Teamster 320 Newsletter Spring 2011

8/4/2019 Teamster 320 Newsletter Spring 2011

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LOCAL 320

INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS PUBLIC AND L AW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES

V l u m e X IV • I s s u e # 1S p i n 2 0 1 1 E d i t i n

The bttle is n t sve publi emplyee jbs, binin ihts,

benets nd py. This issue Ll 320 is dedited t publi

emplyees thuhut Minnest nd Wisnsin.

Solidarity in Wisconsin

Fighting to Protect the Middle ClassStop the 15% Public Employee Slash in Minnesota

IN THIS ISSUE:

2) Sue Mauren -War on Public Employees

3) Real Scoop on PensionsPolar Plunge for Special Olym

4) Stop the Slash!

5) Solidarity in Madison

6) Correctional Officer of the YeaHoffa Scholarship - APPLY N

7) Stop the Slash ads



LocaL 320 offIcErS& STaff

Sue Muen Secretary-Treasurer

and Principal Ofcer

Jnne Deby President/Business Agent

Bin aldes ce President/Business Agent

Sami Gabriel

Recording Secretary/ Business Agent

Mi (Mty) Lmb Trustee, St. Paul ISD 625

rihd Wheele Trustee, MNSCU

alstn Duthin Trustee, U of M

Pul Jhnstn General Counsel

Ll 320 Business aents John Avery

Gregory Burnes

Mike CareyGeorge CejkaMike Golen

Leland JohnsonMerl King

Mike O’Donnell (O.D.)Tom PerkinsKari Seime

Curtis Swenson

Speil Pjets Diet Erik Skoog

Suppt St Susan BastianRon Phillips

Suzanne Slawson

Joni SpauldingMarcia Torgerson

Kristi ZieglerKatie Ziembo

Minneplis, MN

Ll Unin oe 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

P: 612-378-8700F: 612-331-8948

Tll fee 1-800-637-5430

online www.teamsterslocal320.org

E-mil [email protected]

Published ByTeamsters Local 320

3001 University Ave. SE#500

Minneapolis, MN 55414

LocaL 320 SEcrETarY-TrEaSUrEr’S rEPorT

War’s Been Declared on Public EmployeesFight Back at Stoptheslash.com

By Sue Mauren

We are at a critical point intime for America’s unionmembers. The war that hasbeen declared on publicemployees and our unions hasculminated with the line beingdrawn in the sand next door inWisconsin. Had it not been for

our hard work in electing Mark Dayton as governor, wecould easily have found ourselves in the same situationin Minnesota.

Typical public employee wages of $40,000 a year,or a pension of $1300 per month did not cause this

economic meltdown. But the real culprits, the WallStreet banks, have done a great job of laying theblame on dedicated public servants and their unions.This attack is a thinly veiled attempt at union bustingin the public sector. City, county, or university workcan’t be sent overseas to dodge unions as they are inthe private sector, so they needed a different scheme.

The methods should not surprise us; it’s the old divideand conquer tactic of turning workers against eachother and our own economic interests. Instead of asking why workers should bear the brunt of a crisisnot of our making, workers are being lured intothinking that if they don’t have a pension or healthcare, no one should. Worker is being pitted against

worker, public employees against private, union versusnon-union, and the only ones benefitting are the WallStreet investors and the corporations who aremaking record profits.

The American dream - the concept of each generationof workers faring a little bit better than the previous - isonly working for the wealthy and the corporations.As the economy gets tougher for the typical family,corporate profits are hitting record highs.

The struggle in Wisconsin belongs to all of us. Weshould all be angry with politicians manipulating aeconomic crisis to destroy a standard of living and tvery unions who have fought to create it. As GenerPresident Hoffa said in Madison, “The Teamsters Unstands with the employees of Wisconsin. This is a bfor all of labor, all working families, across the coun

“The Temstes Uninstnds with the emplyees

Wisnsin. This is bttle ll lb, ll wkin

milies, ss the unty.”

