End Insurance Companies Abuses

TODAY IS THE DAY!

Today, we can extend coverage to millions. We can end insurance-company abuses forever. We can finally give the American worker control over their own health care and in many cases, give them health care.

But we can't take anything for granted. The vote in the House will happen today and could still go either way. It's up to every member of AFSCME, their family members and friends who believe in reform to call our representatives and speak up -- right now.

So, if you haven't yet, please pick up the phone and call. Afterward, or if you've called already, make it your mission today to get 5 friends or neighbors to call, too.

Forward this email widely. Save the Congressional switchboard number -- (202) 224-3121 -- in your cell phone, and then hand your phone to a friend, a co-worker, a family member. Capitol Hill offices are open and accepting calls.

Benefits of Health Care Reform, District by District Impact

Thursday, 18 March 2010 09:20

Take a look for yourself. AFSCME supports passage of Health Care Reform and we think it is very important for each of our members to see what the benefits of health care reform will mean to their congressional district.

The Committee has prepared, for all 435 congressional districts, a district-level analysis of the impact of health care reform legislation. This analysis includes information on the impact of the legislation on families, small businesses, seniors in Medicare, health care providers, and the uninsured.

Source: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce
http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1924:benefits-of-health-care-reform-district-by-district-impact&catid=169:legislation&Itemid=55#toc49

MOU Reached Regarding Sabbatical Leave

There has been confusion and misinterpretation of the Sabbatical (Options for Use of Paid Annual Leave) language in your collective bargaining agreement. On March 10th Executive Director Beil signed a Memorandum of Understanding that basically straightened out the intent of the contract language for utilizing vacation time earned in 2009 to be placed in your sabbatical accounts in 2010.

Simply put, people who are eligible to put vacation time in sabbatical in the last contract, regardless of sick leave accrual, will be eligible to put time in their 2010 sabbatical account. All agencies should have received this MOU and should be complying. If there are problems, or if some agencies are unclear, please contact us at (608) 836-0024 and we will remedy the situation.

Download, view and print the MOU >>>

A Message from AFSCME Pres. McEntee

Call Congress Now!

Now Is The Time to Protect the Vote

The Wisconsin Voter Protection Act was introduced this week and we need your help to make sure these critical protections are passed into law. Use the link below to send a message to your state legislators to support the Wisconsin Voter Protection Act and encourage them to sign on to the bill as a co-sponsor.

AFSCME Council 24 SEPAC is partnered with One Wisconsin NOW.

http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/voterprotection

The Role of Government in Rebuilding the Economy

FREE Workshop and You Are Invited;

Patrick Bresette, a national speaker from DEMOS, will present exciting new research on why public structures pave the way to prosperity and how we can best protect them at a time when state and local budgets are running on empty.

Choose any of the several sessions listed below and RSVP your selection by calling 414-967-1682 or email Karyn Royster at kroyster@wisconsinsfuture.org.

EAU CLAIRE

March 25th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Gateway Technical College, Room 130, 2320 Alpine Rd.

March 25th, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Gateway Technical College, Commons Room, 2320 Alpine Rd.

MADISON

March 24th, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Democratic Assembly Caucus, Site TBD

March 24th, 4:30pm - 7:00pm
AFSCME, 8033 Excelsior Dr.

March 25th, 8:00am - 10:00am
WEAC, 33 Nob Hill Rd.

MILWAUKEE

March 23rd, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Urban Ecology Center, 1500 East Park St.

March 24th, 8:00am - 10:00am
Brico Fund, 1122 N. Astor St.

Scott Walker Steps Into The Sly Den

Posted by SLY IN THE MORNING at 8:37 AM

Republican Candidate for Governor and current Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker answers tough questions about combined reporting, State workers, and his plan to create jobs by cutting taxes. Listen to Gubernatorial Candidate Scott Walker.

SEPAC NOTE: This interview comes after Executive Director Marty Beil was on the air with "Sly In The Morning" accusing Scott Walker of laying the foundation for the attacks on state employee pensions, wages and benefits.

AFSCME Wants Marcela Owens Heard

If Insurance Companies Win - AFSCME Members Lose!

It is that simple...



Please call your Congress person NOW!

Stop Big Insurance

On March 9th, insurance company executives were gathered behind closed doors in a Washington hotel to plot their efforts to kill health care reform. They have spent millions of dollars to thwart the will of everyday Americans who know that health care reform is essential to our economic future. At the same time, workingmen and women boarded buses and trains and traveled to Washington to tell the insurance industry that they won’t win this battle. It’s time to take health care decisions away from insurance executives who regularly put profits over people. It’s time for a final up-or-down, majority vote on health care reform.

