320 fall newsletter 2011

8/3/2019 320 Fall Newsletter 2011

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LOCAL320

INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS PUBLIC AND L AW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES

V l u m e X IV I s s u e # 2F l l 2 0 1 1 E d i t i n

Local 320 Stewards Pack Seminar

Forward Gallop!

IN THIS ISSUE:

2) Sue Mauren - Forward Gallop

3) Brian Aldes - Public Service inJeopardy

Sami Gabriel - DRIVE Report

4) Member Story

5) Food Shelf

Merle King

6) 2011 Stewards Seminar

7) Get Your Gallop On!

See pge 2

Scan the code to signup for Teamsters Local

320 Action Alerts

Scan the code to signinto the Teamsters Local

320 Members Only Page

See page 6


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LocaL 320oFFIcErS & STaFF

Sue MuenSecretary-Treasurer

and Principal Ofcer

Jnne DebyPresident/Business Agent

Bin aldesce President/Business Agent

Smi Gbiel

Recording Secretary/Business Agent

Mi (Mty) LmbTrustee, St. Paul ISD 625

rihd WheeleTrustee, MNSCU

alstn DuthinTrustee, U of M

Pul JhnstnGeneral Counsel

Ll 320 Business agentsJohn Avery

Gregory Burnes

Mike CareyHalla ElrashidiCraig Johnson

Leland JohnsonMerl King

Mike ODonnell (O.D.)Vance Rolfson

Kari SeimeErik Skoog

Curtis Swenson

cmmunitins DietGus Froemke

Suppt StffSusan BastianRon Phillips

Suzanne SlawsonJoni Spaulding

Marcia TorgersonKristi ZieglerKatie Ziembo

Minneplis, MNLl Unin ofe8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

P: 612-378-8700F: 612-331-8948

Toll Free1-800-637-5430

online

www.teamsterslocal320.orgE-mil

[email protected]

Published ByTeamsters Local 320

3001 University Ave. SE

#500Minneapolis, MN 55414

LocaL 320 SEcrETarY-TrEaSUrErS rEPorT

Teamsters Local 320 ...Forward Gallop!

By Sue Mauren

The War on Workers hasbeen waged across ournation from New York toCalifornia and everywherebetween in the form ofunion-busting legislation andpolicies, especially against

public employees. Minnesotans have been sparedby nothing more than the threat Governor MarkDaytons veto pen, which we have counted on timeafter time. Anti-union legislators control both theMinnesota House and Senate and we have never

before seen such hostility toward workers.In response to this war, Local 320 has initiatedits new hard hitting campaign: Forward Gallop.Forward Gallop is designed to give Teamsters aplatform to ght back against relentless attacks fromthe enemies of labor. Like never before, we mustrespond to every attack, mischaracterization, orinnuendo against Teamsters and Minnesota publicemployees.

The great D.H. Lawrence quote goes: The horsethe horse! The symbol of surging potency andpower of movement, of action. Local 320 drewfrom this quote for inspiration because as Teamstour symbol is the horse and wheel, representingmovement and action for over 100 years. For Loc320 Teamsters, Forward Gallop is our call to actio

Our Union has produced a counter offensive andrapid response operation through emails, texts, asocial media. We have constructed a new user-friendly web site equipped with a members onlysection for Local 320 Teamsters. This section of oweb site will contain a message board for membcomments in addition to a broadcast page forimportant live events.

In following pages you will be provided with madifferent ways you can get involved with ForwardGallop and ght back against the War on WorkeI urge every Teamster to join this ght because aninjury to one Teamster must be the concern of alTeamsters. Please visit www.teamsterslocal320.o

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Visit the new www.temstesll320.g


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MEMBEr SPoTLIGHT

What Has the Union Done For Us?We Employees Have Found Our Voice!

Page 4

By Patrick Spartz,ofil cut repte, ank cunty

have worked in Anoka County since 1976. For the past 26 years Ieported for a great judge I really enjoyed working for. Unfortunately,hat judge was caught up in the anti-incumbency sentiment of lastNovember and he lost a close election. As an at-will employee, Inever really worried about job security, but as you might imagine,he last election was a wake up call. I immediately spoke with mybusiness agent, Kari Seime, and then with one of our stewards, whonformed me of the options available under our contract, including aafety net of 105 days to catch on with a new judge, and a separationncentive that would have kept me on the payroll from January toune of 2011, accruing sick leave, vacation, receiving a paycheck andhaving medical coverage.

was grateful to have those options because the incoming appointingauthority stated that he was bringing in a whole new crew. As theclock wound down to the last week of December, I intended to

exercise the separation incentive clause in our Teamster contract. Athe eleventh hour, I was offered a job with another Judge and returnedo work.