-Teamsters General President Jim Hofa

addressing workers in Madison

Inside thepages of thisnewsletteryou will findimportantinformationabout what Local320 is doing tofight back, and what each member can do.At this critical point in time, we must stand upfor what is right. Members can do this by goingto our new web page at www.stoptheslash.comand visiting the International Union’s site at www.stopthewaronworkers.org.



By Sami Gabriel,redin Seety/Business aent

On February 12, a group of people jumped inthe cold waters of Foster Arend Lake in Rochester.It is The Polar Bear Plunge that benefits SpecialOlympics Minnesota, hosted by Law Enforcement

of Minnesota. There are 14 cold jump locationsaround the state. One of our own Local 320members is a “super plunger” who made 24 icy jumps in 24 hours. DaveHolm is a special education teaching assistant at Bridgeview School in thet. Paul School District. He has been a teaching assistant for the past 24ears and he currently works with children who are 7-10 years old.

Dave started participating in the Polar Bear Plunge a few years ago andas made 4 single jumps in Maple Grove and 2 multiple jumps. Thisear was his second doing the super plunge, which means Dave jumpednto the water 24 times in a 24 - hour period. It’s a grueling schedule andnly a few are hearty enough to go through with it. You also have to raiseminimum amount of money for Special Olympics to be eligible. Thisear, Local 320 sponsored Dave to help him reach his fundraising goal of 3,000. The plungers in Rochester raised over $147,000 in 2011. He isne of 9419 jumpers state wide, but more impressive is he is one of onlyeven super plungers.

Dave started jumping to check off one of his life goals on his personalucket list. He now jumps because he is passionate about Special

Olympics. Special Olympics services children and adults with

ntellectual disabilities in 17 sports. Minnesota has over 6,800 special

athletes, all of whom are encouragedto transform themselves by workingtogether with other athletes and thevolunteers who coach them. The SpecialOlympics have been around since1973 and the first polar bear plunge washeld in Como Lake in 1998 with 100

jumpers.

Dave is a full-time teaching assistant. During his free time, he enjoysboating on the St. Croix River with family and friends and loves basewith his son and playing games with his daughter.

Congratulations, Dave on your awesome fundraising skillsfor such a worthy cause!

MEMBEr SPoTLIgHT

St. Paul Teaching Assistant Takes The Plunge For Special Olympics

Local 320 member and super plunger Dave Holm (ar right in both photos)

Dve jumped int the wte 24 times in 24 - hu peid. It’s uelin shedule,nd nly ew e hety enuh t

thuh with it.

MEMBEr SPoTLIgHT

By Brian Aldes,Vie Pesident/Business aent

Public employee pensions are all the talk thesedays. What’s the real scoop with Minnesota’spension systems?

Our pensions differ from those in many states inthat public employees in Minnesota contributeto their pensions. The employee contribution is

oughly equal to that of the employer in all three major systems: TeachersRetirement Association (TRA), Minnesota State Retirement SystemMSRS), and the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). This isa very important point to make when defending our pension systems, ashe media would have Minnesotans believe that taxpayers alone areunding our pensions.

While the stock market decline in 2008 adversely affected Minnesota’spension systems, all three made great headway in addressing the shortfallwith reforms implemented during the 2010 legislative session. In order

to address shortfalls, changes were made that affect current and futuremployees, as well as those that are retired and receiving pensionbenefits. The Directors of all three systems are cautiously optimistic twith the 2010 legislative reform package and a rising stock market, athree pensions are on a good path.

Our pension benefits are not extravagant. In the Coordinated Plan, wcovers 90 percent of PERA’s active members and retirees, 62 percent retirees receive less than $1,000 a month. The overall average pensio$1300 per month. Hardly the gravy train the press is portraying.

More information about each pension system can be foundon their web sites.

The Real Scoop on Public Employee Pensions

The medi wuld hve Minnestnsbelieve txpyes lne e undin u

pensins.