It’s time to tell the insurance industry: Your time is up.

• It’s time to stop insurance companies from denying coverage to people with
pre-existing conditions.
• It’s time to stop insurance companies from dropping patients when they get sick.
• It’s time to require insurance companies to spend money on health care, not CEO salaries
and Washington lobbyists.
• It’s time to strengthen Medicare and close the “donut hole” in drug benefit
plans for seniors.
• It’s time to stop insurance companies from jacking up premiums on small businesses and families.

Legislative Time Is Running Short

With the legislative session coming to a close in April AFSCME will be working hard to push through the dozens of bills that members advocated for on lobby day. The ground work you all laid will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Thanks again to all who came to Madison and made this lobby day such a roaring success.

For more information, contact the AFSCME lobbyists at 608-836-6666.

Authority: Susan McMurray, AFSCME Wisconsin Lobbyist

Listen to Scott Walker Talk About Your Future

Madison area leaders and members should note that radio host Sly will have gubernatorial candidate Walker on his program on Tuesday, 3/16 at 8:35 a.m. to quiz him about his position on state employees, their wages, benefits and outsourcing. This could prove to be a very interesting half hour. Sly indicates he may even accept phone calls during the segment. We strongly encourage you to tune in to WTDY, AM 1670 and listen to Scott Walker talk about your future if elected, and if the opportunity presents itself, call in with your thoughts. You can also listen live online by visiting: http://www.wtdy.com/.

Its Rally Day!

Please Attend if You Can

Scott Walker is at it again! He is laying off more AFSCME members and he is privatizing their jobs.

Please join us to rally against the actions of Scott Walker.

WHEN: Friday, March 12th / 11:30am - 1:00pm
WHERE: Clas Park - 10th & Wells Street, Milwaukee
(South end of the Milwaukee County Courthouse)

Please wear something RED if at all possible. Friday's are AFSCME's "WE ARE MAD AS HELL AND SEEING RED DAYS!"

AFSCME green will do as a suitable alternative, but most importantly, having you there to support our brothers and sisters of AFSCME Council 48 is the ultimate objective.

In Solidarity,

Jana Weaver, Assistant Director
AFSCME Council 24

Jeffrey Johnson, SEPAC Chair
AFSCME Council 24 Local 2748

Protect Our Conservation Wardens

Our AFSCME Conservation Wardens and actually ALL law enforcement officers are being placed at great risk because of Senate Bill 222. This legislative bill has been silently creeping through the legislative process, but now it has caught our attention and all of us need to help our brother's and sister's who are Conservation Wardens and actually all law enforcement officers. There is no reasonable justification to have to transport an uncased firearm.

Senate Bill 222 would also allow for a delay in tagging and leave unattended, a harvested deer and we truly believe this measure would promote poaching and theft of harvested deer.

With a couple clicks of your mouse you can help us stop forward movement on Senate Bill 222. Please click on the "TITLE" of this post to start the process.

Authority:

Susan Miller, President
AFSCME Council 24 Local 1215

Marty Beil, Executive Director
AFSCME Council 24

Scott Walker is at it again!

He is laying off more AFSCME members and he is privatizing their jobs

AFSCME is being joined by other Milwaukee area labor unions and you are asked to join us all in a RALLY to support our AFSCME Council 48 brothers and sisters.

We need for you to join us and tell Scott Walker what we really think!

These actions by Scott Walker is the definite crystal ball showing us the future as state employees if he is elected Governor...

WHEN: Friday, March 12th / 11:30am - 1:00pm
WHERE: Clas Park - 10th & Wells Street, Milwaukee
(South end of the Milwaukee County Courthouse)

Please wear something RED if at all possible. Friday's are AFSCME's "WE ARE MAD AS HELL AND SEEING RED DAYS!"

AFSCME green will do as a suitable alternative, but most importantly, having you there to support our brothers and sisters of AFSCME Council 48 is the ultimate objective.

In Solidarity,

Jana Weaver, Assistant Director
AFSCME Council 24

Jeffrey Johnson, SEPAC Chair
AFSCME Council 24 Local 2748

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Steven Williams
Political Education Legislative Coordinator
AFSCME Council 24
(608) 269-0307
swilliams@wseu-24.org

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Online Community

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is building an online community and SEPAC would like to make you aware of it.

You can find the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO in cyberspace at the following locations:

Website: http://wisaflcio.org
Blog: http://wisaflcio.typepad.com
Flickr Page: http://flickr.com/wisaflcio
Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/wisaflcio
Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/wisaflcio