Email to save homecare...guess who DIDN'T send it?

Ah yet another chance for the Zombie to prove they have their members best interests at heart. Care to place a bet on when or if they will send their own version of the email below?

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Last week, politicians in Washington passed a jobs bill WITHOUT critical fiscal relief for states and local governments. Without this money, states will slash hundreds of thousands of jobs and gut education, health care and public safety services even more. For example, without these funds,  state costs for IHSS will increase from $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion.  This will make it far more difficult for us to prevent cuts to IHSS in this year’s budget.However, there is still a chance to get this aid in the Senate version of the bill. Please call your senators right now. Tell them to include state aid in this jobs bill.

It will be nothing short of catastrophic for the already dire budget crisis in most states if this Medicaid funding does not get put back into this jobs bill. This funding (known as FMAP) would provide $26 billion in badly needed resources for state and local governments.

Please click here to call your senators right now.

Final 4 management objections for Memorial workers soundly rejected by NLRB

The story so far: an organizing effort for approximately 700 workers occurred over the last 6 years, under the direction of the old SEIU UHW. The trusteeship of the SEIU UHW happened and the organizing effort suddenly stopped. The 160+ employees of UHW who quit in disgust formed NUHW and after reconnecting with the workers at Memorial picked up where SEIU left off after abandoning them in August 2009. An election was scheduled, SEIU came late to the party and demanded to be allowed in. Despite dire warnings that if allowed onto the ballot, SEIU would lose by a landslide, SEIU insisted on forcing themselves onto the ballot.  The cool kids had to let them play, and so the election was scheduled. Officially, SEIU wanted felt they were the better union for many lame reasons no one remembers or cares about but unofficially they knew had no chance of winning the election so they pushed the no union vote, because you see, in their eyes, no union is better than a competing union especially one created from former employees that are winning the hearts, minds and votes of soon to be former members and prospective members. Suffice it to say when the votes were counted the underdog NUHW won by a landslide (283-13).

* * *

The final four objections to the election for Memorial workers were soundly defeated by the NLRB Wednesday. As you may recall Memorial management backed off of 6 of their 10 objections, and after the Administrative Law Judge reviewed Memorial managements case the remaining 4 were dismissed by the NLRB.

The ruling above is 32 pages long and quite detailed, but after an exhaustive description of each objection the Adminstrative Law Judge deftly dismisses the objection. My favorite: the "scientific experiment" that almost completely misses the point and proves to be a complete waste of expert witness testimony not to mention money!

NUHW won the election. Of the 10 objections filed by the employer they dropped 6 and the remaining 4 were dismissed by the NLRB. Clearly the workers have won so why the resistance? Memorial management has taken a position similar to a death penalty defense, by using every legal means to delay the inevitable and annoy the workers, but even they have to admit the writing is on the wall. An appeal is sure to come, unless every reader expresses their disgust with management's actions thus far. Call, write or possibly protest (no plans yet) to make sure they don't file an appeal.


Kevin Klockenga, CEO, 546-3210
Debra Miller's, Vice President of Human Resources, 525-5225

Or write to either of them at:

1165 Montgomery Drive
Santa Rosa, California 95405

Does anyone have the extension to the CEO's voicemail?

30 days of craziness

Today marks the first of 30 crazy days of Get Out of Zombie UHW Craziness. Before this blog existed, pro-NUHW Kaiser workers gathered enough signatures to decertify SEIU. Unfortunately, this didn't happen because the decert was filed outside of the allowed time for such a petition. This window represents the chance for soon-to-be-former-UHW-members to break free of their shackles. This should prove to be a very exciting 30 days. Expect massive media coverage (massive for labor anyway) and frequent blog entries by both Tasty Burger and myself.

Homecare saves, money, lives, dignity, etc (part 1)

Yet another well written, well reasoned opinion piece about the value of homecare workers and the care they provide. It's far more than just an extremely cost effective program for our most vulnerable citizens. Read on to learn more of what I am speaking about.

Huerta/Medina split just as lame as NUHW/Zombie split

The battle for the hearts and minds of UHW members, the civil war between two very different ways of thinking about how a union ought to be run has sparked a similarly bitter stand off between former peers in UFW the United Farm Workers. Dolores Huerta a co-founder of UFW (along with César Chávez) and Medina used to fight side by side, but now Medina with the backing of the nation's most corrupt union local SEIU UHW is resorting to calling the police to have Huerta arrested for merely talking to pro-NUHW workers. Their efforts to suppress Huerta failed miserably. Read more about this at BeyondChron. My thanks to Mike Wilzoch for speaking out yet again. It's good to have some inside perspective on this unfolding side drama. For even more background on Mike's views on UHW read his letters to the editor here, here, here and here.

