HENNEPIN VOCATIONAL COUNSELORS Dear Local 34 Members, Hennepin County Local 2864 welcomes 13 vocational counselors who Thank you so much for the Cub gift card. It is greatly joined AFSCME Council 5 in February. Vocational counselors provide appreciated. Wishing you all a Happy New Year. support to adults with profound mental and emotional complexities so In solidarity, they have the opportunity for gainful employment. The strength of Kathy McGinnis (Council 5 staff member) AFSCME’s last contract provided strong motivation for them to join.

Dear Jean, SCOTT COUNTY EMPLOYEES RATIFY CONTRACT Thank you for your contribution to the Minneapolis Scott County employees recently voted 84 percent to accept their Central Labor Union Council’s Holiday Reception. three-year contract. The almost-all-new negotiating team took about Donated door prizes are an integral part of making our six months to complete the contract with management. Highlights annual celebration a successful event. We sincerely include increasing PTO payout from 20 to 40 hours and increasing on- appreciate your donation and your participation with the call weekend pay from $50 to $250. CLUC. In solidarity, WALKER WORKERS DIG IN THEIR HEELS William McCarthy, President, Walker Methodist workers are digging in their heels for a good contract Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council as negotiations continue with harmful takeaways still on the table. It AFSCME Local 34 has been more than eight months of negotiations. While the last Dear Friends, mediation sessions did yield some progress, Management wants to On behalf of the Board of the Friends of the Minneapolis stop paying time and a half for holidays and won’t budge on its Public Library, I want to express our sincere appreciation disciplinary point system. Further contract delays deny Walker workers for your 2/19/08 gift of $50.00 in memory of Penny L. the economic justice they deserve. Now is the time to pressure Christenson. A strong Friends organization is a management to give Walker workers a fair contract. Let’s continue to tremendous asset to our library system. Consider what flood the employers’ phone lines with voices that support Walker we have achieved – with the support of our 5000 workers. members – over the past few years: Call Board Chair Norma Larson at 651-455-0862. Tell her to contact □ In 2000, we successfully advocated for the $110 million library referendum for the new Walker CEO Lynn Starkovich to settle the contract now and give justice Central Library and $30 million for capital to Walker workers. improvements at the 14 community libraries. Call Walker CEO Lynn Starkovich at 612-827-8517. Demand that □ Between 2002 and 2006, we raised $16.4 management negotiates in good faith with the union to ensure million through the New Central Library economic justice for the workers and quality care for residents. Campaign. □ During the same period, we increased our MISLEADING NEWS STORY ON AFSCME-ENDORSED annual contributions to MPL by more than AL FRANKEN 100%, funding new book purchases and library- A misleading news story about our AFSCME-endorsed candidate for based literacy initiatives (Summer Reading Program, Homework Helper). U.S. Senate Al Franken was widely spread recently by an opposing Last year, we also organized citizens to challenge cuts to campaign. The story alleged Franken had been fined $25,000 in New library services. As a result, our Mayor and City Council York State for unpaid workers comp there. recently enabled MPL to re-open three temporarily- The truth is that the fine was a mistake because the workers involved closed libraries – Roosevelt, Southeast and Webber did not work for Al Franken; they were employees of Air America. Park. In addition, MPL has consolidated with the Despite that, Al Franken has paid the $25,000 to make sure the Hennepin County Library. workers were covered. (Al Franken had previously given these co- Your contribution is 100% tax deductible. An workers a personal bonus when they were all Air America employees.) acknowledgement of your donation has been sent to the family. “ This appeared to be a harmless bureaucratic error with no worker With Warm Regards, harmed,” said Council 5 Executive Director Eliot Seide on MPR. Anita S. Duckor, Executive DirectorHow is the County Positioning Itself for the Future? TheAt Friends2008's first of the meeting Minneapolis for county Public directors, Library managers and supervisors, County Administrator Richard Johnson spoke about "Positioning Hennepin County for the Future." The meeting was held Friday, Feb. 29, at Thrivent Financial Auditorium. http://hcnet/PA/PARepository.nsf/23232f781fb6a016862569c300558949/af6281cc82c3cc73862573fa00570762?OpenDocument#Managers%2C%20supervisors%20meeting%20hel

First, I will explore the change drivers I see. Second, I want to talk … contribute to the level, type, location and composition of