Sometimes I hear people ask, What has the Union done for me?Well, I remember how we were treated before we became Teamsters.From 1988 2000 we were completely ignored. We had no voiceand no one to advocate for us. Year after year our base salary was heldconstant and there were no raises. State Court Administration laughedat us. No one was applying for openings in the courts. Today is sovery different; the Teamsters have negotiated good wages and goodranscript rates. We employees have found our voice!

Thats what our Union has done for me.

Wht ou Unin Des F Us

Last winter, we all watched the inspirational demonstrations at theWisconsin State Capitol as thousands of public employee unionupporters converged to protest the right-wing extremist efforts totrip them of their fundamental right to collectively bargain. Many

of us participated in some way attending a local rally, calling tohave pizzas delivered to the protestors, or maybe even hopping in avehicle to go to Madison and join the movement. Truly, these protestswere for all of us because, in this economic and political climate, allpublic sector Unions are under attack.

In this and future issues of the Local 320 newsletter, we will explosome fundamental benets and rights of union membership. Hereare some highlights, with topics being covered more in-depth wit

future issues.Jb Ptetin

Just cause for discipline and discharge

Past practice to rely on for many grievances

Due process when facing discipline

Seniority

Layoff procedures

Benet Ptetin

Negotiated medical insurance benets

Negotiated sick and vacation leave accrual and usage

Negotiated leaves of absence and right to return Other benets which may have been bargaining for your gr

such as early retirement incentives, employer contributions HSAs, vacancy posting and bidding, and compensatory timbenets for exempt Employees.

Pyhek Ptetin

Secure and predictable wages

Negotiated overtime rates and circumstances

No unilateral employer cuts

No unpaid furloughs without negotiating terms and conditiowith the union

Other negotiated income related items such as clothing anduniform allowances, association dues, equipment allowancand license fees.

I emembe hw we wee tetedbefe we beme Temstes. Fm1988 2000 we wee mpletelyigned. We hd n vie nd n net dvte f us.


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Merle King, Teamsters Local 320 businessagent, is a strong supporter of Minnesotalaw enforcement. King walks the walk. At arecent local 320 executive board meetingMerle invited Jim Crawford, President of theMinnesota Association for Injured PeaceOfcers (M.A.I.P.O.), to speak to Local 320

representatives about the organization.

M.A.I.P.O. services include mentoring,nformation, and advice for injured ofcers from trained professionalswho know what procedures to follow and precautions to take whenn ofcer is injured.

As a former police ofcer, Merle King is familiar with the trials andribulations of modern law enforcement in relation to disabilitybenets, dealing with employers, bureaucrats, and attorneys.

I fully support this program, says King. I have mentored an injuredpolice ofcer who was wounded in a tactical operation. I talked theofcer through the disability benet process and referred him to anttorney who knows police issues.

If you know of any injured ofcers who are struggling with theirimpairment or just need some advice please contact M.A.I.P.O.at www.ofcerneedshelp.com or call 651-295-6232 or email [email protected].

To King, nothing is more important than ensuring our injured ofcget the help and advice they have earned.

I urge every ofcer of Local 320 to get involved in this group andhelp mentor injured ofcers. Unfortunately, M.A.I.P.O. does notcurrently accommodate correctional ofcers, but myself and otheare pushing for our brothers and sisters in corrections to be admitinto this group as soon as possible, says King.

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ocaL 320 NEWS

Teamsters Helping Teamsters

Minnesota Teamsters Food Shelf is There for Teamsters in Need

The Teamsters Food Shelf was established by Joint Council 32 in the0s to provide Teamsters who are laid-off or having other nancial

ifculties with food items. According to Paul Nelson, retired Local20 business agent and Food Shelf volunteer, the Teamsters Food Shelfrovides the best quality and greatest quantity of food for its members.

Most of the food is donated.

very Teamster who is part of Joint Council 32, which includesMinnesota, Iowa and the Dakotas, is eligible for Food Shelf relief,ut must rst be referred and meet the criteria for nancial hardship.

Assistance from the Food Shelf is condential. Once accepted, aTeamster can utilize the Food Shelf for thirteen weeks.

