Front Page. Workshops, speakers, orientations announced for 1021 Convention

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1 From: 1021 NewsWire Subject: Start the new year right with the 1021 NewsWire - Jan. 6, 2012 Date: Vol. V, Issue January 6, 2012 In This Issue: Kick-start the new year on the FRONT PAGE. President protects working people from Congress in THE LIVE WIRE. Support single-payer health care in ACTION CENTER. Get this show on the road in CALENDAR. Aren't you in the 1021 Network yet? 1021 NewsWire The Live Wire Facebook Twitter YouTube Front Page Workshops, speakers, orientations announced for 1021 Convention Watch the 1021 Convention video Under Pressure. On February 11-12, members attending the first-ever SEIU 1021 Convention will set a two-year course for the local to save public services, our jobs, wages, pensions and benefits. The Oakland Airport Hilton will be the backdrop as member delegates adopt a plan for our union to confront the attacks on our members and working families across northern California. All members may attend the two-day 1021 Convention and take part in more than a dozen workshops offered several times throughout the event. Workshops will cover topics like: Making corporations and the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share. Building bargaining and contract action team skills. Learning about winning practices from our campaigns.

2 Learning about winning practices from our campaigns. Becoming a more effective shop steward. Understanding the lessons of Wisconsin and the war on collective bargaining. Democratizing communications by putting the power of Local 1021's new multimedia website into the hands of each chapter and committee. The 1021 Convention also features prominent and inspiring speakers from across the nation. Saturday's keynote speaker is labor activist and author Bill Fletcher; Sunday will feature SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. Informational orientation sessions for chapter delegates and non-delegate members are taking place this month at most Local 1021 offices. Visit the links below to register and get more convention information. CONVENTION LINKS: Register for Orientation Sessions 1021 Convention Home Take the 1021 Convention Survey Register for the 1021 Convention Convention Events Calendar Live from the State Capitol, Part 1: Brown's budget proposal arrives early Read "Part 2: Public pensions in the news" and "Part 3: Health care reform in the news" on The Live Wire: SEIU 1021 Political Action Central. Gov. Jerry Brown planned to release his FY budget proposal next Tuesday, January 10, but was forced to announce it nearly a week early when the document was inadvertently posted on the California Dept. of Finance website yesterday, making budget watchdogs and reporters scramble to write their "first glance" analyses. If you were expecting bad news, you won't be disappointed. Sacramento Bee: "Jerry Brown budget cuts $1 billion from California welfare" "Gov. Jerry Brown proposed Thursday slashing nearly $1.4 billion in welfare and child care aid for the poor while holding voters liable for $5 billion in education funding with a November tax measure." The State Worker (Sac Bee): "Jerry Brown's budget eliminates 3,000 state jobs, axes agencies" California Budget Project on the budget proposal: "The Governor's Proposed Budget shows why it is essential for California voters to approve a tax plan that provides significant new revenues that help close the budget gap. Absent revenues that close this serious gap, we are looking at further cuts to the public structures, from schools to public safety, that millions of state residents rely on." Sacramento Bee: "California Legislature returns to face more budget woes, new election rules"

3 The Live Wire Obama takes stand for working people with recess appointments President Barack Obama stood up to the US Senate this week by making four "recess appointments" that Republican leaders have blocked for months with a legislative maneuver to keep the Senate technically "in session" even when no senators are actually there. The appointments are important because all of them are leaders of agencies charged with defending the rights of consumers and working people. Obama named three members to the National Labor Relations Board, giving it a quorum and the ability to conduct business again after one member's retirement reduced the board to two members. He also named Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created in response to the economic crisis to shield the 99 percent from further abuse by Wall Street. Not even Senate Republicans opposed Cordray himself, but he wasn't the issue anyway, nor were the NLRB appointees. The recess appointments differed from the scores of other blocked appointments Obama could have made but didn't because "without them, the institutions they're intended to lead will fail. Obama's maneuver was about the agencies, not the appointees," wrote Ezra Klein in the Washington Post blog Wonkbook. "This is not an accident: Republicans have straightforwardly argued that they would obstruct the confirmation of any and all nominees to the CFPB until the Obama administration agreed to radically reform the agency. They were, in other words, using their power to block nominations to kill or change agencies that they didn't have the votes to reform through the normal legislative order. Much the same has been happening at the NLRB." The response Naturally, Senate Republicans were quick to denounce the president's "arrogance," even though three presidents of their own party made way more recess appointments than Obama or even Clinton ever did. Unions, however, were quick to praise the president's leadership and condemn the cynical blocking of appointments as a partisan political tool: "Working families and consumers should not pay the price for political ploys that have repeatedly undercut the enforcement of rules against Wall Street abuses and the rights of working people," said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. "In these economic times," said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, "shutting down or hobbling an independent federal agency charged with protecting workers' rights is simply not an option." On a separate but related note, a "modest rule change issued today by the NLRB, that will enable workers to vote in union elections with fewer unnecessary delays, is a positive step forward," President Henry said. "The new NLRB election procedures will help ensure that workers are able to exercise a fundamental right we hold dear in our country -- the right to vote." Calif. Progress Report: "President Sidesteps GOP Obstruction With Consumer And Workers' Rights Appointments!"