about what we have to do to prepare for change. And last, we need county caseloads … and change the cultural face of the county. to consider where we should focus our efforts. {Editor’s Note – for this issue, we’ll look at Mr. Johnson’s first point, and As the population is aging, so is our work force of 8,700 return to these remarks in our May issue.} employees. We are comprised of a range of four generations, from baby boomers to Generation Y – sometimes called the What Will the Future Look Like? Millennials. The senses of motivation and reward are very I think you’ll agree … if you like change and challenges … nothing is different for each generation. For you managers and quite so exciting these days as working in local government. We supervisors, it’s a challenge but also a necessity to maximize have moved into the “State” of constant change. So how do we, in the potential of everyone within this multi-generational the words of the title of Dr. Sipe’s presentation, “make change work framework. We also face a significant number of retirements for us?” over the next few years . . . and the challenge of recruiting the new immigrants and younger employees into the public sector. Looking ahead, there are several change drivers I see as the most important for us at the local level. The first and most obvious one to A larger percentage of the population of Hennepin County is all of us are the ongoing fiscal challenges, from reduced funding by located in the suburbs and beyond. However, the provision of the federal and state governments … to the rising cost of health services continues to be primarily in the urbanized areas of care … to a property tax system that is reaching its limits. We are Minneapolis and first-ring suburbs. The competition -- or conflict entering another cycle of fiscal distress at the state level . . . and I -- in who pays for and who receives county services will grow in am sure that the counties will be invited to participate in the the coming years . . . even as the demand and need for social solution. This shortfall in revenue comes at the same time the need services moves more and more to the suburbs. for the safety net the county provides has never been stronger. As And aren’t we all trying to keep up with information revolution we see the number of home foreclosures rise and we enter into an and the expectations that come with it? The Internet and economic cycle that more and more experts are calling a recession mobile communication are affecting not only how we … many people are going to be looking for our help. We also should communicate with one another in everyday situations . . . but not expect this financial direction to change much even with a new how we operate in emergencies. People are expecting more federal administration. While priorities probably will change . . . the access to services by e-government … yet not everyone is alternatives for raising additional or new revenue are very limited. running their lives on BlackBerrys and laptops . . . and for It’s very hard to be up here talking about more difficult news Hennepin that means continuing to help those on the other side regarding finances. I’d like nothing more than to be up here talking of the digital divide. And a paradox of investing more in in rosier terms. But I need to be frank. We’ve been through this information technology . . . is that while we can make before. We cannot control the financial winds … sometimes all we information, processes and transactions increasingly cost can do is our best just to remain viable. efficient and accessible . . . that doesn’t necessarily mean we will be able to save by spending less on staffing. The staff must We are serving an aging population . . . and there are declining now do other tasks to maximize the value from new systems. numbers of children and youth. These changes have a significant impact on health and social services . . . and on the criminal justice Another challenge for Hennepin County is to manage resources system. For example, many members of our developmentally such as energy and water. Our practices and outcomes must be disabled population have been cared for by their parents for many sustainable, or in the terminology popular today – we must find years. Unfortunately, many of these care-givers are now passing more ways to be “green.” away or are no longer physically able to provide the care. We know {Editor’s Note – a preview of Mr. Johnson’s continued remarks…} the alternatives will be more expensive . . . and maybe less compassionate. Preparing For the Future So given these change drivers and trends, what do we need to Our population is increasingly diverse – racially and ethnically. That do to prepare for the future? I believe it’s two primary things: means not only changes concerning the people we serve . . . but a One - We need to continue to deliver essential services challenge to reflect Hennepin’s population in the county work force. effectively and efficiently. And, two - we need to continually Part of the growth of diversity is due to the growth of immigration. evaluate what we do, why we do it, does it need to be done or We see the effects of these changes in the general population … we can it be done by someone else. see it certainly in our schools … and it impacts our focus and placement of county services. We just released a report on the Also, occasionally we need to take on the projects and issues Latino population in Hennepin County, which is expected to double that no other level of government can or is willing to tackle, by 2030. This segment of our population will help determine the such as ending homelessness . . . collaborating to ensure that county’s economic competitiveness . . . all Hennepin County youth graduate from high school . . . building a ballpark . . . or merging a library system. AFSCME’s Affordable Health Care Conference – Highlights, Themes & Purpose

AFSCME Council 5 gave those of us who attended the Affordable Health Care Conference on February 22 & 23, one of our best learning experiences – ever! We’ll have much more to share with you, and encourage you to visit the Council 5 web site at www.afscmemn.org to see more, for yourself. □ Bob Velez, Katie Farber and John Herzog One tool that they shared with us, follows. If you have employee-only health insurance through the County, it’ll probably be eye-opening. If you have one of our family plans, it may be discouraging. I suggest completing this with your full household in mind. This is a 5% Solution worksheet from AFSCME Minnesota!

□ Patrick Regan and Bob Velez Is your health care affordable? Do the math! Today, I’m paying…

1) Monthly Insurance Premium: $ ______x 12 = $ ______□ Matt Nelson, Cliff Robinson & Wes Volkenant 2) Annual Drug Co-Pays: $ ______3) Annual Office Visit Co-Pays: $ ______4) Annual Deductible: $ ______5) Out-of Pocket Expenses: $ ______□ Fatuma Kassim, Betty Pharr & Angel Alexander

6) TOTAL (add lines 1-5) = $ ______

Compare the 5% Solution

□ Cathy Cowden □ Council 5 Executive Director Eliot Seide 7) My annual gross household income is: $ ______

8) Multiply line 7 by .05 = $ ______

□ US Senate candidate, Al Franken 9) With the 5% Solution, I would pay $ ______(line 8) 10) I’m currently paying $ ______(line 6)

11) Multiply line 10 by 100 = $ ______

12) Divide line 11 by line 7 = ______□ Al Franken and Jean Diederich

□ Some of your Local 34 representatives to the AFSCME Affordable Health Care 13) I currently pay ______% for health care! (line 12) Conference, February 22-23, 2008, plus Council Director Eliot Seide and Al Franken.

The 5% Solution www.afscmemn.org What does affordable health mean? This February, 365 members of Council 5 gathered for a two-day, electronic “town meeting” to answer that question. What emerged was support for a “5% Solution.” Limiting health care costs to no more than 5 percent of an individual’s income is especially significant in Minnesota where 1.1 million people can expect to pay more than 10 percent of their income this year on medical expenses.

Participants employed interactive keypads and laptop computers to answer questions about their personal medical expenses. Among them was Jerome Council, a maintenance worker at the Minneapolis Veterans’ Home and a member of Local 744. “I’m paying way more than 5 percent for family coverage,” he says. “People can’t afford to support a family, save for retirement, and also pay more than 5 percent for health care.” Sixty percent of the session’s participants said they are paying more than that, and the problem is expected to grow with each passing year.

Debunking Myths About Health Care Have you heard any of these myths about health care reform proposals? 1. There will be no choice. 2. We’ll receive lower-quality care. 3. There will be long waiting lines. 4. It will lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices. 5. Big Brother is coming, Big Brother is coming. The government will control your health care. 6. Government-run health care just means more government waste and red tape. 7. We need competition to reduce health care costs. 8. Health care reform will reduce research and innovation. 9. People will file frivolous lawsuits against the old providers. 10. It will lead to coverage for illegal immigrants. Let’s start to debunk these myths in these next two newsletter issues. Myth # 1 – No Choice… just as we have now with HMOs, we will be able to choose our health plan, our clinic, and our doctor(s). Myth # 3 – Long Lines… patients don’t wait for primary or preventive care in Canada or Europe; patients won’t have to wait until they can afford specialized care. Myth # 6 – Government Waste… you and I work for “the government.” We government workers can do most any job more efficiently and cost effectively than the private sector. Compare administrative costs: for Medicare, it is 3% and for the for- profits, it ranges as high as 26%. In 2005 the US Secretary for Health & Human Services was paid $180,100. In 2005, the CEOs of these Minnesota companies received: $3,3465,811 (Blue Cross/Blue Shield); $1,610,184 (Mayo Clinic); $1,575,955 (Allina); and $1,140,194 (HealthPartners).

