ANCHORAGE CHAPTER’S PRESIDENT’S LETTER

ANCHORAGE AREA STRIKE COMMITTEES:  The tentative agreement has been reached and the members will vote on it’s ratification.  The contract then has to be funded by the legislature.  We may vote it down or the legislature may not fund it.  Both of these are points that may cause us to go on strike.  For that reason we must continue to prepare as though a strike is imminent.  We will not be caught with our guard down.

Strike Planning Committees have been created in each region of the state.  They have established their mission statements and are developing an infrastructure.  It takes people, you, to make a strike successful.  Let’s get ready.

The Strike Planning Committee chairpersons are looking for volunteers to work on the planning committees. As planning committee members you will work to create a work plan that will immediately go into effect if a strike is called.  This is your opportunity to choose the committee that you prefer.

The following committees have been established and need your support.  If you would like to work on the planning phase of one of these committees please call or send an email to the chairperson for that committee.   Each committee will have it’s own meeting schedule.  If you do not choose a committee, you will soon be assigned to one.

The committees are:

Public Relations Committee – The mission is to create, distribute and organize public relations information. To volunteer contact Catherine Isabella at 269-5261 or email :     Catherine_Isabella@law.state.ak.us

Internal Communications Committee – The mission is to collect and distribute approved information from strike headquarters to the GGU members.  To volunteer contact Gayle Odsather at 269-3676 or email gayle_odsather@admin.state.ak.us or Larry Nakata at 269-5603 or email  nakata@alaska.net

Kitchen Committee – The mission is to prepare and deliver meals for striking workers.  To volunteer contact Fred Pridgen at 269-5066 or Judy Morris at 269-6729 or email judy_morris@admin.state.ak.us

Picketing Committee – The mission is to provide organization, support and assistance to members assigned to picketing activities.  To volunteer contact Wes Thompson at 428-6788 or email: wes_thompson@fmd.dmva.state.ak.us
or Ernie Thomas at 269-7627 or email: ernest_thomas@envircon.state.ak.us

Day Care Committee – The mission is to support the daycare needs of striking workers.  To volunteer contact Kari Slone at 267-2451.

Hardship Committee – The mission is to assist striking members with crisis management.  To volunteer contact Steve Mormilo at 777-8108 or email mormilo@aol.com or Sue Layton at 269?8068 or email suel@health.state.ak.us

Class I Committee – The mission is for Class I employees to support the striking GGU members.  To volunteer contact John Nicely at 261-4309 or email jnicely@health.state.ak.us

Pick a committee & come help.

In Solidarity….Patrick W. Morrow, President, Anchorage Chapter & Southcentral Regional Strike Plan Coordinator/ ASEA/ AFSCME Local 52.
 
 

“ONE STATE WORKER’S VIEW OF HER JOB” by Kathleen Soga

There has been so much controversy regarding whether state workers have the right to strive for and achieve a reasonable standard of living, that I thought I would offer a bird’s-eye view of who I am. I do this knowing that I’ll be showing the vulnerable white-belly underside of my life, but I feel strongly that I will present a fair description of the essence of a state worker. My goal is only to attempt to enlighten those who think state workers are some strange beings you don’t recognize.

Who are we? I am a single mother with a child who experiences a disability. I live on one income in a high cost-of-living community. A place where prices for fuel, housing, food and other essentials continue to creep up year after year. My daughter and I experience daily living challenges. We understand the tenacity it takes to carve out a life with quality as its main factor. We know the fragility of the thin line that separates us all from life or death. We know the difficulty of overcoming societal barriers for those who are different and at the same time we experience the joys that accompany a person’s uniqueness.

Who are we? I stand next to you in the grocery store line, that is, assuming we can afford to buy groceries that week. We know the gratefulness of opening our door to a friend with a box of food. We smile when we pass you on the street and wave the American flag at the parade on July 4. Voting is a privilege we recognize and practice with great pride.

Who am I? My job as a state worker is to make sure your drinking water is safe. Take a moment to think about this the next time you turn on your faucet to make your morning coffee, mix formula for an infant, or when a restaurant serves you a refreshing glass of ice water. This responsibility, awarded to me, I take very seriously. I put in extra hours and take phone calls on weekends, if necessary, to support the people of Alaska. I do this without extra pay. Generally I work through breaks and lunch hours, by choice, to make sure the job is done right. I accept the responsibility of this position because I believe so strongly that what I do makes a difference in the daily lives of Alaskans. I take great pride in providing state services to Alaskans and find honor in the work I do.

Who are we? We believe in community participation. My daughter is the student who sites next to your child in class. She volunteers at the humane society and speaks to the Legislature to advocate those who experience disabilities. She spends her allowance in your stores and at the high school lunch counter, which helps support the jobs of those students working there.  This child is the daughter of a state worker.

Who am I? I’m a person who will return a smile or ask you if everything’s all right – regardless if I know you personally or not. I receive my bills at the same post office you do and wonder whether I should keep the credit card offer to transfer balances to maintain low payments. I volunteer and advocate to support families who live with a family member with a disability. I practice humility when I encounter someone who is more challenged than I.

Who am I? I am a member of a large community in Alaska. I am your neighbor and I am your customer. Do me a favor, take a moment to go look in the mirror – you will see that I am no different than you. That my effort to maintain a decent living for my family is no different than yours……Kathleen Soga/Juneau.

ANCHORAGE CHAPTER COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

ATTENTION POTENTIAL COLLEGE STUDENTS!!!

The Anchorage Chapter of ASEA Local 52 is offering an opportunity for college scholarships. All you have to do is be an Anchorage Chapter ASEA member in good standing and fill out an application.  It’s always a pleasure for the ASEA Anchorage Chapter to award our yearly scholarships to members and their children.

The applications are available by calling Mario Ayerdis/ Chairman of the Scholarship Committee (Daytime Phone # 269-8537 M-F, 7 AM- 3PM/ Evening Phone # 245-0371). You can also call the ASEA union office at 277-5200.

The forms are due on May 22nd. It is our committee’s intent to have a decision by May 30th.

Good luck…….Mario Ayerdis.