Well, the AFSCME NOW folks decided to kick their dispute with the SEIU up a notch or three, finally remembering to talk to the employees themselves. Yes, somehow, they managed to notice that we still exist.
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What I consider interesting is that while the AFSCME tosses around the word “illegal” a lot about the SEIU, they somehow forgot to mention that they are suing to stop the SEIU’s “illegal” petition. They also forgot to mention all the good things they’ve done for the city employees over the years. You know, like. . . .
Ummmm. . . .
Oh yeah. There aren’t any. Never mind.
According to several employees and some AFSCME members in Public Works, AFSCME has always provided good representation to its members. They talk about how AFSCME saved a bunch of guys jobs who were being privitized at the zoo, and how AFSCME steps in whenever a member is getting screwed over, like in the event of an on-the-job injury, unfair termination or denial of promotion. The AFSCME newsletter and flyers I have seen feature many city workers who seem pretty happy that AFSCME was there for them. I guess you’ve got to be a member to know the value of a union. I’m also told that AFSCME fought against the planned furloughs of city employees, secured our “just cause” protections and fought hard to save our pension rights. They say AFSCME reps were all over the press and city council during this fight. OK they didn’t win but at least they were in the fight. I know I voted against PROP 1 and I also know only about 12% of city employees even bothered to vote..so who’s to blame?
It just seems you are real partial to SEIU, but I’ll be damned if I can tell why. Have you bothered to talk to other city employees who are out in the field doing their jobs and not just those sitting behind desks?
In my job I do get around and I”m hearing lots of different points of views
What would be helpful is a debate between AFSCME and SEIU. Like a town hall approach. That would be pretty cool..no? Why don’t you suggest that?
Anyways, I like your blog. Good to find out that there is a forum for city employees. Keep up the good work
I’m not partial to SEIU, I just really dislike AFSCME. And public unions in general, going all the way back to the PATCO strike. I’ve got a real reason to have a grudge against AFSCME; I’ve watched our pay erode for years while they didn’t say or do one damn thing about it. Oh, they’d get a quote in the papers now and again, but the city administrations could effectively ignore them — so they did. AFSCME was irrelevant because they let themseves be irrelevant. (As for the zoo, what victory was that? It got privatized, and went from being free to having a $7 admission.)
It’s a matter of approach: the AFSCME follows the usual AFL-CIO tactic of hobnobing with the big boys and scratching backs. They’re focused on getting rules made in their favor. I’ve long felt that the most powerful arguments to support us are the long term erosion in our purchasing power and the pay differential with other cities. The public’s latent hostility towards anything involving city employees has to be at least neutralized. Which is one reason I’m really, really aggravated with the Gang of Four.
The SEIU understands that as long as there’s nobody in the union, they have little or no influence. When you’ve got a large organized and motivated membership base, you don’t always have to pull out the big stick; the other guy knows its there. The Mayor’s recent announcement of a 1.5% pay raise is no accident; he’s doing the bare minimum to placate employees. I suspect it’s backfiring because it is the bare minimum, but I don’t have a good read on that. In the end though, they’re still focused on power politics. The key to this is the general public, and changing its collective mind is where this blog aims, directly and indirectly.