Other Health Care News Most Minnesota Doctors Like Single-Payer Health Care, Academic Study Finds by: Andy Birkey Mon Feb 25, 2008 http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3259 The Minnesota Health Plan would move health insurance out of the private sector and create a system where one payer -- Minnesota -- would cover everyone in the state based on his or her ability to pay. The bill, authored by Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, is an example of a single- payer health care system and it has the support of a majority of physicians in Minnesota, according to a recent survey. Dr. Dick Adair, a 65- year-old physician, said that the current system is not only having an impact on patients, but also on physicians. "The financial burden of caring for uninsured people is driving some doctors out of primary care and into better-paying specialties, at a time when we need more primary care doctors," he said. In his years as a physician, he has seen a sharp change in how physicians look at health care. "Having lunch with other doctors used to mean listening to conservatives griping about the government. Now lunchroom talk is that single-payer would be a good idea," said Adair. A recent survey through the University of Minnesota and St. Olaf College found that 64 percent of Minnesota's physicians support a single- payer system much like the Minnesota Health Plan. Another 25 percent said that health savings accounts were the way to go, and only 12 percent thought that the current system of managed care was adequate. "I personally feel very angry and frustrated when I know my patients are not getting the care that they deserve," said Dr. Elizabeth Frost, a supporter of the Minnesota Health Plan. "I hate saying to people, 'you need this test or this study,' all the while knowing they don't have insurance and likely don't have a lot of savings either." Of the reasons that a single-payer system is so attractive to the majority of physicians in Minnesota is that the current multi-payer, managed- care system often gets in the way of physicians' ability to provide the care that they swore an oath to provide. Dr. Ann Settgast explained the problems trying to provide care under the current system. "When we are limited by the lack of insurance or under-insurance, it becomes frustrating, and we are not able to do our jobs properly." Settgast provides a typical example of caring for a patient with high blood pressure. "We know that with proper monitoring and follow-up, we can control this with ease and prevent devastating complications such as strokes and heart attacks," she said. "However, we take care of patients who cannot come to appointments with us or cannot afford to take the medications we prescribe because their co-pay is too high, and these are patients with insurance," she said. Because of these barriers people often under-use the system, "as opposed to the overuse that people erroneously cite as a significant problem in the current system," said Settgast. "This under-use leads to unnecessary human suffering and also financial waste because the cost of caring for a patient with a stroke far exceeds the cost of effectively managing someone's high blood pressure." That example is one of hundreds that testify to the importance of a single-payer system to many physicians, a system that many have come around to in recent years. Nationally, Frost said that a single-payer system would be ideal. "I support a single-payer system specifically, instead of a universal insurance patchwork like [Sen. Hillary Clinton] and [Sen. Barack Obama], because it makes so much more sense," she said. "The problem with the bureaucracy of the myriad insurance companies is that each differs from each other, and their ultimate goal is to deny claims and save money. There is a reason why my insured patient with post-polio syndrome never got his electric wheelchair even after a year-and-a-half of trying, and it is not related to lack of medical need," she argues. In a single-payer system, "the ultimate goal would be to provide not deny." Settgast agreed. "As a physician, my job would become simpler as I could make medical decisions based on my expertise and the patients' best interests -- not based on regulations [from insurance companies] that often do not have these interests in mind," she said. "The single-payer solution is the only choice that makes sense given my motivation to provide the highest-quality care to each of my patients." Political Analysis of this Minnesota Monitor Article: Of the three DFLers trying to be endorsed for the U.S. Senate, only Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is on record as supporting a single-payer system. Al Franken and Mike Ciresi both support the goal of "universal" medical insurance, but they do not support the mechanism of single-payer. Nelson-Pallmeyer argues that the massive administrative costs (into the higher 30% of each health care dollar) could be dramatically reduced by the simplicity of single-payer, single codes, single administration. When the MN legislature recently asked what the additional cost of single-payer would be, the study came back that our state would actually SAVE well over a billion dollars a year by going to single- payer. U.S. health care is the most expensive and least efficient of all the industrialized countries in the world. We are already paying for universal health care. We just aren't getting it. – Charley Underwood That's not quite an accurate statement of Franken's position. He's said he's in favor of single-payer, but that it won't fly politically given the general opinion of the competence of government thanks to the Bush administration. He has also pointed out that Canada didn't move all at once to single-payer, but that one province, Saskatchewan in 1947, implemented the system, and the rest of the country followed [by 1961], and that's the model he sees for the US. Franken proposes requiring states to go to single-payer for children, with a mandate for universal for adults; however, states choose how to get there. For what it's worth, I think he's right that one state has to go first. No reason it can't be us if the DFL sticks together and a few House GOP will go along. – Eric Ferguson Note – Since this article was published, Mike Ciresi has dropped out of the DFL Senate race, leaving Prof. Nelson-Pallmeyer facing Mr. Franken…

One health care reform bill before the Legislature is authored by Linda Berglin, a Minneapolis DFLer who AFSCME is sometimes at odds with – especially in the area of mental health issues. This bill has support from Governor Pawlenty, so this is one to be aware of. Health Care Reform Comes to the Capitol MinnPost.com, March 19, 2008, by G.R. Anderson State Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, has a soft-spoken demeanor that belies her tenacity at the Capitol on health care issues. Health care reform has been overshadowed this legislative session by the transportation bill, the budget deficit and the looming bonding bill initiatives, but some are viewing it as a key legislative piece this year. To that end, some thought Berglin's Senate File 3099 might have hit the Senate floor already, but it is a 75-page monster, that lawmakers wanted to digest before acting on it. "The Republican caucus in the Senate wanted more time," Berglin said. "Forty-five minutes is not enough time to understand a bill as big as S.F. 3099."

