Sept/Oct 2014 Volume 19 Number 5

An Information Pipeline for Members and Friends of Local 17

Spokane Members Work Together to Monitor Superfund Site pages 8-9

Insight

PLUS: Election Issue! Chapter Election Info, page 5; Political Endorsements, pages 14-15

InsightJoe McGee, Managing Editor; Deidre Girard, EditorInsight (ISSN 1093-1694) is the official publication of Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17. Insight is published bi-monthly by Local 17, 2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98102. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, Washington. Postmaster: Send address change to: Insight - 2900 Eastlake Ave. E., Ste. 300, Seattle, WA 98102-3012. www.pte17.org

Insight Sept/Oct 2014 Vol.19/ No. 5

Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17 2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Ste. 300 Seattle, Washington 98102Phone ...................................................206-328-7321Toll-free..................................................800-783-0017Fax ........................................................206-328-7402E-mail .............................................. union@pte17.orgWebsite ............................................... www.pte17.org

President: Lois Watt Vice-President: Hossein Barahimi Secretary-Treasurer: Sean SimmonsTrustee: Ray CeaserTrustee: Elizabethe GeierTrustee: Rachel Whiteside

Executive Director: Joe McGee Ext. 101 • mcgee@pte17.orgDeputy Executive Director: Behnaz Nelson Ext. 112 • behnaz@pte17.orgFinance Director: Jackie Miller Ext. 102 • miller@pte17.orgOperations Director: Anthony Davidson Ext. 121 • anthony@pte17.org Union RepresentativesWhitney Abrams Ext. 122 • whitney@pte17.org Amy Bowles Ext. 118 • amy@pte17.orgDenise Cobden Ext. 127 • denise@pte17.org Annie Costello Ext. 120 • annie@pte17.org Kate Garrow Ext. 133 • kate@pte17.orgYoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe Ext. 103 • yoko@pte17.orgSarah Lorenzini Ext. 110 • sarah@pte17.orgGuadalupe Perez Ext. 109 • perez@pte17.orgCharles Primm Ext. 107 • charles@pte17.orgPatrick Silvernale Ext. 113 • patrick@pte17.orgProgram DirectorsCommunications: Deidre Girard Ext. 130 • deidre@pte17.org Legislative: Vince Oliveri Ext. 108 • vince@pte17.org and Legislative: Adrienne Thompson Ext. 115 • adrienne@pte17.orgResearch: Elliot Levin Ext. 128 • elliot@pte17.orgMembership Development Coordinator:Karen Estevenin Ext. 116 • karen@pte17.orgSpecial Projects Coordinator:Nikola Davidson Ext. 111 • nikola@pte17.orgOffice StaffCommunications Assistant: Donna Clarke Ext. 104 • donna@pte17.orgMembership Administrator: Laura Elia Ext. 123 • laura@pte17.org

News and FeaturesOn Unity ...................................................................................3Local 17 Supports Farmworkers at Sakuma Bros. Farm..............4Chapter Election Information.........................................................5Jobs and Clinics Saved at King County Public Health................6State Members Receive First COLA in Seven Years.....................7 Members Get Trained to Advance Their Careers.........................10Local 17 Awards 2014 Scholarship................................................11Staff Perspective: Annie Costello...................................................12Executive Board Column: Elizabethe Geier................................16

Public Affairs Why Vote?......................................................................................13Election Endorsements ........................................................ 14-15

On the Cover:

Don Copley and Gordie Fisette, Local 17 members at Spokane Regional Health District and Spokane County, inspect a gas probe at the Mica Landfill in Spokane Valley. As a Superfund site, the landfill is closely monitored so that it can reach EPA cleanup goals. Read more on pages 8-9.

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About This Issue

In the last issue of Insight I wrote about the mission of Local 17 as defined by our constitution. It is simple and to the point:

“…to elevate the economic status of its members by establishing higher standards of skills, providing job security, improving general working conditions and securing… adequate and proper compensation and benefits for its members.”

But words on paper don’t make it happen. That takes action, people and a “can do” attitude.

The main way we accomplish our mission is by hiring well-qualified staff members, who work in collaboration with union members to get contracts negotiated, and then administer and enforce those agreements. Of course, there are a lot of other moving parts that go into this oversimplified characterization. For instance, stewards work at the ground level as the “eyes and ears” of the union to assure contract compliance. They work to facilitate communication on union related matters and coordinate with staff members when carrying out their duties. Contract negotiation and administration are also supported by the work of chapters, policy committees, bargaining committees and labor-management committees, along with certain unique workplace specific committees.

The goal of everything we do is to assure that we deliver what Local 17 members need, want, and deserve from this organization that they pay to provide representation and advocacy.

It is my job, and the job of everyone who works here, or holds elected office in our union, to make sure we keep our eye on the prize: meeting our longstanding mission. Whatever detracts from that should be re-examined, diminished or eliminated. Whatever enhances it should be promoted, encouraged and supported, ideally, with additional resources, personnel and/or enhanced organizational focus.

