Board Chair Bill Hall’s Weekly Leadership Report

Article published on october 21, 2022

In order to be successful in our 2023 Contract negotiations, we need to continue to build important relationships within the political world. With the help of the SEIU Local 1000 legislative team, I focused much of my attention last week on doing so as we simultaneously work to build our membership and build power in preparation for the 2023 Contract Campaign.

  • We had a dynamic “Straight Talk” call last Wednesday, October 12. However, I am extremely concerned with some behaviors present.  For the first time since we began, I had to remove three people from the call. I want to continue with the Wednesday evening call; it’s an important tool for us to communicate and share information. Moving forward, I hope this call returns to being civil and respectful to ensure everyone benefits.
     
  • I receive emails every day with the same basic themes:
    • Local 1000 in-fighting is a waste of time and effort — please stop it
    • Please listen to me as a dues-paying member
    • My issues are more important than those of my fellow Local 1000 represented workers

I also read long emails that state positions, courses of action or just make assumptions that since our represented do not see results in our Contract that Local 1000 isn’t doing the work or making the ask.  The Local 1000 staff and bargaining team have worked diligently, professionally, and conscientiously on each and every Contract negotiated for the benefit of all represented members. In order to meet and hopefully exceed these expectations, we must do the work and increase our membership. Now is the time for a team; for more “we” and less “me.” Only together can we force the State to give us what we deserve, especially in the areas we feel we’ve been left behind.
 

  • As state workers, we’ve sacrificed time and wages and faced health risks during the pandemic. As a result, we’ve likewise earned a fair and reasonable Contract that recognizes the dedication to state service we provide. Our Contract is arrived at by “mutual agreement” after weeks and months of bargaining. The power of Union membership and political engagement is what will tip the negotiated settlement in our favor. Only when we work together, consolidate our power, and challenge the status quo by electing union-friendly politicians will the State respond.
     
  • Our staff and member leaders continue to make progress on member recruitment, but we need more Job Stewards and DLC leaders engaged in building membership to reach our goal.  After three months, our monthly recruitment rate is at just over fifty percent of our goal of signing up thirteen hundred net new members per month.  We can do this if we all work with focus and purpose.
     
  • I am working with a governance expert on how to move forward with our “Committee on the Future of Local 1000.”  The plan is to have this work / plan ready for Board review and adoption on October 29. This will include an overview of the work, a timeline, and a plan for committee member selection.  The current concept is to have the pieces in place for the December Board Meeting.
     
  • We are approaching the end of our current resource agreement with SEIU International.  I, along with your three vice presidents, am in discussions on extending that agreement, which I believe would be beneficial to Local 1000.   The expertise and assistance we have received has enabled us to move ahead with non-member recruitment.  We have much to do and those resources are invaluable at this time.