A Senate Majority Research cheat sheet on the bill notes that it was constructed with input from both the Legislative Commission on Health Care Access and the Governor's Health Care Transformation Task Force. The bill has Republicans signed on as co- authors, went through 10 separate committees and has the theoretical blessing of Gov. Tim Pawlenty — who, as Berglin noted, "agreed to the framework of the bill." But that doesn't necessarily mean smooth sailing. The bill purports to increase health care access to 47,000 uninsured Minnesotans and has four separate articles: "Public Health, Health Care Homes, Access and Continuity, and Health Insurance Purchasing and Affordability Reform." In short, it's a sweeping piece of legislation. Some key components of the bill, according the Senate Majority Research, include: • A "health improvement plan that is designed to lower obesity and cigarette use, and alcohol and chemical dependency." • "Better automation and coordination between public health care programs" and "financial incentives to programs helping people enroll in MinnesotaCare." • A "Health Insurance Exchange" that "will be operate similar to a stock exchange where health insurance products will be available for purchase by individuals and small businesses." Some "fiscal notes" on the bill: • The "health improvement" plan will cost $20 million in 2009 and $80 million in the 2010-11 biennium. • Some $8 million will be appropriated from the state's Health Care Access Fund (HCAF) in 2009 for start up of the Health Insurance Exchange. • Next year the HCAF expenditure will be $38.4 million and $253.7 million for the 2010-11 biennium. "These funds," according to the Senate Majority Research, "will go to expand MNcare," and other administrative and access funds.

However, as Berglin noted, "At the time we talked about the bill, we did not know the extent" of the state's current $935 million budget deficit. For that, the sticky wicket will prove to be HCAF. The governor wants to use some $250 million in surplus from that fund to help balance the budget. "The governor doesn't propose expanding health care access" with that fund, Berglin said, hinting that it shouldn't be used as a slush fund. "We're pretty lucky in Minnesota to have the Health Care Access Fund, and we need to be good stewards." Still, it's likely that Pawlenty views it as key piece of budget salvation, something that will likely lead to serious politicking across the aisle next week, when lawmakers reconvene after an Easter break. Then again, it's a solid bet that the bill might go poof, as the bonding bill and the budget crisis threaten to dominate the rest of the legislative session. But Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud and the assistant majority leader, expressed optimism that something would get done on health care reform. "In the Republican caucus," Clark concluded, "they're saying 'Gee, this might be one of the things we can get done together.'"

Governors Oppose New Medicaid Regulations that Reduce Federal Funding http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Medicaid/2008/8-02-25-GovernosOppose.htm New federal Medicaid regulations scheduled to take effect this year would shift billions of dollars in costs to the states and could lead to a reduction in services, governors said during the winter meeting of the National Governors Association in Washington, D.C., the New York Times reports. The rules are scheduled to take effect over the next several months. Federal officials estimate that the rules will save $15 billion over five years. Dennis Smith, director of CMS' Center for Medicaid and State Operations, said the rules are needed to "protect the fiscal integrity of the Medicaid program." One rule would place new limits on Medicaid payments to hospitals and nursing homes operated by state and local governments. State governments are concerned that the rule could "eliminate federal contributions for a whole category of public spending on health care for the poor -- specifically, spending by autonomous units of local government," the Times reports. Another rule would limit coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, including those with mental illnesses. Local 34 Banner April 2008 11

Labor Unions and Legal News Paid Family Leave and Gender Equality Early in March, the New Jersey Senate approved a paid family leave bill, in which New Jersey would join California and Washington in providing up to six weeks of partial pay for workers who take time off to care for a new baby or sick relative. The benefits would be funded by a payroll deduction, much like unemployment insurance. The bill still needs to be approved by the state Assembly and signed by Governor Corzine. These kinds of leave policies seem an important step to allowing both women and men to take the leave provided. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, only 31% of people take FMLA leave (which is unpaid) to care for a seriously ill family member, and only 18% take leave to care for a new child. The majority of people who take the leave take it for their own serious health problem. Of those who didn't take leave when they were eligible, a vast majority did not do so because the leave is unpaid. Often, in heterosexual married couples, the decision about which partner will take leave to care for a relative or new child is made based on which one will suffer the lesser workplace penalty--which one earns less or won't violate the employer's norms as much by taking the leave. Men have a harder time, often, justifying the leave. And to the extent that gender neutral leave policies are designed to break the stereotypes of women as caregivers, providing pay during that time might make it less of a penalty for men to take leave. And if more men take leave, maybe the stereotype that reduces women to their reproductive and caregiving capacities will actually be eroded. http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2008/03/paid-family-lea.html#comments Another Labor RICO Suit In what is becoming increasing prevalent in modern labor disputes, Cintas has filed a RICO suit against UNITE HERE, Teamsters, and Change To Win in the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges that the unions, in their attempt to get the employer to accept a neutrality and card check agreement, have engaged in an "extortion" campaign. This campaign was said to consist of false attacks on the employer and involve unlawful racketeering and infringements on the employer's trademark. This isn't the first RICO suit filed by Cintas (which manufactures and supplies corporate identity uniforms) or numerous other employers (such as Smithfield and Wakenhut). Unions haven't been shy about using RICO either. This, of course, touches on a problem with the courts' extremely broad interpretation RICO. However, I do wonder whether the Supreme Court's BE&K decision--which made is much more difficult for the NLRB to find that a lawsuit that was intended to harass the other party consisted of an unfair labor practice--has contributed to an increase in these suits. I don't know whether there even has been an increase, but I suspect that if there isn't already, there will be soon. - Jeffrey Hirsch, http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2008/03/another-labor-r.html#comments The Constitutionality of Pre-Employment Drug Testing for Public Employees The Ninth Circuit has handed down Lanier v. City of Woodburn, a case discussing the permissibility of drug testing public employees. Lanier sued the municipal employer, alleging that its policy requiring job applicants to pass pre-employment drug tests violated her privacy rights under the 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 9 of the Oregon Constitution. The trial court granted summary judgment in Lanier's favor, finding that the policy was facially unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part - concluding that the policy was unconstitutional as applied to Lanier (who had applied for a job as a library page) but not facially invalid. The employer argued that it had a substantial and important interest in screening library pages because 1) drug abuse is a serious societal problem; 2) drug use has an adverse impact on job performance; and 3) children must be protected from those who use drugs or could influence children to use them. The court rejected that argument, reasoning that the United States Supreme Court's decision in Chandler v. Miller, (1997) "makes clear the need for suspicionless testing must be far more specific and substantial than the generalized existence of a societal problem of the sort that [the employer] has posited." The court noted that the need in suspicionless cases not involving interdiction work (or high risk/safety-sensitive tasks) must be "special" and not merely "symbolic." There needs to be a case-by-case analysis if there is a specific and immediate government interest in conducting the drug search before invading public employees' Fourth Amendment rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The use of the word "symbolic" in the court's decision brings to mind Justice Scalia's dissent in the Von Raab case concerning federal custom agents. Pointing out that there had not been a history of drug abuse among custom agents, Scalia argued that the government should not be able to violate a public employee's 4th Amendment rights for symbolic purposes. The best approach when dealing with conflicting interests between public employees and the government employer is to engage in an ad-hoc