I would never say that Local 17 is perfect, but I do like to say that we are always working on it. I believe that by every objective measure we do a consistently good job of meeting the mission defined by our constitution. If you disagree, I would like to hear from you.

Finally, this is a good opportunity to thank the many, many people in our union who make it happen, from dues paying members, to shop stewards, union staff employees, chapter participants and leaders, REC delegates and Executive Board members/officers.

As we have over many successful years, when we all do our part, play our unique roles, and work together in a positive way, we can continue to meet and exceed the simple yet noble goals we stand for as a Union.

Making It HappenJoe McGee

Local 17 Executive Director

In unity,

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On Unity

Local 17 Supports Farmworkers at Sakuma Berry Boycott

The Martin Luther King County Labor Council (MLKCLC) Mobi-lization Committee, which includes

Local 17 members and staff, participated in an informational picket in early Sep-tember in Seattle to encourage a boycott of Sakuma Brothers berries.

Farmworkers at Sakuma Brothers Farms in Burlington, Wash., have been fighting for fair treatment, decent work-ing conditions, and the right to form a union for more than a year. Workers have reported that Sakuma Brothers is using intimidating tactics and unfair disciplinary procedures to squash their union, Famlias

Local 17 Union Representative Kate Garrow and City of Seattle member Ulysses Hillard hold the sign in support of Sakuma farmworkers. Photo courtesy of Community Alliance for Global Justice.

Unidas por la Justicia (United Families for Justice), which has organized strikes and built strong community support for the farmworkers.

Sakuma Brothers has been ordered by Skagit County courts to stop retaliating against strikers and to pay a half a million dollars to the workers for wage theft.

Workers are asking for a boycott of Sakuma Brothers berries – which are sold under both the Sakuma and Driscoll brands, as well as in Haagen Dazs straw-berry ice cream. Local 17 proudly sup-ports all workers – including the Sakuma farmworkers!

The City of Portland has a nationally renowned park system, yet park infra-structure is in need of urgent repair.

On Nov. 4, Portland voters will be asked to continue the current (1994-2015) Parks Bond at the same tax rate. The funds from the bond will allow parks to stay open, and it will fund vital upgrades and improvements to infrastructure, as well as programming for parks users.

Money from the bond will also be used to make long-overdue structural and safety improvements for Parks Bureau employees – including many Local 17

Local 17 Particiates in Multi-Agency Training: 'Negotiation Nuts & Bolts'

City of Seattle and King County Local 17 Members and Union Representatives gathered together

in a joint effort of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs at the City and County for the 7th Annual Negotiation Nuts and Bolts Conference on Oct. 14 at Seattle City Hall.

This all-day workshop was an opportu-nity for Local 17 Stewards to network and learn from other union members, union staff and management about many dif-ferent topics, including bargaining, active listening, labor-management committees, and grievances.

Local 17 staff took a leadership role in this important conference, with presen-tations by Deputy Executive Director Behnaz Nelson, and Union Representatives Whitney Abrams and Denise Cobden.

COPPEA Chapter members – at Mt. Tabor Yard and other worksites. The funds will fix unstable structures, leaking roofs and failing structures, which, in turn, will increase employee safety and efficiency.

Local 17 contributed $1,000 to the Fix Our Parks campaign and collaborated with other labor groups to create a statement in the voters pamphlet.

Visit www.fixourparks.org to learn more about the Park Replacement Bond and how you can volunteer money or time. You can also visit www.pte17.org/coppea for updates.

Members Meet their Legislators at Local 17 Public Affairs Training in Vancouver

Local 17 members in Clark County had the opportunity to meet with Senator Annette Cleveland, Representative Monica Stonier and Representative Sharon Wylie on Sept 19 (pictured above, left to right).

State, county and city members came together with their elected officials to discuss civil engagement, how to best communicate with elected officials and to discuss legislative issues in the upcoming session.

Local 17 member Mary Howells, who works at Clark County, said of the train-ing: "What a fantastic experience! This training provided the opportunity to sit with several elected officials, in an intimate and informal setting, and hear first-hand about the significance each politician has on our lives and our livelihoods. Be informed, participate, and vote!"

Local 17 Supports Portland Parks Replacement Bond on November Ballot

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Briefly

Chapter Elections

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News

King County Public Health: Jobs and clinics saved; work is not done

King County Executive Dow Constantine, presented the 2015-2016 budget to the King County

Council on Sept. 22. In his budget, he an-nounced that the Federal Way clinic and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Maternity Support Services (MSS) programs at the White Center clinic would remain open despite proposed closures. This, in addition to other budget changes, saves approximately 80 Local 17 jobs, as compared to initial job cut estimates.