MEMBEr SPoTLIgHT

Attention Local 320 Members. We Need You to Help Stop the 15%Public Employee Slash NOW. It’s Easy.

g The Website at www.Stptheslsh.m.Check out our ads running throughout greater Minnesota.

fllw the dietins ntt yu leisltThe sample letter linke

at the bottom of the pawill help you formulatyour own letter.

1

2



ocaL 320 NEWS

Thomas Aagard Of Wadena County Earns Correctional Ofcer Of The Year Award

Americans strongly oppose laws taking away the collective bargainingpower of public employees, according to a new USA TODAY/Galluppoll. The poll found 61% would oppose a law in their state similar touch a proposal in Wisconsin, compared to 33% who would favor such

a law. (USA TODAY – 2/23/11)

Apply Now for James RHoffa Scholarship

As winter comes to a close, many high school seniorsbegin making plans for their futures. Some will moveon to various colleges throughout the country while

many will stay right here in Minnesota. Regardless if their future plans include a technical trade school or afour year degree, scholarships are a great way to helpoffset the rising costs of education.

This is why the Teamsters are so proud to be partof four great scholarship programs; Jmes r HMemil / Hld J Ytes Memil / Lwell Lynh /

ntentinl Temste Wmen’s cuus.

f you have a child who is graduating from high school this spring, please goo www.teamsterslocal320.org. Click onto “benefits and scholarships” formore information. If you have a child who is graduating from high school thispring and they have not yet received the scholarship packet, please contact

our office immediately or go to www.teamsterslocal320.org. Click ontobenefits and scholarships for more information.

Temstes Jint cunil 32 is nw n febJin us t: Temstes Jint cunil Thity Tw

By Joanne Derby,

Pesident/Business aent

Thomas Aagard, a 23-year employee at theWadena County Sheriff’s Ofce, receivedthe Bruce Eckley Outstanding CorrectionalProfessional of the Year award during a jailconference training recently in Mahnomen.

The award goes to someone whoemonstrates ethics and professionalism when dealing with inmates,he public and co-workers; displays and promotes a positive attitude;s self-motivated and demonstrates leadership and decision makingbilities; supports administration; has a proactive and progressivepproach in taking on extra duties and responsibilities.

Tom also demonstrated these qualications in his capacity as a Local20 steward over the last seven years. One of the areas Tom specializesn at the Sheriff’s Ofce is ‘suspense les,’ in which Wadena County hasanked number one in the state the last two years.

This award was part of the West Central Jail Administrators AssociationCorrectional Ofcers Training.

Congratulations Tom!

New Poll Conrms AmericansSupport Workers’ Rights

At the Awards Banquet, le to right: Sherif Mike Carr, om’s wieKim, Tomas Aagard, Erika Waldahl, Jail Administrator om SpeeSharon Blair and Dennis Martin. Erika, Sharon and Dennis are

Jailer/Dispatcher co-workers.

Der Reubi Ideede

Ver Edui — Is thE tEamstERs’

non-paRtIsan polItIcal actIon commIttEE.

The name says it all.

Fr re ifri, e Ji cui 32DRIVE ofce at 612-331-5514 or visit our website

at www.teamstersjc32.org.

We can assist you with balancing and managing many of life’schallenges. Our professional counselors can help you with:

•Emotionalconcerns

•Financialproblems •Family/marriageissues • Alcohol/drugabuse •Stress/anxietyanddepression •Legalconcerns

Remember…Problems and stress happen to everyone.Call the Service Bureau.We’re here to help! 612-676-3700 (or 24-hour toll free1-800-979-9725)

The Teamsters Service Bureauprovides FREE condential servicesfor you and your family.



They wee mpnied by di ds

yu n listen t t:

Local 320 is Sending the Message Across Minnesota

Stop the 15% Slash!

These ds ppeed in the Twin cities, Duluth,

Mnkt, rheste, St. clud, Bined nd Bemidji.



Teamsters Local 3203001 University Ave. SE #500Minneapolis, MN 55414

Teamster 320 Newsletter Spring 2011

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