SEIU Local 500 http://www.seiu500.org Raising the standard of living for Maryland and Washington, DC workers and their families Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:31:08 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 American University Adjuncts Vote to Join the SEIU Local 500 Family http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/american-university-adjuncts-vote-to-join-the-seiu-local-500-family/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/american-university-adjuncts-vote-to-join-the-seiu-local-500-family/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:07:26 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1953 Yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board counted the ballots in the election for the American University adjunct faculty union and the adjuncts won a resounding victory for their right to organize and join SEIU Local 500!

Though the results will not be certified by the Board for seven days, the university told adjuncts that they would not be pursuing legal challenges and would look forward to working the first contract.

Check out this article on the victory from Dan de Vise at The Washington Post!

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/american-university-adjuncts-vote-to-join-the-seiu-local-500-family/feed/ 0 Anna Tredway of Rolling Terrace Elementary School Named Supporting Services Employee of the Year http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/anna-tredway-of-rolling-terrace-elementary-school-named-supporting-services-employee-of-the-year/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/anna-tredway-of-rolling-terrace-elementary-school-named-supporting-services-employee-of-the-year/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:01:05 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1929 Every time there is a new project at the school – such the addition of a new kindergarten class or the science garden – she always seems to be right there, working to make each addition the best it can be.

Rolling Terrace is a summer lunch program site, but though the program provides the lunches, it does not provide money for staff to distribute the food – so naturally, for the past three years, Mrs. Tredway has volunteered to help organize the program and distribute the lunches.

Though she does not like to speak about herself, the students and staff at Rolling Terrace Elementary School all seem to agree, Anna Tredway is a true “Champion for Children.”

Also nominated were:

William Merson Thomas Edison HS Building Service Worker
Timothy Hall James Hubert Blake HS IT Systems Specialist
Debra Hirrlinger Earle B. Wood MS Administrative Secretary
Linda Taylor Roscoe Nix ES Administrative Secretary
Rochelle Davis Northwest HS College/Career Information Coordinator
Edward King Martin Sr. Damascus HS College/Career Information Coordinator
Gina Gill Upcounty Regional Services Center Administrative Secretary
Kris Hughes Magruder HS School Financial Specialist
Amy Bledsoe OHRD Substitute Coordinator
Vicki Frank L.E. Smith Environmental Education Center Administrative Secretary
Armineh Sardarbegians College Gardens Attendance Secretary
May-Yue Lay Magruder HS Paraeducator
Judith Lawthorn Sligo Creek ES Instructional Data Assistant (Para)
Vicki Kinderdine Rocky Hill MS Special Ed Paraeducator
Lindy Rizzo Clarksburg HS Special Ed Paraeducator
Wendy Smith Earle B. Wood MS Special Ed Paraeducator
Winessa Crutchfield John Poole MS Special Ed Paraeducator
Maria Checchia Wood Acres ES Special Ed Paraeducator
Yolanda Berrocal Stephen Knolls School Special Ed Paraeducator
Dawn Rundhammer Rockville HS Special Ed Paraeducator
Maria Nappi Shady Grove MS Instructional Data Assistant (Para)
Joanie Prather Maryvale ES Paraeducator
Cathy Neff Walt Whitman HS English Composition Assistant
Laura Engler Poolesville HS Special Ed Paraeducator
Hanan Sinnokrot Maryvale ES Paraeducator
Orly Santos Winston Churchill HS Special Ed Paraeducator
Gregory Melvin Wotton HS Security Team Leader
Sterling Johnson Paint Branch HS Security Team Leader
Mary “Diane” Tefethoff Stonegate ES Administrative Secretary


]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/anna-tredway-of-rolling-terrace-elementary-school-named-supporting-services-employee-of-the-year/feed/ 0 http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/1925/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/1925/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:35:13 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1925 After Lobby Day

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/1925/feed/ 0 Come to Annapolis to Lobby Against Dangerous Cuts to Schools and Pensions! http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/come-to-annapolis-to-lobby-against-dangerous-cuts-to-schools-and-pensions/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/come-to-annapolis-to-lobby-against-dangerous-cuts-to-schools-and-pensions/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:20:40 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1922 On Monday, February 13th, join your fellow union members on a bus to Annapolis to meet with state legislators to talk about your priorities for Maryland’s budget.