balancing test, as in the First Amendment Pickering area. It is not a perfect test, but at least it allows the court to weigh the relevant interests before bringing governmental power to bear on citizen employees. - Paul Secunda, http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2008/03/the-constitutio.html#comments Political Insights for Union Members

Good Jobs Vanish for Workers With Less Education Recession likely to hit blue-collar jobs hardest By Tony Pugh McClatchy Newspapers Last Updated: 03/22/2008 http://www.twincities.com/ci_8659976 The steady loss of "good jobs" by less-educated workers has left them more vulnerable to recession than at any time in nearly 30 years, and signs are mounting that a recession is either already here or coming soon. High school dropouts and even high school graduates who lack specialized job training have seen their already limited employment prospects steadily decline during America's decades-long shift from a manufacturing-based economy to a service economy. Not long ago, Americans who were unable to attend college could count on finding local factory jobs after high school. The lucky ones landed in muscular industries such as aviation, steel and automobiles, while others found work on assembly lines building durable goods. These and other "good jobs" were the signature byproducts of a robust economy that once was the envy of the world. The jobs provided stability and decent wages that allowed families to buy homes, provide for their children and retire in modest comfort. The Center for Economic and Policy Research defines a "good job" as one with health insurance, a pension plan and earnings of at least $17 per hour. That works out to about $34,000 a year, the inflation-adjusted median income for men in 1979, when U.S. manufacturing jobs numbered 19.6 million, an all-time high. Since then, however, the economy has lost nearly 6 million manufacturing jobs — 52,000 in February alone. Among them were many of the 3.5 million "good jobs" lost from 2000 to 2006, according to John Schmitt, a senior economist at CEPR. As those jobs disappeared, many blue-collar workers were forced to take jobs with far less pay and benefit security. This caused the share of high school graduates with good jobs to fall from about one in five in 1979 to one in seven in 2005, Schmitt found. For those who didn't finish high school, the decline was even steeper. The share of these workers with good jobs fell from roughly one in seven to one in 25 over the same period. With a recession certain to accelerate job losses, experts say less-educated workers who lack marketable job skills will have the hardest time holding onto their jobs and the toughest time finding new employment. "With the economy poised for a recession, or in one, and with savings diminished and home equity at risk, this is a particularly challenging time because there's no cushion for many of these workers. For them, their job is everything," said Phea Lee, the policy director for the AFL-CIO. "People in the middle and at the bottom (of the wage scale) are going to be the bulk of the victims in a recession," Schmitt said. "They're proportionally going to take a much bigger hit." Helping fuel the loss of good jobs has been a decline in union membership, industry deregulation, increased outsourcing of state and government services and economic policies that focus more on containing inflation than on maintaining full employment, Schmitt said. As good jobs become harder to find, bad jobs have become much easier to get. In 1979, 41 percent of workers who didn't finish high school held "bad jobs," those with no health insurance or

pension plans and pay of less than $16.50 an hour in inflation-adjusted wages. By 2005, that number had grown to 61 percent, Schmitt found.