Zombies push for "No Union" votes fails...again!

The Zombies have revealed their main approach to defeating NUHW: vote no union...or else, with "or else" meaning NUHW will win. As happened in the election for unorganized workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, last December the no union vote, an obvious favorite of management is now the favored vote of Zombie UHW when ever they suspect they will lose a vote between the 2 unions.

Read on to see how this strategy is backfiring. One would think the Zombies would change course after losing repeatedly with this lame-o topic, but these are Zombies: they "know how to do everything" and are "never wrong". Hah!

Zombies abandon election, soon-to-be-former members

It's a rare occurrence when the Zombie just give up and walk away. For all the mighty resources they claim to have (with money likely being the only credible one left), they retreated to the lamest excuse I've heard in a long time:

Management created an extremely hostile environment so that workers who supported unionization feared what was going to happen.

This jem was uttered by stator of the obvious Zombie spokeswoman Adriana Surfas. In my mind this raises 2 questions.

1. How is this any different from any other organizing drive?
2. Since when has SEIU ever backed down from a fight?

If one looks at recent elections the Zombie have stayed in the election until the bitter end, often with disastrous results. All links courtesy of Tasty over at Stern Burger with Fries.

Salinas Valley Workers Vote for NUHW!


SWU Can't Even Get One Friend!


I guess ONE vote is better than ZERO?

But hey, it's not all bad news. Since the Zombie withdrawal those who get to vote now have 2 choices: salvation (NUHW) or more of the same (no union). Also, the Zombies are burning through obscene amounts of cash in a very short amount of time (which can't be "replaced" with a dues increase until the next convention in 2012) and the credibility of their approach to unionism is taking severe and difficult to recover from hits. Thanks Zombies for making the choice even easier!

P.S. Isn't a definition of insanity doing something, usually the wrong thing, the same way every time and expecting different results?

Updated Schedule of Final Round of Subcommittee Hearings As Budget Process Moves to Next Phase

Boldly lifted out of today's CD-CAN newsletter. Thanks Marty Omoto for keeping up up to date with the budget crisis. The Zombies clearly can't be bothered with keeping homecare members abreast of what is going on at the state capital.

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California Budget Crisis:

Updated Schedule of Final Round of Subcommittee Hearings As Budget Process Moves to Next Phase

Full Senate Budget Panel Will Meet Instead of Subcommittees on May 25^th on Human Services, Mental Health and Child Care; May 26^th  on Health Including Developmental Services and May 27 on Education

SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 05/24/2010  01:10 PM  (Pacific Time)] -  Both houses of the Legislature will hold their final budget subcommittee hearings Tuesday and Wednesday (and if needed, Thursday) this week, taking final action on several of the Governor’s major proposals impacting people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors and their families, before the budget process heads to the next phase of “budget conference committee” hearings in early June.   

The full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee will be meeting this week instead of its budget subcommittees, to take final action – though in the Assembly, their budget subcommittees will take final action this week. 

State Senate Full Budget Panel Will Meet Instead of Subcommittees

·         May 25^th - In the State Senate, the full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee will meet tomorrow at 09:30 AM at the State Capitol in Room 4203 focusing on human service including mental health and childcare budget issues.

·         May 26^th - On Wednesday the full Senate budget panel will meet to hear health related budget issues including developmental services and take final action, instead of its five budget subcommittees (Disability Capitol Action Day)

·         May 27^th - It will hold what will likely be its final hearing to close out the Senate budget subcommittee phase of the budget process on Thursday (May 27) focusing on education issues.

Assembly Budget Subcommittees Will Meet This Week To Take Final Action

In the Assembly, its five budget subcommittees held hearings last week and took several final actions and will be  holding their final hearings on Wednesday (May 26^th)  and possibly Thursday to take any remaining final actions.  A copy of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Agenda (24 pages) pdf file is attached to this CDCAN Report and can also be viewed and downloaded from the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us

Action on Proposed Closure of Lanterman Developmental Center Likely This Week

Action on the proposed closure of Lanterman Developmental Center – which was previously heard by both houses in late April and early May, will likely be taken at this hearing on May 26^th by the full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and also by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services also on May 26^th.

Actions by Both Houses Not Final

Actions by both the Senate and Assembly budget subcommittees – or full budget committees are not final however.  Actions by both subcommittees or budget committees at this stage – especially if both agree, however does send a strong signal about the position of the Legislature on a particular proposal by the Governor. 