Since the county announced the proposed cuts to the King County Public Health budget in the spring, Local 17 worked hard to minimize the impacts to both members and the public. Local 17 and other labor partners met with public health management to obtain information about the budget and the proposed cuts, and to put pressure on the county to make additional cuts to non-represented staff.

After David Fleming, Director of King County Public Health, stepped down and was replaced by interim Department Director Patty Hayes, Local 17 worked directly with Hayes to pursue creative problem-solving strategies to address the

funding gap, including collaborating on city council and mayoral meetings, work-ing with community members, and com-municating with the Executive's Office.

Local 17 also coordinated with other unions and community partners – including WSNA, OPEIU Local 8 and AFSCME Council 2, Communities for Public Health, and the King County Central Labor Council – to maximize efforts in public education and advocacy. Members and staff spoke at both the Auburn and Federal Way City Council meetings and King County Council meetings. They also participated in a rally at the Auburn Public Health Clinic.

As a result of these efforts, King Coun-ty Public Health reduced overhead by 12 percent, and eliminated an additional five non-union, non-grant funded positions.

In order to save jobs and clinics, Local 17 members agreed – along with WSNA and AFSCME Council 2 – to freeze step and longevity increases for members at Community Health Services, Environ-mental Health Services, Administration and Jail Health Services. In exchange, King County Public Health agreed to freeze management’s merit, longevity and step increases for the equivalent time frame, and committed to keeping Federal Way Public Health open for 2 years.

It is through the advocacy and efforts of Local 17 staff and members – as well as the sacrifices made for their fellow employ-ees – that Local 17 was able to accomplish so much at King County Public Health. We will need to continue these efforts to address the structural funding gap at the state, federal, county and local levels. Together, we will work toward maximiz-ing our impact as the budget process moves forward over the coming weeks and months.

Local 17 members and Union Representative Denise Cobden pose for a photo after the Federal Way City Council meeting on Sept 16.

Local 17 members and staff rally outside of the Auburn clinic, below.

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2015-17 State Contract: Local 17 state members finally get cost-of-living adjustment after seven years;

State refuses to budge on pay inequity issues

Despite agreeing to a compensation adjustment that will provide state employees with their first cost-of-

living adjustment (COLA) in seven years, the state failed to correct many salary inequities for Local 17 members during this year's negotiations for the 2015-2017 state contract.

Under the proposed contract, state employees will receive a COLA of 3% in 2015 and 1.8% in 2016.

The Local 17 bargaining team worked for more than a hundred hours since early summer with state negotiators who balked at every step. Local 17 even continued bargaining long after other unions had settled, deciding instead to take the state to mediation.

In mediation, the state still refused any further increases, stating that these pay inequities did not "affect their operation."

In the end, on Sept. 30, Local 17 members voted to accept the state’s final offer rather than run the risk of losing the proposed COLA and other moder-ate gains. These gains would have been jeopardized if Local 17 had not accepted the deal by Oct. 1 – in time to be included in Governor Inslee's budget.

All state employee contracts must be approved for funding by the legislature during the budget process of the 2015 leg-islative session, which begins in January.

State ignores pay inequity issuesDespite detailed reports with salary,

attrition and inversion data, the state refused to concede that most Local 17 classifications required pay adjustments.

Local 17 auditors at the Department of Licensing (DOL) have been 45 percent behind on the state salary survey for over four years with a severe salary inversion problem. Data shows that the attrition rate for Licensing Service Representatives (LSRs) at the DOL is over 10 percent statewide, and as high as 33 percent in high cost-of-living areas such as the Bellevue-Redmond office.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Property Acquisition Specialists – with an attrition rate that nearly matches the DOL – were found to be 37% behind using the State’s own salary survey tool.

Both the DOL and DOT claimed that their operations were not affected by these issues.

But after tenacious work from the bargaining team – plus a petition and hundreds of emails to the Governor and state executives by members – Local 17 was able to achieve some gains for two classifications at the Washington State Patrol (WSP).

The State agreed to a 2.5% increase for WSP Communication Officers (COs), even though their situation warranted an even higher increase. This group – consist-ing of 911 operators – suffered a 30 percent lag in pay since 2008 with a very high attrition rate. The overtime hours had also skyrocketed as management struggled to keep around-the-clock operations ad-equately staffed.

Greg Moses, Spokane Chapter President and WSDOT Transportation Tech II, signs the petition to the governor and state executives asking for a fair contract.

“Many of our members are the public face of state government and work in classifications that provide a direct line to safety resources," said Local 17 Union Representative Yoko Kuramoto-Eidsmoe. "They all deserve to be paid appropriately and treated with dignity."

What we can do nowAs demonstrated in this year’s session,

logic, data, and collaboration no longer work in negotiations with the state. Local 17 members need to start organizing today in preparation for our next round of nego-tiations in 2016.

