ASEA/AFSCME Local 52
12th Biennial Convention
Women’s Issues Committee Report Friday February 22, 2008

Hello my union sisters and brothers,

Women’s issues are society’s issues and this union’s issues. Equitable pay, access to safe affordable child care, respectful and safe workplaces, job skills training, good benefits, solid retirement and a career path are union women’s goals.

As we work for ourselves and the welfare of our families, these issues are crucial to our success and wellbeing. Your Women’s Issues Committee has been listening to members from around the state and responded with a series of actions.

Your Women’s Issues Committee had made a request to the Health Trust for an expansion in our health plan to cover preventive health care office visits. They were able to make that adjustment, at no additional cost to the members. Now we each have $350 per fiscal year to cover office visits for preventive care. Thank you very much; this is a relief to members and their families.

The PINK LINK continues to provide information to our membership. We have 16 health links with over 4,500 hits, two Domestic Abuse links with over 230 hits, and our list of Executive Board reports, surveys, and meeting minutes has over 7,000 hits. When the ASEA web site is updated, the PINK LINK information will remain.

In June 2007 Bryan Evans and I attended the AFSCME Leadership Conference in Washington DC. We were able to meet the staff members of Senator Murkowski and Stevens to speak on issues such as child care, Head Start funding and outsourcing. They are very well aware of the needs of working Alaskans.

Right now, House Bill 266 is support for child care. Please take time to read this. If you find that you support this bill, please write letters to Representative Beth Kertulla. Also, we are in support of Senate Bill 120 and House Bill 190 to support nursing mothers.

The ongoing Women’s Issues Committee and the convention Women’s Committee wrote 5 Resolutions that will come to this convention floor. We ask that you support these resolutions and if you have any questions for us, please ask. We are available to you.

The traveling show had good audience in Bethel. We are going to revamp the program and try to increase our selection of offerings have videos available by request in the future.

Women’s Issues Committee pins are selling briskly! Thank you for your support.

Our committee’s action plan includes our readiness to actively support ASEA and the Health Trust to bring about low cost temporary housing in Anchorage and Fairbanks for patients and families when they must travel for health reasons. We believe these efforts will bring positive light on our union and be supremely beneficial to the membership and all Alaskans. Because we are not in the housing business, we have tried to find a path to a solution that will bear no cost on ASEA, the Health Trust, or the members who volunteer to help effect this while working with community based organizations to bring about alternatives such as the Ronald McDonald House which is so effective in other states. Joan Baez has said, “As long as one keeps searching, the answers come”.

Our silent auction will be an extravaganza of beautiful, donated items from blown glass, handcrafts, Yu’pik drum, books, PEOPLE jackets and jewelry. Many heart felt thanks to those who have donated including ASEA staff, Tam Tocher, and talented generous members from across the state. All funds go to the Women’s Issues Committee.

This year Council 75 has sponsored Theresa Lloyd-Siemer, an active member of their Women’s Committee, to attend our Convention and sell their merchandise of women’s and men’s tee shirts and window clings.

Your Women’s Issues Committee sends our best wishes to this convention to effect positive changes for the good of this union. Can we do this? Yes, we can.

Respectfully and in Solidarity,
Millie Twitchell, Rural; Dee Stelmach, Rural; Diana Smith, Fairbanks; Zuznna Bobinski, Fairbanks; Lin Davis, Juneau; Nadine Lefebvre, Juneau

What you get is a living, what give is a life. Lillian Gish