The process heads to the next phase – the budget conference committee (a joint committee of 6 members, 3 from each house) to work out any different actions that either house took.  That phase lasts through most of June – and then the budget process goes to the Assembly and Senate floor, where it will likely remain until a budget agreement is reached with the Governor and the legislative leaders.  A long budget stand-off, given the enormity of the budget deficit, is seen as certain, to probably last through the summer. 

MAY 25^TH  SUMMARY OF SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AGENDA

Copy of this 24 page agenda is attached to this CDCAN Report and can be downloaded also from the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us

HUMAN SERVICES AND CHILDCARE

1. Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (Budget Item 4200)

* Elimination of Drug Medi-Cal Services, with the Exceptions of Perinatal and Minor Consent Programs

* Elimination of Funding for Offender Treatment Program

2. Department of Social Services (Budget Item 5180)

* Elimination of CalWORKs

* CalWORKs Grant Reduction

* Elimination of CalWORKs Recent Noncitizen Entrants Program (RNE)

3. Department of Social Services (Budget Item 5180) and California Department of Education (Budget item 6110) – Child Care Issues only

* Eliminate General Fund for Child Care Programs and Shift CalWORKs Child Care to the Alternative Payment Program (Issue 326)

* Regional Market Rate (RMR) Reduction

* Reduce Income Eligibility (Issue 323)

* CalWORKs Stage 3 Reduction (Issue 323)

* Adjust CalWORKs Child Care Caseload Funding (Issue 325)

* Negative COLA [“cost of living adjustment”]

* Proposed Plan to Recover Improper Payments from Child Care Programs (Issue 329)

4. Department of Social Services – continued (Budget Item 5180)

* In-Home Supportive Services “Cost Containment”

* SSI/SSP Grant Reduction

* Elimination of CA Food Assistance Program and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants

* Redirection of County Savings

* Shift of County Mental Health Realignment Funds to Child Welfare Services and to Food Stamp Admin

5. Department of Mental Health (Budget Item 4440)

* Special Education Mental Health Services (AB 3632)

RESOURCES AND TRANSPORTATION BUDGET ISSUES

1. Department of Parks and Recreation (Budget Item 3790)

* Funding State Parks

2. Department of Transportation (Budget Item 2660)

* Defer Transportation Loan Repayment

* New Transportation Loan from net new “Fuel Swap” revenue

2740 Department of Motor Vehicles (Budget Item 2740)

* Motor Vehicle Account Loan to General Fund

FINAL SUBCOMMITTEE AND FULL COMMITTEE HEARINGS THIS WEEK

Please note: hearing dates and times are always subject to change.  For persons unable to attend the hearing today, phone numbers and addresses of both Senate and Assembly subcommittee health and human services members are listed below in this report for persons to send or call in their comments.  Given the volume of emails, comments or inquiries by email generally are not useful unless a person knows the staff person or the legislator. 

TODAY - MAY 24, 2010 – MONDAY

ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #1 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

***Hearing cancelled***

SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #3 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

TIME: 01:30 PM or immediately after Senate Appropriations Committee hearing ends [that committee is scheduled to meet at 11:00 AM]

WHERE:  State Capitol – Room 4203

WHAT WILL BE HEARD

Governor’s May Revised Budget proposals and “open” issues:

* Secretary for California Health and Human Services Agency (Budget Item 0530)

* Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (Budget item 4140)

* Department of Aging (Budget Item 4170)

* Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (Budget Item 4200)

* Department of Child Support Services (Budget Item 5175)

* Department of Social Services (Budget Item 5180)

* Other departments as necessary

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard

PRIORITY:  HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if you are able to

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on.  This will be the last hearing for the year for this budget subcommittee. – the full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee will meet May 25^th and May 26^th to take final action on any remaining “open” issues that the Senate budget subcommittees did not yet take. 

MAY 25, 2010 – TUESDAY

ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #1 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

***Hearing cancelled***

SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

TIME: 09:30 AM

WHERE:  State Capitol – Room 4203

WHAT WILL BE HEARD

Governor’s May Revised Budget proposals and “open” issues:

Human Services (including Mental Health)  and Child Care Budget Items:

* Alcohol and Drug Programs (Budget Item 4200)

* Department of Social Services  (Budget Item 5180)

* Department of Education – Child Care Issues only  (Budget Item 6110)

* Other Department of Social Services Issues including SSI/SSP, IHSS (Budget Item 5180)

* Department of Mental Health (Budget Item 4440)

Resources Budget Items

* Department of Parks and Recreation (Budget Item 3790)

Transportation Budget Items

* Department of Transportation (Budget Item 2660)\

* Department of Motor Vehicles  (Budget Item 2740)

General Government Budget Items and Other Departments As Necesssary

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard (it is always up to the committee chair)

AGENDA AVAILABLE; Yes – attached to this report and also on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us

PRIORITY:  VERY HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if they can – though not if coming from out of the Sacramento area. 