We need to make sure that Local 17 jobs – jobs that protect and ensure public safety every day – remain competitive in an increasingly competitive market. The state maintains that you are valued and respected, and that your jobs are the jobs of choice for new and experienced profes-sionals alike. Let’s make sure their actions reflect their words.

Local 17 encourages members to be open about their working conditions and pay. When the state agencies begin to dis-tribute their employee satisfaction surveys, do not hold back! State agencies need to face up to salary inequities, especially as they tout their ambition to become the “employer of choice.”

Also, if you leave a state agency to pur-sue a better employment opportunity – or even if you leave for another classification in the same agency – demand an exit in-terview. All through negotiations, agency officials stated that it was inconclusive that salary is one of the main reasons that people leave. Demand an exit interview and tell them how much salary issues af-fected your decision.

“We need to show management that their statements about us being ‘valued employees’ must come with equal action,” said Sarah Lorenzini, Local 17 Union Representative.

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News & Features

If you were to drive by the Mica Landfill in the Spokane Valley, you probably wouldn’t know that it’s a landfill at all.

The sixty-plus acres of rolling hills and prairie grass spotted with trees are very picturesque now, but it wasn’t always that way.

The landfill operated for two decades from 1972 to 1991 receiving residential, municipal and industrial waste, sludge from the sewage-treatment plants, and

other hazardous solid wastes. In the 1980s, the landfill was placed on the En-vironmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national priorities list for cleanup – mean-ing that it was designated a Superfund site. At that time, the EPA charged the Washington State Department of Ecology and Spokane County Public Works with the cleanup project. Working together, these agencies conducted investigations and developed a plan for containing the waste on site, which included building a cover system, and installing monitoring wells, gas flares and probes, pumps, and leachate ponds.

The cover system consists of an impermeable layer with a synthetic liner that keeps precipitation from draining through the trash. The landfill is also in an area that naturally contains low permeability clay, which limits offsite migration of contamination. The project was completed in 1995.

Since that time, Spokane County has been in charge of monitoring the system, which is done through an intricate system of electronics, plus regular manual checks. Local 17 member and Engineering Techni-cian III, Gordie Fisette – who has worked for Spokane County since 1994 and lives close by in the Spokane Valley – is one of three employees who spend their days on site keeping a close eye on the landfill.

Each day, Fisette checks the landfill for problems. Major alerts are transmitted to him via an auto dialer system. For example, the leachate ponds are set up to pump auto-matically; however, if they don't, an alarm is initiated and he receives a call on his cell phone. He then tends to the issue at hand. If something goes wrong outside of work-ing hours, he will receive an alert at home.

But mostly, Fisette tends to daily, rou-tine maintenance. This could mean check-ing one of the 49 gas wells, 27 trench risers, 11 gas probes, 31 groundwater monitoring wells, or three leachate ponds on site – both

The Mica Landfill:Local 17 members in Spokane work together to monitor Superfund site

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Features

“One of the most important things about monitoring this landfill is to make sure that it is operating correctly so that it's safe for the surrounding community.”Gordie Fisette, Local 17 Member and Environmental Technician III, Spokane County

Copley, left, and Fisette, right, stand by gas probe number 12, talking about the recent updates at the Mica Landfill.

within the 30-acre landfill cover area and in the surrounding buffer zone.

“One of the most important things about monitoring this landfill is to make sure that it is operating correctly so that it's safe for the surrounding community," said Fisette.

"With many houses and families nearby, we need to ensure that three nearby water wells are not impacted by the landfill, and that there’s not going to be offsite migration of landfill gas.”

As the solid waste decomposes, methane gas and leachate are created. The methane gas is passively vented through flares for combustion, while the leachate – contaminated spring water that has passed through decomposing waste – is collected into ponds that lead to the local treatment plant for proper clean up and disposal.

“The system was very well designed – it’s very unlikely that there will be any major troubles with this landfill moving forward,” said Fisette, who has a bachelors degree in construction engineering from Montana State Northern.

Though the solid waste is contained, decomposing, and disposed of properly, the Mica Landfill will likely be on the Superfund list for many more years to ensure that all EPA cleanup goals are achieved. The Department of Ecology reviews the landfill every five years.

The Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) also monitors the landfill on a twice-yearly basis. That’s where Don Copley, fellow Local 17 member and Environmental Specialist (ES) II at SRHD comes in.

To be in compliance, the Mica Land-fill must request an operational permit from the health district, which regulates solid-waste programs throughout the county. On his regular visits, Copley chats with Fisette about the latest repairs at the facility, the gas and leachate disposal pro-cess, the surface and groundwater particu-late levels, and any other recent issues at the site. He tours the landfill with Fisette, taking a look at the leachate ponds and the gas flares for any irregularities.

Copley and Fisette have known each other for years and have a professional, and friendly, rapport.

“Gordie is very knowledgeable and en-thusiastic about his work – it makes these inspections really easy,” said Copley of Fisette’s work at Mica. “I know the landfill is in very capable hands.”

While this inspection is routine, Cop-ley notes that all inspections are not always this smooth.

"Sometimes we are investigating complaints from the community about solid-waste issues," said Copley. "We've got to quickly find the source of the contami-nation and work with the offender to clean up the issue."

Copley, who has worked at SRHD for nearly 30 years, started as a custodian and worked his way up to ES I, and eventu-ally ES II after finishing his bachelor’s degree at Washington State University in 2000. He works mainly in the solid-waste department at SRHD doing solid-waste inspections, investigating complaints, and reviewing and issuing permits, but occa-sionally he works in liquid waste or is sent out to test water wells.

“I feel really fortunate to have this kind of variety in my work,” said Copley. “It keeps things interesting every day.”

Both Copley and Fisette are special-ists in their respective fields, and work hard to keep the Spokane community and environment safe, like many of their fellow Local 17 members throughout the Pacific Northwest who have dedicated their lives to public service.

A fairly dry leachate pond at the Mica Landfill

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Features

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Features

Whether to keep pace with chang-ing job requirements, to expand their technical skills, or to move

up the career ladder, more and more Local 17 members are pursuing professional development opportunities.

These pursuits can range from attend-ing trainings, workshops, or conferences, to taking college courses or even earn-ing a new degree. And thanks to labor-management agreements and contractual provisions, members are able to work more easily toward their educational goals with some financial assistance from their employers.

Getting RetrainedWhen Seattle City Light made the

decision to automate meter reading, they also agreed to train and transfer meter readers and any other displaced Local 17 members into new positions.

During the initial phase of the train-ing process, employees have had the opportunity to work with an experienced career counselor to assess their inter-ests, values and skills, and to learn their personality and working-style preferences. The goal of transitioning these Local 17 members to new positions isn’t just to find them new jobs, but to find them jobs where they are happy, thriving, and successful.

Joe Steinmeyer, a meter reader since 2007, is glad that the city has commit-ted to keeping him and his hard-working fellow employees on staff, and that they’ll have an opportunity to try their hand at some new skills.

“The prospect of changing jobs due to automation is daunting, but I am optimistic that with job retraining and career counseling, meter readers will have the opportunity to move to more chal-lenging and better compensated positions with the City of Seattle. My co-workers and I are extremely invested and excited to participate in upcoming trainings our employer has committed to providing.”

Building Technical SkillsIn their last contract, Local 17

COPPEA Chapter members at the City of Portland asked for an increase to their professional development fund (PDF), and were allocated $150,000 per fiscal year from 2014/2015 to 2016/2017, which is a $25,000 per year increase from the previous contract. This fund can be used to pay for tuition, books, professional licensing fees, conferences, seminars, etc., that are related to a member’s work.

The PDF committee, on which two COPPEA Chapter members sit, reviews each application for funds. Last year, all but $700 of the then-$125,000 fund was used.

Local 17 COPPEA Chapter member Aulani Johnson recently applied for funds to take a seminar on mushrooms. As a Botanic Technician with the Bu-reau of Environmental Services, Johnson was very excited for the opportunity to learn more about mycelium.

"The Mycelium Cultivation Seminar will feed directly into my approach to environmental restoration and habitat improvement," said Johnson.

Hitting the Books Members get training, schooling to advance their careers

He has also used the PDF for a business course and various books on Geographic In-formation Systems (GIS) and Pacific North-west flora, which are related to his job.

"All of the materials and classes made possible through the PDF have had a positive impact on my ability to prepare and evaluate the progress of the work I am involved in, which is invaluable," he said.

Johnson has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Colorado State University.

Advancing CareersLocal 17 member Tammy McCauley put

her bachelor’s degree on hold after her second child was diagnosed with a rare syndrome that required around-the-clock care. When she was hired at the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) in 1995, it was her experi-ence caring for her daughter that allowed her to step easily into the job of Family Resources Coordinator, whose role it is to connect families with services for their children with disabilities.

When the department was restructured about 10 years later, McCauley was devas-tated when she was passed up for a promotion because she did not have a bachelor’s degree. In 2011, after her daughter passed away, she decided to finish her degree. McCauley is currently a student in the online psychology program through Eastern Oregon University. She expects to graduate in June 2015, and she's thinking about pursuing a certificate in Infant Mental Health through the University of Washington in the fall of 2015.

“It’s challenging to balance work, school and family life, but it’s so worthwhile,” said McCauley.

“I love my job and I’m excited to be able to offer a broader range of services to my families and to SRHD when I finish my bachelor's degree. I am hopeful that if and when another promotional opportunity comes along, I’ll be considered favorably for the position.”

The SRHD provides employees with up to $1,000 per year for three years to put towards their education.

“I love my job and I'm excited to be able to offer a broader range of services when I finish my bachelor's degree.”Tammy McCauley, Local 17 Member and Family Resources Coordinator at Spokane Regional Health District

Local 17 Scholarship Winner: Chikodi Ezeokeke

The winner of this year’s Local 17 college scholarship – Chikodi Ezeokeke – has been called a

‘superkid’ (Everett Herald, Feb. 17, 2014), and for good reason.

As an all-star athlete, math and science whiz, and active volunteer in his community, Chikodi excels in many areas. At Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood, he played basketball and ran track, was homecoming king, tutored students in math and science as part of the National Honor Society, and received the Presidental Volunteer Service Award for two years in a row.

But when you ask others about him, they always mention his upstanding character.

“Chikodi is one of the most respected and admired students at Meadowdale, involved in a variety of clubs, athletics and positions of student government, all the while keeping an exceptionally high GPA,” said his English teacher in a letter of recommendation.

“He is one of the finest young men I have known in my 25 years in education,” he continuted.

Another recommender stated that: “In spite of his many achievements academically, personally, and in the community, he is always modest of his accomplishments.”

Perhaps he gets these traits from his hardworking father, Kenneth Ezeokeke – Local 17 member and Transportation Engineer III at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) – who has worked for WSDOT since 1990.

“From as far back as I can remember, my father has set a positive example for me," said Chikodi.

"My father taught me to always put forth my best effort, and is always very encouraging. I don’t know where I could find a more positive role model.”

Kenneth Ezeokeke moved to the United States from Nigeria in the 1980s to pursue better educational opportunities. Kenneth's wife, Ijeoma, later came over and earned her nursing degree at the University of Washington (UW). Chikodi and his siblings are the first generation to be born in the United States, and have lived in Lynnwood for all of their lives.

The Local 17 scholarship is designed to help ease the financial burden of a college education, and to help students work toward a degree with less debt.

The $3,000 scholarship is offered each year to the child or grandchild of a member in good standing. Scholarship applicants submit an application consisting of a high-school transcript, a list of extracurricular and volunteer activities, two letters of recommendation, and an essay selected from a list of topics. The essays are judged by outside labor educators who assign a score on a 10-point scale to each applicant.

“This scholarship will help me work more easily toward my educational goals,” said Chikodi.

On September 24, he started his college career at the UW. He has a difficult quarter ahead consisting of courses in chemistry, calculus, and bio-scientific technology.

Chikodi is planning on majoring in bioengineering. His interest in the field first started when he took a biotechnology course in his junior year. While in high school, he also had the opportunity to conduct research at both the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and in the Department of Neurosurgery at the UW.

When asked what the biggest difference between high school and college is, he talked about learning independence and resourcefulness.

“In college, you need to be more self-reliant. If you need help, like tutoring, for example, you need to seek it out for yourself.”

But mostly, Chikodi is just trying to soak everything in. "College is pretty different, but so far, I like it a lot."

Chikodi will continue to reside in Lynnwood with his parents, and commute to school. He is thinking about pursuing a master's or PhD down the road.

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“My father taught me to always put forth my best effort, and is always very encouraging. I don't know where I could find a more positive role model.”Chikodi Ezeokeke, 2014 Local 17 Scholarship Winner

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“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!”-Helen Keller

Participation: You can make a difference!Staff Perspective By Annie Costello

Local 17 Union Representative

When I walked into an employer’s health-benefits presentation the week before Labor Day week-

end, I could not have imagined leaving so inspired.

A young union member sitting next to me turned and asked what my plans were for the three-day weekend. “Not a thing," I said. "And you?” He went on to list a remarkable number of activities, all of which were civic volunteer events. I asked him how and why he became so involved in union and community activism. He ex-plained that community participation had always been central in his life, and that his degrees in economics and psychology only affirmed his passion.

From his cell phone, he shared a graph that showed the distribution of wealth in America (see above). The three-rowed graph shows the actual distribution of wealth; what Americans think it is, and what they would like it to be.

“It's the perfect tool to demonstrate the wealth gap," he said. "It allows me to emphasize to everyone I encounter how an unequal distribution of wealth damages communities.”

I asked him for an example of unequal wealth distribution, and he talked about the cap on Social Security. He began to explain the disproportionate level of contributions made by annual wage earn-ers to the Social Security fund. Workers who earn up to $117,000 pay 6.2 percent of their wages to Social Security, while a worker who earns $250,000, for example, wll pay only 2.9 percent. This places an unequal demand on the middle class and the poor.

I was so intrigued by this young union activist. The encounter left me thinking about what compels a person to become involved in their community. Or perhaps more to the point, what keeps people from engaging in their communities?

In a February 2014 announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25 percent of people in the United States over the age of 16 participated in some sort of volunteerism between 2008 and 2013.

Some people will get involved, while others will not – and their reasons are probably as varied and unique as each individual. But a couple of obvious barriers to volunteering come to mind: 1) people have too many demands on their time, like work and family obligations; and 2) people don't think that their personal participa-tion will have any effect in the grand scheme of things.