Public Employee Union Responds Governor’s Invest in Minnesota Group to State’s Shortfall: $1 Billion Hiring Freeze says Revised State Budget Deficit Requires Rainy-Day Reserves Burns Hurts Children, Labor and and Tax Fairness Taxpayers Economy The Pawlenty Administration reports that Minnesota’s budget shortfall has grown to $935 By Lee Egerstrom, Minnesota 2020 Fellow million. With inflation, the shortfall is expected to top $2 billion for the 2010-2011 biennium. A coalition of nonprofit, labor and faith groups is warning the Minnesota Below is a statement from Eliot Seide, director of Legislature that a revised state budget AFSCME Council 5, a union of 43,000 public and plan put forth by the Pawlenty non-profit workers in Minnesota, including 19,000 In the last six months, administration may make the Minnesota state employees. Minnesota has lost economy worse by targeting health needs 23,000 jobs. Now the “Chronic disinvestment has created no new jobs and and disinvesting in jobs and higher Governor is imposing a an economy that doesn’t work. Tax fairness can raise education. The Invest in Minnesota hiring freeze on most the revenue to revive our economy and pay down Campaign said in a statement that three-quarters of the annual shortfall. Let’s get the positions in the state. Legislators should look for ways to restore wealthiest Minnesotans, who earn over $400,000, to This stillness in hiring state revenue, not cut back on critical pay their fair share of taxes. Let’s close tax loopholes will reduce the delivery needs. The group is a joint effort that for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. And let’s of services statewide. includes the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the Joint eliminate unfair tax breaks for commercial/industrial Workers will have to Religious Legislative Coalition comprised properties.” withstand cutbacks and of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim take on more work for groups, Growth and Justice, and the Based on the 2007 tax bill, tax fairness could raise the same amount of Minnesota Council of Nonprofits umbrella revenue as follows: pay. In the end, the organization. taxpayers lose. th � $452 million – 4 tier income tax of 9% on filers The Governor’s hiring "Our elected officials need to find real earning $400,000 or more freeze is shortsighted, solutions to the revenue shortfall," said and ultimately he needs Marcia Avner, public policy director for the �  $125 million – subtraction of tax break for nonprofits. Further, said Brian Rusche, foreign operating companies to look at taxes— whether he wants to or executive director of the Joint Religious �  $195 million – freeze commercial/industrial not. It is wrong to think Legislative Coalition, "Why cut the building property tax levy rate at 2004 level he can offset the blocks to success for children and the recession by imposing future workforce?" He said reducing � $772 million = total revenue from the three tax the hiring freeze. The children's health care, job training and fairness measures listed above long-term solution is to transportation hurts people most affected raise revenues. by the state's recessionary economy. “ The recession is real – just ask the 33,000 We don’t want to Minnesotans who lost their jobs in the last six months. become a second class The group cited four "flaws" in the It’s storming and we need to tap our billion-dollar state. We are proud to governor's proposed budget plan. They rainy-day reserve to rescue our drowning deliver first class public include: lowering the state sales tax economy.” services and will which would increase the revenue shortfall; leaving in place ineffective “Governor Pawlenty’s no-new-tax pledge has caused continue to so while pushing for change that JOBZ tax breaks and income tax real pain for real people. Instead of putting money breaks for high-income households; back in wealthy pockets, tax fairness will keep money will support all Minnesotans in a cutting property tax relief for renters; in the pockets of hard working families, whose and, "raiding" the Health Care Access spending will jumpstart our economy. The rainy-day fiscally responsible Fund. reserve will help sustain the public services that make way.

Minnesota a good place to live, work, and do business.” www.afscmemn.org http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp? www.afscmemn.org Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B8834E74D-1991-4228- AD13-5C006821317E%7D&DE =

Presidential politics (late-March, 2008): Will Hillary Clinton, AFSCME’s endorsed candidate, remain in the race after her AFSCME is Very Angry With State expected win in Pennsylvania, and difficult primary Attorney General Lori Swanson! challenges in North Carolina and Indiana? Will this race go to the end, as bitterly fought as it has become over the past BUST LORI SWANSON FOR UNION BUSTING! several weeks? When will the Democrats turn to the real In the face of fear, attorneys in the Attorney General’s enemy – the real challenge – defeating John McCain, and Office want to join AFSCME. ... They courageously wrote a putting an end to one of the worse eight year periods in letter asking their boss for recognition of their union. … recent American history – perhaps the worse since the 1853- Attorney General Lori Swanson held captive audience 1861 presidencies of Pierce and Buchanan led us to the brink meetings to coerce her employees into opposing the union. of Civil War. It took a Lincoln to help us to resolve that April 1 and 2 She summoned small groups of the attorneys to a internal division. Will it take a Hillary or an Obama to heal conference room. With two supervisors and two judges these wounds? AFSCME’s watching, the workers were asked to mark an anti-union On Hillary Clinton, these words from a Matt Taibbi article in ballot saying that the letter requesting union rights didn’t the March 20 issue of Rolling Stone, “Hillary’s Last Stand”: DAY on the speak for them. “Hillary Clinton is one of the most awesomely complex and HILL fascinating public figures in the history of our country – and Let’s end the fear and intimidation, so the office can get back to protecting consumers. if she ends up losing this thing, her story will go down as a This is our way of

tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions, a heartbreaking making our voices Call Attorney General Lori Swanson immediately at story of prejudice, betrayal, miscalculation and missed ring loud and clear at 651-296-6196. Tell her to stop union busting and opportunity. There is no woman alive who cannot identify the Legislature! recognize the union chosen by her attorneys. with at least some aspect of her experience… and, what is

one to do with the observation that there seems to be a April 1st features an Also, call the legislators who appropriate funds for the certain class of Hillary supporter – women, particularly in-depth look at Attorney General’s Office: Senator Don Betzold (651- professional women, who are somewhat older, who will be 296-2556) and Representative Phyllis Kahn (651-296- quick to blame Hillary’s run of electoral ill fortune against AFSCME’s legislative 4257). Tell them not to fund the Attorney General’s Obama on the sexist attitude that a woman is not quite agenda, how the union-busting activity. ready to be President?” legislative process

works, and how to Then there’s New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a long- The attorneys have gained the support of the AFL-CIO time Clinton friend and member of Bill Clinton’s mobilize our Executive Board, which has asked all affiliates to stop administration, on his endorsement of Barack Obama, “It is members in internal contributing to Attorney General Swanson. time ... for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves organizing When we, the Council 5 Executive Board, screened Lori and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John campaigns to Swanson when she asked for our endorsement for her run McCain in the fall," and said of the Senator, “Barack Obama support the Union for the Minnesota Attorney General's office, one of the will make a great and historic president. [It] is a once-in-a- proposals. questions asked was "Will you support union organizing lifetime opportunity for our nation and you are a once-in-a- efforts?" Her response was that she would do so as that lifetime leader." Day 2 – April 2nd – was a part of the DFL platform. Now, when the attorneys On March 18, Senator Obama delivered a speech on race features the in her office are trying to form a union, she is doing relations in America – and his own unique role in American traditional Day on everything in her power to prevent them from doing so. history, echoing the great speeches of the past, by a Lincoln, the Hill activities of or a Kennedy. Each of us who heard or read this speech may meeting with We, as AFSCME members, need to hold her accountable find a moment of truth, an instant of impact, but here’s one for her actions. Please join me in calling her to lodge our legislators in their key portion of this important address: “But race is an issue complaints about her flip-flop on union organizing and that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. offices, and later at ask her to stop her union-busting activities. Also, as We would be making the same mistake that Reverend an evening reception noted above, please call Representative Kahn and Wright made in his offending sermons about America -- to at the Crowne-Plaza Senator Betzold to ask that they not fund her efforts to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the St. Paul Riverfront union bust. Remember to call on your break time and point that it distorts reality. The fact is that the comments hotel. from your cell phone - do not use the County phone. that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in Thanks much, this country that we've never really worked through -- a The 2008 Jean part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we election is only Note: It continues – Swanson Denials; Organizer walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective Suspended! corners, we will never be able to come together and solve 7 months http://www.minnpost.com/ericblack/2008/03/07/1104/staffe challenges like health care, or education, or the need to rs_detail_climate_of_stress_politicization_in_ags_office find good jobs for every American.” away!