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on. All the Senate Budget subcommittee hearing dates scheduled on this date and Wednesday have been cancelled with the full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee meeting and taking action instead. 

MAY 26, 2010 – WEDNESDAY

ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #1 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

TIME: 09:00 AM

WHERE: State Capitol – Room 4202

WHAT WILL BE HEARD:

Governor’s May Revised Budget Proposals and “Open” Issues

·         Human services budget items

·         Health budget items including developmental services budget items

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard

PRIORITY:  HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if they can – though not if coming from out of the Sacramento area. 

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on.  Full Senate budget committee is scheduled to hold its final hearing during this phase of the budget process on this same day and beginning just 30 minutes later.

SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

TIME: 09:30 AM

WHERE:  State Capitol – Room 4203

WHAT WILL BE HEARD

Governor’s May Revised Budget proposals and “open” issues:

Health Budget Items

* Department of Health Care Services - Medi–Cal (Budget Item 4260)

* Department of Public Health (Budget Item 4265)

* Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (Budget Item 4280)

* Department of Mental Health (Budget Item 4440)

Judicial, Corrections and Public Safety Budget Items

* Judicial Branch (Budget Item 0250)

* California Emergency Management Agency (Budget Item 0690)

* Department of Justice  (Budget Item 0820)

* Dept of Alcoholic Beverage Control  (Budget Item 2100)

* Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation  (Budget Item 5225)

Other Departments As Necessary

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard – it is always up to the committee chair

AGENDA AVAILABLE: Not yet

PRIORITY:  VERY HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if they can – though not if coming from out of the Sacramento area. 

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on. 

MAY 27, 2010 – THURSDAY

ASSEMBLY BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #1 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

TIME: 09:00 AM

WHERE: State Capitol – Room 4202

WHAT WILL BE HEARD: Any remaining“Open” Issues

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard

PRIORITY:  HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if they can – though not if coming from out of the Sacramento area. 

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on.  This Assembly budget subcommittee hearing is scheduled but may not be held if all “open” issues were taken up and acted on the previous day. 

SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

TIME: 09:30 AM or upon adjournment of the State Senate floor session

WHERE:  State Capitol – Room 4203

WHAT WILL BE HEARD:

K–12 EDUCATION

* California Department of Education (Budget item 6110)

HIGHER EDUCATION

* University of California (Budget Item 6440)

* California State University (Budget Item 6610)

* California Community Colleges (Budget Item 6870)

* Student Aid Commission (Budget Item 7980)

REVENUES

EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS NECESSARY

PUBLIC TESTIMONY:  Yes – though not likely on items “for vote only” or items previously heard – it is always up to the committee chair

AGENDA AVAILABLE: Not yet

PRIORITY:  VERY HIGH

SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO THIS HEARING:  Yes if they can – though not if coming from out of the Sacramento area. 

CDCAN COMMENT: “Open” issues refers to issues this subcommittee has previously heard earlier this year but still needs to take action on.  This is likely the final hearing of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee to close out the Senate budget subcommittee phase of the budget process. 

Interview with Sal Rosselli, leader of NUHW

No no not by me, I didn't even study journalism.* But for my newer readers who might be trying to make "heads or tails" of the SEIU/NUHW mess. It's not in depth, which is good because this fight for union representation style (top down vs. bottom up) is quite complex, nuanced and hotly debated, yet he so masterfully lays out the history and problem surrounding SEIU and NUHW's perspective.

* I have a degree in IT (Linux admin for all you nerds out there in the "blogosphere").

Unable to fight fairly, Zombies hit below the belt

I don't know about you but I'm already tired of Mark Key Henry and what's going on at SEIU on the international level. To me, the new prez is just as divisive, manipulating and power hungry as her predecessor. She may be able to make amends with the unions and others Stern drove off, but like Stern she won't even consider working out SEIU's differences with NUHW. Apparently, it's ok to pick a fight but not ok to call a truce.

* * *

Anyway, on the the meat of this entry.

It appears the Summer Games, errr I mean WWIII has begun. Randy Shaw scoops the story below. Having been burned by the Zombies I look forward to a summer of stunning defeats for the Zombies. I fully expect they will "win" some elections if only by brute force, 100% annual turnover at various nursing homes with pending elections and because of these conditions NUHW has to good sense to pullout before the election.

P.S. Check out the memo referenced in the article: they have to stop writing this stuff down!