But just think about what could be accomplished in our schools, churches, unions, workplaces, and society if the other 75 percent of people participated in their communities!

How can one person make a differ-ence? And where to start?

A fine place to start is right where you are – like in your neighborhood or workplace. If you are reading this article, chances are that you are already within an organized structure – your union: Local 17.

Recognizing that one person can make a difference – and that you are that person – can feel like a stretch, but try it! There are so many opportunities for every member to participate.

You can sign up for a union leader-ship training, join the contract bargaining team, or participate on workplace commit-tees. If you are already an active member, you can encourage your fellow members to participate. Or if you're passionate about a public issue, like the inequitable distribu-tion of wealth, you can work in your com-munity to educate your neighbors.

Over the years, I have had the privilege to work with many remarkable union leaders and community activists. Each has stepped forward with a desire for fairness in their community, and to help make a better world. There is a place for every-one in this effort and many challenges to tackle. Join us!

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As public-sector employees, your job and the vital services you provide are dependent on your elected officials at the state and local levels. Funding for transportation, public health, and even your pension, are subject to the political will of who we choose to elect. Over the past two years we have faced a divided legislature and little has gotten accomplished. In the next two years we will face big issues, like how to fund the Supreme Court mandated McCleary decision on education, or how to fund vital transportation infrastructure projects. Everyone will have an opinion on how to do it – finding new revenue, raising taxes, cutting non-mandated services, etc. – but the political reality is that the people we elect on November 4 will be the ones making these decisions. Two years ago, three state legislative races had very narrow margins – with just 78, 139 and 147 vote differences – while the primary in August hit an all-time low in voter turnout. We all need to remember that voting is a right and a privilege in our democratic society. It's the only way to make our voices heard!There are important measures at both the state and local levels this year, so when you receive your ballot in October, make sure to vote on all candidates and measures. If you want to learn more about an issue or candidate, read your voter’s guide, utilize the Local 17 endorsements list (p.14-15), or find other informational resources.

Who we elect really does matter! Exercise your right and your voice, and vote on November 4!

Partnership Fund to partner with other cities to maintain cross-jurisdiction routes, and will establish a $20 low-income vehicle fee rebate.

The Quality Seattle Preschool proposi-tion will fund preschool for Seattle’s 3- and 4-year-olds using a sliding payment scale. It also provides subsidies to families based on financial need, making preschool free for 4-person households making less than $71,000 per year. It is funded through a modest property tax levy increase of $14.5 million a year over four years, which trans-lates to about $43 a year for a family living in a $400,000 home.

Local 17 Supports Prop 1 and Prop 1B in Seattle

Public Affairs

Insight 13

Local 17 is supporting two important ballot measures this November for members who live in the City

of Seattle — Proposition 1, the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) and Proposition 1B, titled 'Quality Seattle Preschool.'

The STBD supports the work of Local 17 members who employed in transporta-tion and allows for continued additional transportation services in our communi-ties.

The STBD may sound familiar. It is similar to a measure that King County vot-ers failed to pass in April 2014. But while it failed on the ballot in King County, it showed strong support in the City of Seattle.

The measure would increase the vehicle-license fee by $40 and increase sales tax by 0.1% raising approximately $45 million. The newly generated revenue will be used to preserve and add service for City of Seattle routes, to create a Regional

Why Vote?

Local 17 has a thorough endorsement process and makes recommendations on issues and races that impact Local 17 members. A printable list of endorsements is also available online at www.pte17publicaffairs.org. The General Election is on Nov. 4.

Local 17 Recommends: 2014 Election Endorsements

State LegislatureLegislative District 1 House 1 – Derek StanfordHouse 2 – Luis Moscoso Legislative District 3House 1 – Marcus Riccelli House 2 – Timm Ormsby Legislative District 5House 1 – Essie HicksLegislative District 6Senate – Rich CowanLegislative District 11House 1 – Zach HudginsHouse 2 – Steve BergquistLegislative District 17House 1 – Monica StonierLegislative District 19House 1 – Dean TakkoHouse 2 – Brian BlakeLegislative District 21Senate – Marko LiiasHouse 1 – Lillian Ortiz-Self House 2 - Strom PetersonLegislative District 22House 1 – Chris Reykdal House 2 – Sam HuntLegislative District 23House 1 – Sherry AppletonHouse 2 – Drew Hansen

Legislative District 24House 1 – Kevin Van De WegeHouse 2 – Steve TharingerLegislative District 25House 1 – Dawn MorrellLegislative District 26Senate – Judy ArbogastHouse 1 – Nathan SchlicherHouse 2 – Larry Seaquist Legislative District 27House 1 – Laurie JinkinsHouse 2 – Jake FeyLegislative District 28Senate – Tami Green House 1 – Mary MossHouse 2 – Christine KilduffLegislative District 29Senate – Steve ConwayHouse 1 – David SawyerLegislative District 30Senate – Shari SongHouse 1 – Greg BarusoHouse 2 – Roger Freeman Legislative District 31Senate – Pam Roach Legislative District 32Senate – Maralyn ChaseHouse 1 – Cindy Ryu House 2 – Ruth KagiLegislative District 33Senate – Karen Keiser

Local 17 members Anne Alfred and Kathy Pierson with Snohomish County Executive Candidate John Lovick.