http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/03/12/1146/whats_s wansons_response_to_reports_of_office_disarray

Governor Proposes $34 Million Tax Increase on Low-Income Renters By Jeff Van Wychen, Minnesota 2020 Fellow http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp? Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B2C794FD0-86F6-4E2D-BB1A- 0B83F4D2DD9A%7D&DE= In his proposed budget, Governor Pawlenty cuts the renters' property tax refund by $34 million, raising the portion of property taxes paid by renters by $34 million. Rental property taxes are extremely regressive, meaning that a disproportionate share of this tax falls on Minnesotans with the lowest incomes and the least ability to pay. Based on the most recent Minnesota Tax Incidence Study, rental property taxes in Minnesota are seven times more regressive than taxes in general. The regressivity of rental taxes would be even worse if not for the renters' property tax refund, which directs property tax relief to renters based on their ability to pay. According to the Minnesota Budget Project, 29 percent of refund recipients in Minnesota are seniors and people with disabilities. The Governor's proposal to cut the renters' refund would make rental property taxes even more regressive than they already are. Based on a measure of regressivity known as the "suits index," the regressivity of rental property taxes in Minnesota would increase by approximately 16 percent under the Governor's proposal. The Pawlenty administration argues that the current renters' refund program overstates the portion of rent attributable to property taxes, thereby leading to overly generous refund payments. Under current law, the portion of rent recognized as property taxes is 19 percent; based on information from 2003 and 2004, the Governor asserts that this percentage should be lowered to 16 percent, resulting in a statewide reduction to the renters' credit of $34 million or 20 percent. Given the large property tax increases in recent years, the wisdom of slashing - Wes Volkenant the renters' property tax refund in response to four year old data is questionable. With recent changes in April 2008 the rental housing tax base, there is Local 34 Banner good reason 17 to believe the information the Governor cites is no longer accurate.

We have a Local election this month for three contested offices, and it is my good fortunate – and difficult decision-making position – to know everyone who’s on the ballot. We have seven fine E-Board candidates for four positions. Although I had planned to write about all of these activists to provide each of you some insights and considerations before you vote, President Diederich reminded me that it is the AFSCME International’s position that members running for office take on that responsibility themselves, as the Local assumes a fully hands-off or neutral position, so as to not influence the decision-making of the Local’s electorate. {insert gap for missing 3 paragraphs of remarks about Local 34 candidates here} Personally, it will be a pleasure working with these excellent union brothers and sisters for the coming year. Members only… please vote – and remember to return your mailed ballots!

We cancelled our March Meet and Confer meeting due to too many scheduling conflicts on the 19th. But we will have discussions in April on consistency – we are looking for insight from Management on the lack of consistency in processing HSR case reviews, and the lack of consistency in conducting – and using – performance reviews, and a possible lack of consistency in the manner that scent issues are addressed in our locations.

Earlier in March, I sat in for President Diederich at one of our first Meet & Confers with the Corrections Department. One of the main developing issues in that area is the need for differently-focused Dignity and Respect training and considerations. New department head Tom Merkel seems more-than-willing to work with AFSCME in this area, but it will take time to challenge old ways in what has been a department that hasn’t always looked favorably upon such kinds of issues. Corrections is also impacted by legislative actions at the State Capitol, some of which may affect our STS Crewleaders, and is an area Business Representatives Marincel and Nelson agreed to have our AFSCME lobbyists watch for in these closing weeks of the 2008 session.

Steward Betty Pharr, Business Agent Matt Nelson and I had our first meeting with new ADS Manager Kate Heffernan, as well as with Karen Wahlund of ADS and representatives of HR and Labor Relations in early-March. We brought their attention to accusations against the supervisory management faced by one work unit in ADS. We appreciated the professional conduct and response to the concerns we brought to them, and will doing follow-up in an upcoming HSPHD Meet & Confer.

Elsewhere in this issue, your attention has been brought to a number of issues I think are of paramount importance facing this Local in 2008: the elections of 2008 – McCain, Obama or Clinton…Coleman or Franken…Bonoff, Madia or Paulsen…Sarvi or Kline…Bachmann or Tinklenberg…veto-proof State House-or not; the health crisis in America, in Minnesota, and in the employment in this County; the budgetary health of Hennepin County in 2008, 20009 and on-going – and what it means to this County’s workforce; the administrative leanings of Governor Tim Pawlenty – and the state’s shortfall; the election of Local 34 leadership for 2008- 2009 and what it faces as it goes into a planning retreat at the end of March. All these matter to me and should matter to you in the coming days and months. This is not a year for any of you to sit on the sidelines and let history sweep you along – this is our time to make history happen in our favor. It is time to elect the right people to office and to take back our vision of a greater Minnesota, a greater America. It is time to get Washington and St. Paul to enact legislation to fix the social and economic ills of our nation, our state, our counties and our cities, and to put attention in the right places for the people who need its government to do the right thing for them. It is time to fix our health care system. It is time to address our budget woes responsibly – and that might mean it’s time to generate revenues from all the citizenry. To steal a slogan from the Presidential race – “Yes We Can!” WSV