Elected officials are talking about passing a pension shift that could cost Montgomery County and its schools millions of dollars.

Maryland has the number one school system in the country and Montgomery County Public Schools lead the way as the finest school system in the state – and the hard work and dedication of Local 500 members make that possible.

Don’t let Annapolis pass legislation that could put the quality of education in your schools at risk. We must protect your schools and your pensions and benefits.

We are leaving after school on Monday from two locations.

For more information or to sign up, visit http://500.seiu.org/lobby/

Don’t miss this chance to make your voice heard!

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/come-to-annapolis-to-lobby-against-dangerous-cuts-to-schools-and-pensions/feed/ 0 Montgomery County School Board Supports Push for Raises http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/montgomery-county-school-board-supports-push-for-raises/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/montgomery-county-school-board-supports-push-for-raises/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:49:49 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1919 The Montgomery County Board of Education told a reporter at the Gazette that they joined Superintendent Joshua Starr in his support for raises for Montgomey County Public School employees.

Read the whole article here.

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/montgomery-county-school-board-supports-push-for-raises/feed/ 0 Workers at the Family Services Foundation and Center for Social Change Honored http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/workers-at-the-family-services-foundation-and-center-for-social-change-honored/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/workers-at-the-family-services-foundation-and-center-for-social-change-honored/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:25:13 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1903 Union members from the Family Services Foundation and the Center for Social Change gathered together on January 28th for a celebratorylunch and to honor twelve of their colleagues who had helped lead the effort to organize their workplaces.

Those honored included:

Vernon Streater (pictured above with Local 500 organizer Michael Vanacore and member strength organizer Jay Weaver)

Bubakar Barry

Karen Swift

Alpha Jalloh

Andrew Jallah

Augustine Ugochukwu

Melissa Jackson

Mohamed Kamara

Zoe Kamara

Peter Shitta

Franck Nougbodoue

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/02/workers-at-the-family-services-foundation-and-center-for-social-change-honored/feed/ 0 Petition for Pay Parity at Montgomery College http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/petition-for-pay-parity-at-montgomery-college-2/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/petition-for-pay-parity-at-montgomery-college-2/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:24:05 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1899 In conjunction with the work of the Joint Work Group on Compensation and Benefits we have launched a petition to demonstrate the support of part-time faculty for the goal of pay parity with the full-time faculty at Montgomery College. Part-time faculty members teach the same students and are held to the same standards as full-time faculty, yet receive much lower rates of pay for time in the classroom and preparation of classes. The petition asserts that comparable work should be comparably compensated, and is part of our overall goal of achieving equity for part-time faculty in all areas of your work at Montgomery College.

You can read and sign the petition here:

Petition for Pay Parity

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/petition-for-pay-parity-at-montgomery-college-2/feed/ 0 Julian Bond: I voted for our AU adjunct union! http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/julian-bond-i-voted-for-our-au-adjunct-union/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/julian-bond-i-voted-for-our-au-adjunct-union/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:33:29 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1892 The right to organize and bargain over working conditions is fundamental…this is the reason I voted YES in favor of American University’s adjunct professors exercising their collective voice in an effort to gain the fundamental respect a professor of higher education should be granted.

Wages for some bordering on the poverty level, limited or no access to affordable health care and an unsecured career track are not conditions that make it possible for one to function at their best while cultivating tomorrow’s leaders. I encourage you to seize this opportunity and without delay support your fellow professors and vote yes now!

Julian Bond
Distinguished Professor in Residence

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/julian-bond-i-voted-for-our-au-adjunct-union/feed/ 0 Individual Development Incorporated http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/individual-development-incorporated/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/individual-development-incorporated/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:52:51 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1877 Click here to view the highlights from the tentative contract.

]]> http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/individual-development-incorporated/feed/ 0 ‘AdjunctNation’ Posts Article on AU Adjunct Faculty Union Election http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/adjunctnation-posts-article-on-au-adjunct-faculty-union-election/ http://www.seiu500.org/2012/01/adjunctnation-posts-article-on-au-adjunct-faculty-union-election/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:19:49 +0000 christopherhoney http://www.seiu500.org/?p=1873 The website AdjunctNation recently posted about the election going on right now at American University that gives adjuncts there the opportunity to vote for a union to advocate for better pay and working conditions.

Read the article here.

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