With our present contract due to expire on June 30th, negotiations are now underway on a new contract.  This year…1999…represents the 11th year of our union. This 11th year will see the third round of contract negotiations get underway.

For those of you that have been state workers these past 11 years, I believe you know the results that came from our previous contract negotiations. A lot of hard lessons were learned from that process. More careful planning and preparation have occurred leading up to Round #3. Key to this whole process is keeping you informed on the progress of  negotiations.  I like what I see and am optimistic that we’ll come out OK….

1999 also sees elections coming up for our union’s Statewide Executive Board. Two-thirds of the board positions are “up for grabs” this year. I want to point out that change comes through the election process. With the Statewide Executive Board being the governing and policy body of our union…this is your opportunity to effect change and make a difference. We’re looking for good people to fill those key positions on the Board. We’re also looking for good people to volunteer their time and effort in other roles. Getting involved is what is important….

One final note. A good friend of our union passed away last month…..Linda Laflamme. Linda was always there volunteering her time and effort in making that difference. We could always count on her to help out no matter what the project or task. Linda will be missed……..

ANCHORAGE CHAPTER PRESIDENT’S LETTER
 
(This is the opinion of Larry Rabideau and not that of the Chapter)

Marching to the Same Drummer.

I like a parade.  I like even more to be in a parade.  It gives me a thrill to be part of the pageantry.  Even though I may have to wear a silly outfit or clown around and make myself visible, there is a sense of belonging to a special group.  A camaraderie that makes you glad you participated.  It creates a memory that you can bring back years later and makes you smile.

We are asking you to join your own parade.  You will march from here to where we get a contract.  You may be asked to wear a hat, or an armband or sometimes to just be seen, but you are adding strength to the parade just by being part of it.  You are part of a special group.  You are the people who keep State Government running.

Up front, leading the parade, are six negotiators you elected and your business manager to act as spokesperson.  They have been training for this.  They can bargain as long as they have to, as long as you are behind them. The more people lined up behind them, the stronger their bargaining position.  That’s why we march, that’s why we need all of us in the parade.  In Unity there is strength.

You all know we have had parades before.  You know they have been weak and losing exercises.  But this time is different!  The parade has never been this strong before!  The line behind the leaders is longer!  The noise from our drums has never been this loud!  The need for a parade has never been greater!  Now is the time to march!  Now is the time to march forward and demand a fair contract!

In Unity there is strength.  Be loud, be proud, be there for the negotiators but most of all be there for yourself and your families.  You are marching for a better life for them.
 

KEEP IT TO YOURSELF   by Larry Rabideau

I have been doing my level best to try and get the membership involved in negotiations. I have been trying  my best to be upbeat and get people interested in getting a better contract. We have some activities that will make this serious business a little lighter…..”fun stuff”. Wearing hats, buttons, displaying bumper stickers, rallies….anything and everything we can do to show we are behind our negotiators.

It is hard to try and get people to join in. Try it at your office. It is a fragile thing to build momentum for a major undertaking like negotiations.

That is why it is so damaging to hear some people criticize the process. This concerns me. Criticism of our negotiators. Criticism that we won’t get this, or no way will we get that, or we are dreaming if we think they (the state negotiators) are gonna give us such and such.

QUIT THE CRITICISM!!!!

We do not need to hear negativity. Lord knows…we don’t want negative reports going back to the State Negotiators. You have the right of free speech…but you need to be careful in how you use that right.

I’ll tell you what. If you think our negotiations are useless - don’t take any of the negotiated extras you get when we get a contract. You can work on those holidays we happen to get back. Any negotiated salary increases can be returned back to the state by you. You don’t have to file grievances and complaints. Is this what you want?!

I know and we know it is an uphill battle. If you are unwilling to fight for something better…please don’t drag the rest of us down. If we win, when we win….think about it every time you get that paycheck or a holiday or find someone got justice in the system.

So I will wear my silly hat. I will wear the armband…and buttons…and put on that bumper sticker…and I will shout “hurrah” when asked to….because things won’t get better if we don’t try. I will strive for a better life for me and my family.  I haven’t give up hope…………

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

Face to face meetings between our union’s bargaining team and the state administration began in Anchorage on Monday, January 11th. The first round of meetings is expected to last about 3 days with the second round scheduled in Juneau later this month.

Last year (1998) saw our union’s bargaining team go through intensive training on the techniques of effective bargaining. Meetings were also held with the local chapter presidents of our union on procedures of how negotiation information will be communicated to all of our members. Timely and accurate information to our membership will be important throughout the negotiations. The bargaining team will disseminate information to our chapter presidents…who, in turn, will keep their respective chapter members informed about developments. Chapter presidents will make use of our stewards network for such distribution.

For those members with Internet access, a bargaining link WEB page, http://www.asealocal52.org , is also being set up to keep our members informed about these developments. This WEB site will have interactive member surveys and e-mail links to our union bargaining team members to allow you direct input and comment throughout the negotiation process. The WEB site will also provide a location for publication of member comments and articles on negotiations….”pro and con”.

Last year also saw a membership survey soliciting inputs on priorities and satisfaction/dissatisfaction issues on our present contract. A lot of survey responses were received by our bargaining team…which helped in determining priorities and direction of the team’s proposals that will be brought forth in the negotiations.

Our Anchorage Chapter GGU meeting on Wednesday, January 13th will have members of the bargaining team brief our membership on the results of the first round of talks. We’ll use the upcoming Anchorage Chapter GGU meetings for updated briefings throughout the negotiations.

So…we’ll keep you posted through the newsletters, Internet, and through your shop stewards of negotiation issues and progress. If you have any input or comments on negotiations, you can correspond through e-mail to our union bargaining team members or mail your correspondence to our union office: ASEA/ 3510 Spenard Road, Suite 201/ Anchorage, AK 99503/ Attn: Michael Lacey-Information Officer.
 

   

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