ELECTIONS Please remember to look for your office election ballot which will be coming out to you via US mail shortly after the first of April. Joe Weston, our Elections Chair, states that the instructions should be clearer this year. Last year was our first experience doing elections by mail and we Greed is Not Good learned what needed to change from that mailing. As one of those folks who counted the by Tula Connell, Mar 20, 2008 ballots, I can tell you that the instruction to print your name or use a return address label is there http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/20/greed-is-not-good/ for a reason. I have had years of reading my mother's "chicken scratch" writing and I still could As we watch the Federal Reserve hand over billions of not make out some of your names from your handwriting. Since we want to be able to count dollars to tanking Wall Street firms to stave off a everyone's ballot, please print or use that address label so that we can compare your name to nationwide Titanic, the words of author and activist the membership list. Te ballot counters thank you! Barbara Ehrenreich especially resonate: The rich are a burden to the rest of us. Ehrenreich’s point is that the MILEAGE GRIEVANCE growing wealth gap in this country matters. It matters Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for your status for this mileage issue. There because when a lot of people are impoverished, it were far more of you than the three names that were provided to us by Labor Relations. Our creates societal problems—like the poor’s inability to Business Representative, Matt Nelson, has been working to get this issue resolved but the devil consume at a level our economy requires to stay in has been in the details. His most recent meeting has resulted in some clarification and equilibrium. It matters because when the extremely a statement that there should be information spelling out what, per IRS regulations, constitutes wealthy compete with the rest of us for land, housing a home office for those of you who do telecommute. Once that information is out on the and education, their deep pockets drive up the cost of County's intranet, we should be able to go forward to resolve this issue for those of our members these fundamental goods for the rest of us. It matters who fit that criteria. Not everyone who used to get the mileage under the old process will qualify because: When you have so many people who can barely to receive it under this process but many of you who have been shorted will see some relief. We afford to buy groceries and other people who are buying still need to address the issue of retroactivity as part of our grievance has been to "make whole" congressmen, that’s plutocracy, not democracy. those of you who qualify to get that back mileage reimbursed. Stay tuned for more information. Thousands of progressive activists recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for this year’s Take Back America LOBBYING LEGISLATORS conference, which has become an annual gathering to By the time you read this, our members (Andrea Lazo-Rice, Angel Alexander, Betty Pharr, strategize about how to literally take back America from Catherine Rinaldo, Penny Wile, Chalmers Davis, Clifford Robinson, Diane Bourgeois, Ester Killion, the plutocrats who have hijacked our country. Several Ibrahim Adam, Jean Diederich, John Herzog, Kathleen Farber, Laurie Simon, Miguel Salazar, speakers focused on the economy, including the need to Patrick Regan, Robert Velez, and Vicki Moore) elected to represent Local 34 will have already create green jobs. Our own AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer attended the April 1-2, 2008 Council 5 Day on the Hill event. I have been excited about the Richard Trumka discussed the long-term structural change from a one to two day event this year as it allows our members more time to familiarize shifts in the economy that have helped create the themselves with the background of lobbying our state Senators and Representatives and the disaster unfolding around us. importance of doing it on a regular basis. Early in the conference, economist Robert Kuttner, co-

If you had any doubts about that importance, all you need to do is go back and read the e-mails founder of the American Prospect magazine, joined CWA regarding the budget shortfalls the County is facing this year. Those shortfalls are a direct result President Larry Cohen at a lunch event, “Out of the Hole: of cuts in funding at both the Federal and State levels because those folks we elected to An Economy that Works for Working People.” Describing represent us have not had the ability to truly represent us and our needs. Instead, we have himself as “very pessimistic about the economy” but seen funding for the programs we provide to the most vulnerable members of our communities - optimistic about the potential for political change, families, children, elderly and disabled, cut and slashed by legislation from both federal and Kuttner bluntly summed up our current situation: Our state legislation. The tide is beginning to change but it will do very slowly. The time for economy is facing most serious crisis since Great pussyfooting around the problem is long gone. Each and every one of us needs to take time Depression. “Politics is behind this failed economy, “ Kuttner said. “The ruling elites gutted the financial from our lives to contact our legislators - state and federal - to encourage them to get a regulatory system, asserting that markets could regulate backbone and do the right thing - put money back in to those programs which allow us to provide themselves, but [Federal Reserve Chairman] Ben quality services to our clients. Bernanke doesn’t think so now. The growing income gap The handwriting is on the wall. If we do not get some of those funds restored, the County is not and the increasing precariousness of jobs, plus a trade going to be able to maintain the workforce as it currently exists. I am not a "doom and gloom" policy that serves the wealthy, has furthered the nation’s person but it is clear that layoffs will be on the horizon if our situation does not improve. Some slide into financial quicksand.” Unfortunately, Kuttner of us who were contemplating retirement can no longer afford to do so, which means that responded, “America’s workers are putting in 500 more attrition is not going to be the answer to the problem. So, if you have any creative suggestions hours—the equivalent of 10 weeks—just to stay in for how we - yes, this is our problem, not just Management's - can address the money issues, place.” Cohen gave a rousing speech about the need for please send those ideas to County Administrator, Richard Johnson, as he requested in his e-mail passage of the Employee Free Choice Act that, in helping of late- March. to level the playing field for workers to form unions, would boost the numbers of workers in family- I am looking forward to spring - see the ice melt away - watch the grass grow and the trees bud - supporting jobs and stabilize the financial erosion of the listen to the birds warble their songs of spring - get out the magazines to plan flower gardens. It nation’s middle class. Cohen highlighted the union is a good time of the year to get out and enjoy life. movement’s nationwide drive to get at least 1 million Jean signatures in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Who We Are AFSCME’s 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in hundreds of different occupations — from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME is the voice of the dedicated workers who take care of America, and is a leading advocate for all working families.