4 Act! Here! Now! Jan. 9: Lobby Day & Rally to Support Single Payer Health Care (SB 810) Two years ago, insurance companies helped kill the "public option" in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which took effect in March But California now has a chance to enact its own "public option" in the form of SB the California Universal Healthcare Act -- which would create a statewide single-payer health insurance system. The Affordable Care Act establishes a competitive insurance marketplace, with state-run health insurance exchanges providing a wide variety of private insurance options starting in SEIU California is monitoring the progress of implementing legislation. SB 810 by Sen. Mark Leno would make the state the "single payer" for health care, able to drive down costs by eliminating profit and using its massive purchasing power to negotiate discounts. SB 810 is the successor to Sen. Sheila Kuehl's SB 840, which passed both houses of the State Legislature twice (2006, 2008) -- only to be vetoed both times by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. SB 810 will be reintroduced to the CA Senate Appropriations Committee on January 17, This coming Monday -- January 9 -- hundreds of health professionals, students and activists will rally on the steps of the State Capitol to support SB 810. The campaign is providing bus transportation to Sacramento from San Francisco, Stockton, Richmond, Vallejo, Berkeley, Grass Valley and elsewhere for $40/person sliding scale; no one turned away for lack of funds. 11a - 3rd Street and Capitol Mall - March to the Capitol with students, nurses, seniors and others 12p - Rally at Capitol, North Steps 1p - March and action on insurance industry giant with a health fair (lunch provided) Write to Senator Darrell Steinberg, Senator Mark Leno, and your own State Senator to express your support for SB 810, which will be voted on in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Jan. 17, and possibly on the Senate floor in late January. Find their addresses and websites at Jan. 9 Lobby Day Event & Transportation Information Health Care for All - California California OneCare Campaign for a Healthy California Single Payer Action Affordable Care Act: Official White House site HealthCare.gov Official US Dept. of Health & Human Services consumer site on the Affordable Care Act and health care reform

5 Calendar 1021 Calendar Find an SEIU 1021 Office Moon Phases - Full, Jan. 9-3rd Q, Jan New, Jan. 23-1st Q, Jan. 31 Download your free January 2012 social justice calendar from RLM Studios (pictured). SEIU 1021 Leadership Bodies Special Events Sa 1/28 - Health & Wellness Fair - 10a-4p - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield - RSVP: Member Resource Center, OUR-1021 or 1021MRC@seiu1021.org SEIU 1021 Member Convention February 11-12, 2012 Airport Hilton Hotel, One Hegenberger Road, Oakland Convention.org Sa 1/21 - Phase 2 Bylaws Revision Committee - 9a-1p - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield Sa 1/ Executive Board - TBA Committee On Political Education (COPE) Tu 1/ COPE - 6p Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco - Live via videoconference at SEIU 1021 offices in Fairfield, Oakland (Myrtle), San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Stockton and Sacramento; phone conferencing available - RSVP for a location at Tu 1/24 - San Joaquin County COPE - 5:30p - SEIU 1021, 27 Hunter Square Plaza, Stockton - Discussion of 2012 political agenda and endorsement process Tu 1/31 - San Joaquin: One Voice Town Hall with Local 1000 and UHW - 5:30 pm - Interviewing candidates for AD 12, AD 13 & SD 5 Education & Training View the complete catalog and register at We 1/11, 1/18, 1/25 - Basic Shop Steward Training - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Bldg., San Francisco Th 1/19 - Getting Results from Meetings - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak Street, Oakland

6 San Francisco All events take place at the SEIU 1021 San Francisco office, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, unless noted otherwise. We 1/11-5:30p - SF Industry Council We 1/11-6p - SF COPE Th 1/26-6p - SF City-wide Contract Action Team (CAT) Social & Economic Justice Th 1/12 - Lavender Solidarity Committee - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland - Meeting subject to change; please contact Eileen at (510) to confirm. Mo 1/16 - AFRAM Solidarity Committee - 6p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Mo 1/16 - Disability Caucus - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland Tu 1/17 - Peace & Solidarity Committee - 5:30p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco Th 1/19 - Social & Economic Justice Committee - 6-8p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco Regions & Industries Sa 1/14 - Schools Industry Council - 10a-2p - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield Sa 1/14 - Capital Stewardship Committee & Counties Industry Council - 10a-1p - Joint meeting on pension reform - SEIU 1021, 2300 Boynton Ave., Fairfield (lunch served) Tu 1/17 - East Bay (Region 4) Area Meeting - 5:30-8p - SEIU 1021, 100 Oak St., Oakland; RSVP for dinner to the Member Resource Center, OUR-1021 Tu 1/24 - Sonoma/Lake County Area (Region 6) - 5:45p - SEIU 1021, 600 B Street, Santa Rosa - RSVP to Area Rep Nancy Atwell for materials and food count: Nancy.Atwell@seiu1021.org or Mo 1/30 - Sonoma/Lake (Region 6) quarterly Stewards Council - 5:45p - SEIU 1021, 600 B Street, Santa Rosa - All industries invited; program includes time for questions with SEIU attorney - RSVP to Area Rep Nancy Atwell for materials and food count: Nancy.Atwell@seiu1021.org or Retiree Councils Th 1/12 - East Bay Retirees Chapter p - Hs. Lordship's Restaurant, 199 Seawall Drive, Berkeley Mo 1/16 - West Bay Retirees p - SEIU 1021, 350 Rhode Island, #100 South Building, San Francisco * * * *

7 ADMINISTRIVIA DO NOT REPLY to this ; it is being sent from an account that is not monitored. Send all Calendar announcements, corrections and changes to Send all comments and questions about the NewsWire only to For all worksite issues or other questions, do not contact these addresses. Contact the 1021 Member Resource Center at OUR-1021 or The 1021 NewsWire is published every Friday by the SEIU 1021 Communications Dept. Director: Bill Steck. Editor: Randy Lyman To subscribe, visit To unsubscribe, go to: