Volume 3 / Issue 8

Since the inception of REAP, representation to Riverside County employees in the Professional, Para-Professionals, Supervisory, RN, Parks and Open Spaces and Waste Management bargaining units, has been, and continues to be our vision.

Removing an “exclusive” labor organization (SEIU) is not easy. Its done through the DECERTIFICATION process and you can believe SEIU won’t go without a fight, and it will be a fight. The way they’ll fight you is with your money. SEIU will parachute people from all over the country to harass you at work, they’ve also been known to show up at your home…and the most irritating part…SEIU will give them your home address! It will truly be David vs Goliath. REAP WILL NEED YOUR HELP!

The County of Riverside’s Employee Relations Resolution 99-379 (ERR) specifically defines when a decertification vote can take place. This normally coincides around the same time the existing “exclusive” labor organization initiates contact to enter contract negotiations with the County.

Speaking of contracts…Do you remembered how the last contract negotiations went? Wendy Thomas thought she had the County’s negotiator, Brian MacArthur, in a headlock. She wasn’t going to budge come hell or high water. And to prove her point, we were going to strike! Remember that? I guess we showed them, didn’t we? Well, as it turns out, what SEIU didn’t put on their website was that while we were walking around the CAC Building, LIUNA was signing the exact contract SEIU could have had…Oops,! Wendy?? Did you forget to tell the members this useful piece of information?

In December of 2012, Wendy Thomas had been terminated as a Dispatch Supervisor from the Sheriff’s Department. In March of the following year, she was elected as a VP to the Executive Board of SEIU in the Inland Empire, on SEIU President Bob Schoonover’s slate. How does this even happen? Regardless of her position with SEIU, and due to her termination from the County, her seat should have been vacated. This is the President’s job to handle. He ALLOWED her on his slate knowing she had been terminated…so one could conclude that somebody knows something about somebody else (Just speculation at this point…). This is HIS mess and HIS Executive Board should hold him accountable!

Since her termination, here are just a few of Wendy Thomas’s accomplishments:

1. Wendy Thomas signed a side letter which TOOK overtime pay away from our 911 Dispatchers.
2. Wendy Thomas signed a side letter which TOOK $2.00/hour from the Respiratory Care Practitioners. (The RCP would receive the pay during an “Emergency”? When is it not an emergency for these folks!!)
3. Wendy Thomas signed a side letter which TOOK members money to generate revenue as SEIU’s cash flow continues to dwindle. She amended Article 23 of your MOU, Agency Shop.

It seems Wendy has a knack for being remembered for how she’s harmed the member, financially, rather than how she’s helped the member. She’s already shown has no vested interest in your future! Did you know…the current SEIU contract was NEVER signed by the negotiating team because they didn’t support it?

Good news is coming…or so we thought. According to the SEIU IE Director, Esme Grubbs, Wendy’s “responsibilities” with County employees has ended. Ms. Grubbs shared with three REAP Board members in front of the SEIU building, that once Wendy completed her negotiations for employees in the City of Hemet, she would be offered a different position within SEIU. So Esme?? Is Wendy still the VP? Did she
bulldoze over you like she did to Julie Butcher and Patrice Castillo? What are you waiting for? Recently, Wendy has been sited at several events involving the County. Ms. Grubb’s also told those same three REAP EB members, SEIU WILL have a dues increase in the IE. Be warned – If SEIU is not decertified, a dues increase will be hidden in the contract. For every raise you receive, SEIU will take 1.5%…just keep that in mind when the ballots come out!

How does the disclaimer go? Results are not indicative of past performance…in SEIU’s case, their performance is very consistent and very predictable Honesty will never be a virtue for SEIU.

According to the ERR, any decertification process can ONLY begin between 180 days and 150 days before the end of the contract. What this means is this – REAP will begin its decertification petition drive on June 4th, 2016. We
will have until the end of business on July 4th, 2016 to gather the necessary signatures. Signatures can be
collected via email and REAP will provide those to everyone who registers on our site at reap4us.org. Please be specific in your information. For security purposes, ALL information is required.

REAP wants to be your labor organization. We use Professionals in Labor/Contract Negotiations and Representation. With over 110 Associations throughout California, the City Employees Associates (CEA), has been contracted by REAP. The staff at CEA are all professionals in their fields…from negotiators to attorneys versed in California Labor Laws, REAP has the members in mind.

One of REAP’s core values is transparency. Honesty and transparency go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other. Why do you think SEIU International TOOK the International Bylaws offline…Could it be that honesty issue? It’s there, but you’ll have to go through 24,900 results to find it. I couldn’t find it. (According to Google, it’s there) In the month of September, REAP will be having General Membership meetings in Indio, Temecula, and metro Riverside. Watch your email and keep checking the REAP website for dates in your areas. Bring your coworkers! REAP was started by members for members! SPREAD THE WORD!!

Next month we’ll remind you where your SEIU dues dollars are
going and how they’re really spent!

Looking Towards the Future!

Volume 3 / Issue 6

Earlier this week, we posted on our Facebook page, a link to a dispute between a private citizen and SEIU. Here’s what The Press Democrat had to say:

“A Ukiah businessman has launched an effort to disband the union representing a majority of Mendocino County employees, igniting allegations of attempted union busting. Ross Liberty owns a successful exhaust systems manufacturing plant that employs about 65 people and belongs to a conservative employers organization. He has created a website and hired an attorney to draft new bylaws and assist disgruntled county employees in navigating the process of
decertifying one union and replacing it with a new, less-expensive employee association…” (more)

Regardless of your political affiliation, as public employees I’m sure we can all agree that “Professional” contract negotiating is vital to a solid MOU… Professionalism conveys a willingness to work with management. If asked to rate their current union, based on just these factors – negotiation, representation, and transparency – I wonder how many would answer honestly? I guess it would depend on the conversation…you may get two answers!

Most public employees assume their labor organization is skilled enough to negotiate firm, but fair, contracts with management. What if they don’t? What if contracts were being negotiated between management and the union for management’s benefit, rather than between management and the union for the employees benefit? Now I know what you’re thinking…”That couldn’t happen to us, could it?” It can and it already is…Check out this post…(SternBerger).

The best solution to a corrupt, over bearing, non-responsive, labor organization like SEIU is through decertification. This is what Ross Liberty is doing…This is what employees in Riverside County should seriously be considering. If you’ve followed our posts, I’m sure you remember the articles about Tyrone Freeman and Cedric Hughes. Corruption in this organization starts at the top! Representation for SEIU 721 members still falls short of the mark. According to the 2014 LM2 report, there are only 19 advocates available for a membership that exceeds approximately 70,000 members…that’s 3,685 members per advocate! From the information we’ve
been able to gather, it’s likely there is only (1) advocate assigned to the Inland Empire for approximately 5800 employees represented by SEIU 721. SEIU relies mainly on its members to represent members…This explains why SEIU 721 only allocated 3% to representation and 13% to organization in their 2011 proposed budget.

REAP’s goal is to return the future of Riverside County employees back to the employees…but the reality of it is this…it has to be a goal of the employees…It has to do with principals…member driven representation will depend solely on the actions all of us take in the coming months.

The Principles of REAP are simple:

“Protect and improve the pay, benefits and working conditions of the employees we represent. Negotiate fair and equitable contracts using a professional contract negotiator to ensure the best outcome for our members. Defend each employee’s right to fair treatment and justice in the workplace. Communicate the interests and
needs of our members to our elected officials and hold those leaders accountable for supporting the fair treatment of our members. Value the diversity and variety of opinions of our members while performing as a team to advance unity, stability and strength. Foster a culture of professionalism and inclusiveness
that encourages treating each other with dignity, fairness and respect. Practice transparency and accountability in all our dealings, conduct, actions and financial stewardship. Support the needs of those within REAP as well as to be a responsible and contributing member of Riverside County. The Regional Employees Association of Professionals is our vision of a truly member driven Association.”

Even though he’s not a public employee with Mendocino County, Ross Liberty gets it! Ross Liberty is also pro-labor…He’s just not pro-SEIU. We need more Ross Liberty’s. Your Right to Representation If you are called into a meeting with management, you have the right to know the subject of the meeting. If you reasonably believe the meeting could lead to discipline, you have the right to representation. You must ask for that right. Management does not have to offer this to you.If you need
representation, are you willing to gamble on your future…hoping that your cubicle-mate’s vast knowledge of California’s Labor Law will save your position? REAP has the skills and staffing to represent you in the manner you deserve.

Looking Towards the Future!