The Teamster Food Shelf is open every Tuesday and Wednesday froma.m. to 2 p.m. and is located on the main oor of the Minnesota

Teamsters Building: 3001 University Avenue, SE, Minneapolis, MN

5414. Food Shelf workers are volunteers, and have requested thatTeamsters who qualify for assistance, please arrive no later than 1:45.m. to pick up food items.

Mentoring Our Heroes:Merle King Walks the Walk for His Fellow Ofcers

Food Shel volunteers rom lef to right: Dick Beaudette; ClariceKabacinski; Joe Kabacinski, Food Shel manager; Mary Fryer; RoyDerry; and Paul Nelson. Absent rom the picture is Bobbie Langer.

Minnesota Teamster Food Shelf3001 University Avenue, SEMinneapolis, MN 55414Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9:00 A.M. 2:00 P.M.

If yu knw f ny injued fes wh estuggling with thei impiment justneed sme dvie, plese ntt M.a.I.P.o


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ocaL 320 NEWS

2011 Stewards Seminar a Success!

Over 100 stewards from the metro and greater Minnesota arrived inRoseville on October 15 to hear facts and gures about the economy,he political landscape, but most signicantly to become more

ffective stewards.Chief economist from the Teamsters, Jim Kimball, addressed therowing concerns of income inequality and the national lack of unionensity.

hawn Ellis, training coordinator for the Teamsters central region,iscussed the importance of steward activism both at workplacend the ballot box. He urged Teamster stewards to keep an ongoingialogue about the importance of political action for the coming 2012eneral elections.

At the seminar, stewards were provided with many options forworkshops they could attend including workshops on rights andegulations, pensions, government budgets, and communications.

Top: Local 320 Vice President Brian Aldes

Middle: Secretary-Treasurer Sue Mauren

Bottom: Stewards register or the seminar

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ocaL 320 NEWS

Important Message From Your Union!Get Your Gallop On!

Temstes Jint cunil 32 is nw n FebJin us t: Temstes Jint cunil Thity Tw

By Joanne Derby,

Pesident/Business agent

Did I get your attention? Good. We couldntlet you put this newsletter down withoutmaking one last effort to get you involvedwith our new program: Forward Gallop.Whether its contract negotiations or politics,workers just cant seem to catch a break

hese days. Thats why the Local 320 Executive Board enlisted thisew plan. We did it because we must ght back or we could loseverything!

s simple to get involved. Just visit www.teamsterslocal320.org andnd the Action Center portal on the right hand side of the web pagend click the link. It will take you no more than 2 minutes to ll out

the information request. Repeat the same steps for the members lportal, also on the right hand side, then select the Click-here-to-sup option and ll out the second information request. This will ta3 minutes. So getting involved with Forward Gallop will take a totof 5 minutes from your day. That is nothing when we consider howthe anti-worker crowd at the Capitol and elsewhere would like toeradicate over 30 years of Teamster bargaining from your contract

If Ive had your attention for this long you already could have signeup to get involved. Theres really just no excuse not to. Now thatwe have the program and tools to get the politicians and mediasattention, we better use it!

Der Reubi Ideede

Ver Edui Is thE tEamstERs

non-paRtIsan polItIcal actIon commIttEE.

The name says it all.

Fr re ifri, e Ji cui 32DRIVE ofce at 612-331-5514 or visit our websiteat www.teamstersjc32.org.

We can assist you with balancing and managing many of lifes challenges. Our professionalcounselors can help you with: Emotionalconcerns Alcohol/drugabuse Financialproblems Stress/anxietyanddepression Family/marriageissues Legalconcerns

RememberProblems and stress happen to everyone. Call the Service Bureau.

Were here to help! 612-676-3700 (or 24-hour toll free 1-800-979-9725)

The Teamsters Service Bureau providesFREE condential services for you and your family.


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Teamsters Local 3203001 University Ave. SE #500Minneapolis, MN 55414

Upming Meetings nd Events

Gete MinnestMembes will be infmed by mil f meeting dtes

Twin citiesGenel Membeship meetings held t

3001 Univesity avenue SE, Suite 500, Minneplis, MN 55414

Deembe Genel Membeship nd Hlidy Meeting

Tuesdy Deembe 13, 2011 ~ Dinne 6:15 p.m. ~ Meeting immeditely fllwingGifts f ll membes ~ Pizes ~ Guest Speke3001 Univesity avenue ~ Minneplis ~ Thid Fl

Phne: 1-800-637-5430Fx: 612-331-8948

[email protected]

320 fall newsletter 2011

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