SEIU Local 925

Working Families Support Marriage Equality

Robert — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:20:13 +0000

OLYMPIA- Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Washington State Council, representing over 100,000 workers in Washington state has issued this statement in support of the passage of marriage equality:

“Today marks a critical step forward for civil rights,” said Laura Davenport, SEIU 925 member, and Secretary Lead at the University of Washington. “Similar to other historical moments, such as interracial marriages, women’s suffrage and workers gaining the right to join a union, our elected leaders and Washingtonians made clear today that we stand on the side of justice and equality for all families.

As SEIU members, we are proud to be leading members of the Washington United for Marriage coalition, and we stand together as working people with Governor Gregoire and our state legislators on this legislation which will ensure equality for so many people in our state,” said Davenport.

“As nurse, I know this kind of equality will result in more accessible care through spousal healthcare coverage and a guarantee spouses will be able to see each other in the hospital and participate in medical decisions,” said Marcy Johnson, RN, and member of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

“As a citizen of Washington, I know we would not have arrived at this day without the leadership and courage of so many in our state who decided that the issue of marriage equality is a non-partisan issue, and part of who we should be as a people,” said Johnson.

Time for Washington to have a Voting Rights Act

Robert — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:05:15 +0000

HISPANICS are the fastest-growing demographic in Washington state yet they are hugely underrepre-sented in local elected offices. This raises questions about equal opportunity guaranteed in the federal Voting Rights Act.It also garnered the attention of some state lawmakers who have proposed bills that would allow voters to challenge local elections where qualified minority candidates are shut out. Successful challenges may spur a judge to compel a shift from at-large voting — where a city elects its officials across the city — to a district-based format that draws lines to increase minority voter influence.

This is a solid avenue for voter redress. It broadens a conversation about political representation hastened by stark numbers.

In 10 counties across Central Washington, Latinos make up more than 33 percent of the total population, yet they hold fewer than 4 percent of the local elected offices. Yakima is 41 percent Hispanic, but has never elected a Hispanic to the City Council. Adams and Franklin counties are more than 50 percent Hispanic yet in 2009 had only eight Hispanic elected officials out of 247 local government positions.

Local political elements may explain some of the dramatic underrepresentation — for example, voter apathy and immigrants who cannot vote. But patterns of racially polarized voting have been singled out as a particular culprit.

Analyses of voting patterns point to a racial phenomenon in voting. In some communities, heavily white precincts vote for white candidates and black precincts vote for black candidates. Yakima’s data shows that, election after election, Latino voters favor Latino candidates, and white voters strongly tend to vote against the Latino candidates.

That’s racially polarized voting. Courts have ruled this practice is a problem only if it blocks one racial group from electing one of its own.

The legislation would create an appropriately high bar for filing suit, decreasing the likelihood of frivolous challenges. It is unlikely someone could successfully argue that voting in Seattle is a civil-rights problem. That argument would be quickly refuted by the faces of color on the City Council, School Board and the Seattle Port Commission.

That isn’t always the case east of the Cascade Mountains. There, a dearth of Latinos elected to oversee local parks, schools, fire departments or water and land resources flies in the face of a representative democracy. Civic résumés are built at the local level — city council, school board, water commission or fire district — making it more critical to have fairness begin there.

Washington’s effort is modeled after the 2002 California Voting Rights Act. It is good policy and ought to prevail.

Originally published February 1, 2012 at 3:48 PM | Page modified February 1, 2012 at 6:16 PM via Seattletimes.com

Lobby Day

Robert — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:20:56 +0000

Click here to download a PDF copy of the flyer.

University of Washington Physicians

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:41:30 +0000

EMPLOYER: University of Washington Physicians

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

CONTRACTS:

University of Washington Physicians 2010 – 2013

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

Village Community Services

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:40:28 +0000

EMPLOYER: Village Community Services

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

Chapter President
Lynn Phillips

CONTRACTS:

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

The Defender Association

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:38:12 +0000

EMPLOYER: The Defender Association

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

Chapter President
Mick Woynarowski

Communications Chair
Arnold Prado

Political Chair
Doug Vavrick

CONTRACTS:

The Defender Association CBA 2010-2012

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

Northwest Defender Association

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:35:58 +0000

EMPLOYER: Northwest Defender Association

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

President
Micheline Murphy

Vice President
Wendy Livesley

Political Officer
Josh Malle

Executive Committee
Ramona Brandes

CONTRACTS:

NDA Contract 2008 – 2010

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

Fidelity Technologies Corporation

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:34:38 +0000

EMPLOYER: Fidelity Technologies Corporation

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

CONTRACTS:

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

Bellingham Housing Authority

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:31:55 +0000

EMPLOYER: Bellingham Housing Authority

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

President
Tyler Menish

Vice President
Sherry Partlow

Treasurer
Peter Leshefka

Secretary

Sgt-at-Arms
Tomas Felix

CONTRACTS:

Bellingham Housing Authority CBA 1/1/2009-12/31/2013

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095

Skagit 911 Dispatch Center

SEIU Local 925 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:31:09 +0000

EMPLOYER: Skagit 911 Dispatch Center

CHAPTER OFFICERS:

CONTRACTS:

MEMBER RESOURCE NUMBER: 1-855-859-5095