ODOT Coalition bargaining, of which Forestry is a part, began Tuesday night February 5th. At this and the next meeting scheduled for March 5th is where our proposals will be handed back and forth, with the real discussions on of the proposals coming March 19th. Forestry specific proposals given to the Local from Management were clean-up language putting the current name of the Department of Forestry into the contract and a proposal to incorporate the Work Capacity Test in the body of the contract and make changes to the health and safety part of the test. The Local did not have any proposals to share across the table.
Representing the Local were delegates Doug Firoved and Dave Wells, who were joined by member Jim Neuman. Representing Management were Human Resource Generalists, Heidi Steiner and Dan Jones. All members of the Local are invited to attend.
Bargaining is being held at the OPRD Salem Headquarters located at 725 Summer Street NE and the Coalition meets at 5:30 pm with actual face to face bargaining beginning about 6:30 pm. The next meetings are scheduled for March 5 and 19, April 2, 16, and 30. No dates have been scheduled into May. A Forestry Conference call is scheduled for Sunday February 10th at 6:00 to discuss proposals and orgainize for the contract campaign, the phone number is available from welpt@seiu503.org.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Friday, December 21, 2012
Winter Forestry Statewide Meeting, January 27, 2013
Our next Forestry Local Statewide meeting will be held on
January 27th in Eugene
at the Valley River Inn in conjunction with the biennial Stewards Conference
and DAS/ OUS Bargaining Conference. Our
meeting will run from 0800 to 0900 before the start of the Bargaining
conference set to begin at 0930.
Breakfast will be provided.
The primary focus will be to solidify/ re-establish local leadership and build communication
pathways prior to the start of bargaining.
Registration information for the Stewards and DAS/OUS
Conferences are available at the SEIU 503 website.
ODOT Coalition Bargaining is tentatively set to begin the
evening of Tuesday, February 5th in Salem.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Bargaining Surveys Look for Better Ideas
What are your priorities for our next contract, wages, health insurance, or something else? Well now through November 1, 2012 bargaining surveys are available on-line at the SEIU 503 website or through your organizer to get your thoughts down in writing.
Do you have an idea that should be addressed at the bargaining table? Two years ago Central Oregon Firefighters thought that Agency firefighters who were laid off in good standing should be able to apply for Agency Internal job offerings. Using that idea, contract language was developed, considered at the bargaining table, and eventually adopted. Without that initial idea none of that would of happened.
What are your ideas?
Do you have an idea that should be addressed at the bargaining table? Two years ago Central Oregon Firefighters thought that Agency firefighters who were laid off in good standing should be able to apply for Agency Internal job offerings. Using that idea, contract language was developed, considered at the bargaining table, and eventually adopted. Without that initial idea none of that would of happened.
What are your ideas?
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Forestry Statewide Meeting - October 14th in Eugene
The next Forestry Local 629 Statewide meeting will be on Sunday, October 14th from 10am to 1pm at the Eugene SEIU Office. The office is located in the basement (not as bad as it sounds) of the Oregon Community Credit Union.
The agenda includes:
The agenda includes:
- What are your Bargaining ideas
- What will it take to be successful in our 2013 contract
- Report from our last Labor/ Management meeting
- For Seasonal Employees, what would you like to see on ODF's website?
- President's and Treasurer's reports
- Promotional item purchase
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Crowd Sourcing Improvements
At our last Labor/ Management (L/M) meeting our Deputy State Forester (now acting State Forester) Paul Bell asked if our outreach for agenda items was good enough, are we hearing what is going on. I want to know that too.
We, the crowd, are a source of ideas to improve our service delivery and make changes or affirm processes that continually improve how we do business and operate in our workplaces. Labor/ Management meetings are one way to bring those ideas forward. Pretty much un-filtered they are heard by the Deputy State Forester and Human Resource Chief as they are presented by your elected union leadership. The recent publication “Out of State Dispatch” came in part because of an agenda item from one of our meetings. Now in one place you can know a little more about what to expect before you go out of state to help on an incident.
Rumor Control is another agenda item. What are you hearing that needs to be checked out? Our Committee may not have all of the “Myth Busters” tools but do a pretty good job of finding out the real or developing story behind a rumor.
Paul put a good question to us “are we doing enough” to find out what the issues and rumors are within the Department? That is our responsibility as your union leadership to seek out and be available to field these ideas and concerns. Look up Bryan, Doug, Tim or myself, we are all in different geographic areas and also as close as your phone or e-mail. I want to know.
We, the crowd, are a source of ideas to improve our service delivery and make changes or affirm processes that continually improve how we do business and operate in our workplaces. Labor/ Management meetings are one way to bring those ideas forward. Pretty much un-filtered they are heard by the Deputy State Forester and Human Resource Chief as they are presented by your elected union leadership. The recent publication “Out of State Dispatch” came in part because of an agenda item from one of our meetings. Now in one place you can know a little more about what to expect before you go out of state to help on an incident.
Rumor Control is another agenda item. What are you hearing that needs to be checked out? Our Committee may not have all of the “Myth Busters” tools but do a pretty good job of finding out the real or developing story behind a rumor.
Paul put a good question to us “are we doing enough” to find out what the issues and rumors are within the Department? That is our responsibility as your union leadership to seek out and be available to field these ideas and concerns. Look up Bryan, Doug, Tim or myself, we are all in different geographic areas and also as close as your phone or e-mail. I want to know.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
I Did My Part
About a year from now (May 2013) the State of Oregon will release its revenue forecast for the next two years. At that point whatever was talked about in bargaining will shift from the many issues to the big two: wages and PEBB health care. Bargaining success will depend, at least in part, on a budgets prepared that lower the health care cost shift to the employee and inclusion of step and cost of living increases.
As forest firefighters, Stewardship Foresters, managers of our State Forests, and support staff you do your part in keeping Oregon’s real green economy going. Firefighters you fight forest fires aggressively and provide for public and personal safety first. Stewardship Foresters you ensure that streams flow clean and clear and reforestation is successful following a timber harvest. Foresters you manage state forest lands for sustainable harvests providing a range of social, environmental, and economic benefits. Support staff you provide the infrastructure to keep everything working smoothly. All of this is important to Oregon’s economy, image and forestry leadership. In May 2013 when bargaining focuses on wages and health care, hold your head high knowing that “I did my part” for Oregon with the expectation that those preparing the budget will have done the same.
As forest firefighters, Stewardship Foresters, managers of our State Forests, and support staff you do your part in keeping Oregon’s real green economy going. Firefighters you fight forest fires aggressively and provide for public and personal safety first. Stewardship Foresters you ensure that streams flow clean and clear and reforestation is successful following a timber harvest. Foresters you manage state forest lands for sustainable harvests providing a range of social, environmental, and economic benefits. Support staff you provide the infrastructure to keep everything working smoothly. All of this is important to Oregon’s economy, image and forestry leadership. In May 2013 when bargaining focuses on wages and health care, hold your head high knowing that “I did my part” for Oregon with the expectation that those preparing the budget will have done the same.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Forestry Local 629 Leadership - 2012 to 2014
Elections have been completed and these are your elected leaders for the Forestry Local:
President: David Wells
Vice President: Bryan Kohen
Secretary: Doug Firoved
Treasurer: Tim Seitz
President: David Wells
Vice President: Bryan Kohen
Secretary: Doug Firoved
Treasurer: Tim Seitz
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