Snohomish CountyExecutiveJohn Lovick

Clark CountyCommissioner

Craig Pridemore

Skagit CountyCommissioner

Lisa Janicki

Spokane CountyCommissioner

Mary Lou Johnson

Spokane Chapter President Tammy McCauley (right) talks with Spokane County Commissioner candidate Mary Lou Johnson.

Portland Ballot MeasuresParks Bond

YES

Seattle Ballot MeasuresProp 1:

Seattle Transportation Benefit District

YES

Prop 1B: Quality Seattle Preschool

YES

14 Insight 14 Insight

Public Affairs

House 1 – Tina OrwallHouse 2 – Mia GregersonLegislative District 34Senate – Sharon NelsonHouse 1 – Eileen CodyHouse 2 – Joe Fitzgibbon Legislative District 35Senate – Irene BowlingHouse 2 – Tammey NewtonLegislative District 36Senate – Jeanne Kohl-WellesHouse 1 – Reuven CarlyleHouse 2 – Gael Tarleton Legislative District 37Senate – Pramila Jayapal Legislative District 38Senate – John McCoyHouse 1 – June RobinsonHouse 2 – Mike SellsLegislative District 40 House 1 – Kris LyttonHouse 2 – Jeff MorrisLegislative District 41House 1 – Tana SennHouse 2 – Judy Clibborn Legislative District 42Senate – Seth FleetwoodHouse 2 – Joy Monjure Legislative District 43Senate – Jamie PedersenHouse 1 – Brady WalkinshawHouse 2 – Frank ChoppLegislative District 44Senate – Steve HobbsHouse 1 – Hans Dunshee

House 2 - Michael WilsonLegislative District 45Senate – Matthew IsenhowerHouse 1 – Roger GoodmanHouse 2 - Larry SpringerLegislative District 46Senate – David FrocktHouse 1 – Gerry Pollet House 2 – Jessyn Farrell

Local 17 members Bill Angel (left) and Betsy Pernotto (right) with State Senate candidate Seth Fleetwood, 42nd District.

Legislative District 47House 1 – Chris BarringerHouse 2 – Pat SullivanLegislative District 48Senate – Cyrus HabibHouse 1 – Ross HunterHouse 2 - Joan McBrideLegislative District 49House 1 – Sharon WylieHouse 2 – Jim Moeller

Insight 15

Public Affairs

Professional and Technical Employees,Local 17

2900 Eastlake Ave. East, Suite 300Seattle, WA 98102 www.pte17.org

Did you move? Change your address online at:

pte17.org/address_form/form.html

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at Seattle WA

Executive Board Point of View

Music is a powerful tool for conveying a sense of unity through shared experience, and giving people in adverse situations a sense

of hope for a better tomorrow. It’s no wonder then that song has such a rich history within the labor movement.

Some of labor's earliest and best known songs were written by members of the Industrial Workers of the World, or “Wobblies.” They include songs that are often still sung in labor halls today. Songs like Ralph Chaplin’s Solidarity Forever and Joe Hill’s There Is Power In A Union, that stressed the importance of organizing and helped to build the American labor movement in the early part of the 20th Century.

The soundtrack continues beyond these early favorites. Song has seen us though lack of job security in tough economic times with everything from “Yip” Harburg’s Depression-era Brother Can You Spare A Dime, to later-century works like Styx’s Blue Collar Man, or the Clash singing of dead-end jobs with no prospects in Career Opportunities, and Todd Rundgren fearing the things he might do for lack of Honest Work. Music has lamented the loss of industry with songs such as Bruce Springsteen’s Youngstown

and Billy Joel’s Allentown. It’s described how exposure to hazardous working conditions goes beyond a building and its workers, to be brought home to family members as well, in Sweet Honey In The Rock’s a capella song More Than A Paycheck. It’s railed against sexism and the glass ceiling in songs like Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 and, one of my favorites, Peggy Seeger’s Gonna Be An Engineer. And Jonny Paycheck minced no words when push finally came to shove.

Many of these later songs might not specifically call for unionizing. But maybe that’s because when most of them were written, a large chunk of America was blinded to the value of unions, buying into the myth that if we just made companies richer, wealth would “trickle down” to the workers. But each of them implies that there’s a solution to be found when others who’ve shared these experiences join in their objections. And that’s what unions are all about; joining together, like a well-orchestrated song, and working collectively to improve the job conditions and economic security of workers.

In Solidarity,

Elizabethe Geier Local 17 Trustee