(Left to right from back row: Jose Rios, Mack Middleton, Etric Betts, David Etheridge -- Director of City of Dallas Human Resources Department, Elaee Thompson, Joe Jimenez, Rene Alcantar, (next row) Maria Arroyo, Mireya Cossio, Steve Jackson, Leon Hobbs).

Members advocating to protect their jobs and get a 2% base pay increase pays off for Dallas SEIU members.

In the worst economy since the Great Depression, and one of the City's worst budget years ever, the City of Dallas announced that there would be sweeping layoffs of over 800 civilian employees and no civilian pay increases, even for performance. However, despite the economy, SEIU members advocated for eight months to raise the standards for four SEIU job classifications, with a 2% base pay increase and to protect their jobs.

The result: No layoffs of SEIU members! Employees within the following SEIU job classifications also received a 2% base pay increase on October 1st: Crew Leaders, Equipment Operators, Laborers, and Truck Drivers.

This victory can be traced back to March meeting with City Manager Mary Suhm, during which she met with SEIU members and leaders to discuss possible ways to raise the compensation standards for the four job classifications mentioned above. In the following months, the SEIU Team continued to advocate for the raise for several months--ultimately making the case for the base pay increase.

To date, SEIU members have been able to make positive improvements in two out of two past budgets. They're now preparing for the new budget, for which they'll begin advocating this coming January for compensating employees for their years of service.

Calling all Texans: SEIU members in Dallas are organizing for positive change every day. Now's the time for all Dallas city employees to join the winning team! Click here to download the membership card to become a member of SEIU Texas. Once you have completed the form, call 214.823.1409 to have somebody pick up your completed membership card.

To learn more about this year's 2% pay increase, plans for next year, and how to attend SEIU Texas's last general membership meeting of 2009, visit www.seiutx.org

Providers win first contract with higher state rates, new role in system and voice for quality care: 5,000 family care providers in Maryland won their first contract with the Department of Education and the Governor's Office yesterday. The historic contract includes a nearly three-percent increase in the state subsidy, access to decision-making committees, and the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements.

"We hung in there; it's been more than four years. We're really teaching a great lesson to the children in our care: you work hard and stick with it, and you can accomplish anything," said Crystal Barksdale, Kids First Maryland leader and family child care provider in Baltimore County. More contract details on this contract victory for SEIU Local 500 child care providers.

On April 17, SEIU UHW members at Alameda Hospital in Oakland ratified a new three-year contract, which is retroactive to April 2008 and covers nearly 130 workers. The contract includes across-the-board pay increases of 18 percent over three years--the highest in the hospital's history.

"This drive at Alameda Hospital was a true demonstration of member-driven negotiation. We stayed committed and united against all distractions," said Rex Dizon, a surgical porter, union steward, and bargaining team member at Alameda. Read the complete Victory Bulletin (PDF) for more details.