SEIU Local 105

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SEIU members adopt plan to win
more power for working families

7806 meeting

On July 8^th, SEIU Local 105 held a general membership meeting to review the progress made by the union in the past year and discuss plan to increase the power of workers in our core industries through increased organizing and activism.

Winning for Working Families
Mitch Ackerman, president of Local 105, announced that within a few months, 100 percent of the union’s members will have low-cost or free health insurance because of gains won at the bargaining table. Ackerman also said that “we are winning raises above the rate of inflation for every single member.”

The members voted to adopt proposed by-law changes aimed at:

Expanding opportunities for members to develop as
leaders within the union
Structuring the union to accommodate growth through
aggressive plans to unite more workers in our industries

Mitch Ackerman

Among other changes, the new bylaws created a worksite new leadership position: "Delegate". Delegates will be charged with increasing communication at the worksite level, and helping to mobilize members. The new bylaws also restructured the executive board to improve the representation of newly organized groups of workers.

Health Care Worker runs for Legislature
After Ackerman's presentation, several members spoke about their participation in the fight to gain increased power for working families.

Sara Gagliardi, a nurse at Kaiser who is running as a candidate for state representative in District 27 in Arvada, talked about her campaign. Gagliardi said her priorities were “health care, education, and jobs.”

Sara Gagliardi

Nurses Stand Up for Patient Care
RN Barb Hostrup, an activist in the Nurse Alliance, talked about how nurses are organizing to improve patient care and better working conditions for nurses. Hostrup pointed out that long shifts, mandatory overtime, understaffed hospital floors are driving nurses away from the bedside and creating unsafe conditions for patients. Hostrup, an 18 year veteran nurse, was recently fired by Exempla for her advocacy activities at the Legislature. The union is fighting to get her job back.

Barb Hostrup

Boulder County Employees Uniting for Change Leslie Ogeda, a Criminal Justice Services case manager, talked about the organizing campaign in Boulder County. Many workers can no longer afford medical care due to increased health care costs under the employers’ latest plan, Ogeda said. “I have faith that if we work together we can make change,” Ogeda told the meeting.
	Leslie Ogeda

Janitors for Justice
Carla, a janitor from Boulder County, and Yolanda, a janitor from Jefferson County spoke about the Justice for Janitors campaign. Yolanda said “I joined the union 6 years ago to fight for workers and against injustice.”

Carla said “I joined the union for a voice and better benefits. This year I participated in the contract negotiations and we won a 7% raise and 2 paid holidays, and paid health care for full time employees. I am very proud to be part of this union.”

Carla and Yolanda

After the general assembly, the members broke into meetings for the Health Care Division and Property Services Division. In each meeting, they voted on the changes to the by-laws and elected new members to the union executive board.

More photos from the General Membership meeting: