State Employees
Human Services Support Ballot
Position: SEIU Local 517M Secretary/Treasurer
John Eck
DIVISION: State Employee Division—Technical Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—Department of Transportation—28 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Construction Technician
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Steward, Technical Unit Officer & Board Member, SEIU State Council Trustee, SEIU Convention Delegate, SEIU 517M Secretary/Treasurer.
Andy Johnson
DIVISION: School & Local Government Division—Region 1
EMPLOYER: City of Saginaw—28 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Remote Facilities Person II
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Served in various leadership capacities with SEIU, Current 517M Secretary/Treasurer, President of the Saginaw Municipal Employees Chapter of SEIU 517M, Region 1 Board member, 517M Executive Board member, President of SEIU 517M AFRAM (affiliate of the National African American Caucus of SEIU), President of the Central Region AFRAM Caucus providing leadership for six states of AFRAM caucuses.
Position: Human Services Support Unit President
Amy Davis-Comstock
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—10 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: I have been a 517M member since 2002 and have served on the HSS Executive Board since 2005, Steward since 2008, attended Lobby Day and Annual Membership meetings, COPE Committee, SEIU Member Political Fellow program graduate, Lost Time Member Organizer.
Tomasa Haight
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—Department of Human Services—26 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Disability Determination Assistant
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Served as representative for the members of SEIU Local 517M Human Services Support as a local Steward, Chief Steward, Grievance Consultant, Board Member, Bargaining Team Member, and have furthered my education and studies in Labor Relations through various seminars, and hands–on experience at various levels of State employment.
Position: Human Services Support Unit Unemployment Insurance Examiner Board position (3 Positions available)
ONLY MEMBERS IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXAMINER CLASSIFICATION CAN VOTE IN THIS RACE.
Jeanette Brown
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—9 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Union Steward over 7 years, HSS Board for 2.5 years, Recently appointed Chief Steward, I am also a trainer.
Joey Combs
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—9 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Former Alternate Steward, Former Steward, Former Member Lobbyist, Current HSS Division Board member, Current TEAM leader, Current 517M AFRAM Treasurer, Current HSS Division AFRAM Vice President, COPE Committee Alternate, Current AFL-CIO Alternate.
Janice Cosey
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—7 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Union Steward, AFRAM Caucus member, Alternate AFL-CIO Board member, Lobby Day participant, Protect Our Jobs Petitioner, New Solutions member.
Roderi
ck Pritchett
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—3 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Lost Time Member Organizer, Lobby Day participant, COPE work, workplace issue resolution. Currently working with my church’s leadership board, YMCA and North Moore Community Group.
Leona Robinson
DIVISION: State Employee Division—HSS Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—9 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Unemployment Insurance Examiner – Claims Examiner
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Steward since 2005. Community work with Gatherings of Hope and Pathways to Possibilities Cooperative with Calvin College and the local community.
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The following candidates ran unopposed for their respective positions. They will be certified as the winner for their position by the Election/Tally Committee.
SEIU Local 517M President – Bill Ruhf
HSS Unit Board
Vice President – Denise Edwards
Employment Services Interviewer – Joe Gabelsberger
Disability Determination Assistant – Heidi Zens
Combined at-large – Kevin Benson
Technical Unit Ballot
Position: SEIU Local 517M Secretary/Treasurer
John Eck
DIVISION: State Employee Division—Technical Bargaining Unit
EMPLOYER: State of Michigan—Department of Transportation—28 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Construction Technician
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Steward, Technical Unit Officer & Board Member, SEIU State Council Trustee, SEIU Convention Delegate, SEIU 517M Secretary/Treasurer.
Andy Johnson
DIVISION: School & Local Government Division—Region 1
EMPLOYER: City of Saginaw—28 Years
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Remote Facilities Person II
SEIU Local 517M and other relevant experience: Served in various leadership capacities with SEIU, Current 517M Secretary/Treasurer, President of the Saginaw Municipal Employees Chapter of SEIU 517M, Region 1 Board member, 517M Executive Board member, President of SEIU 517M AFRAM (affiliate of the National African American Caucus of SEIU), President of the Central Region AFRAM Caucus providing leadership for six states of AFRAM caucuses.
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Please note that election of Technical Unit officers and board members will be done in the fall.
Notice to MDOT Transportation Technicians
By now most MDOT Technicians in Construction have received notice of a change in their Travel Expense designation along with notice of changes to existing expense reimbursement amounts.
Be aware the Union leadership is taking action to fight these unilateral changes MDOT is making. A Union grievance has been filed along with and unfair labor practice charge that applies to all MDOT technicians that have had their expenses changed (reduced) or have had their travel classification changed from a schedule II field employee to a Schedule I field employee.
Contact Dennis Streeter for more information at dstreeter1@seiu517m.org.
Proposed By-law Change for Human Services Support Unit
The Human Services Support Unit Board has approved, with a two-thirds majority vote of the Unit Board, to amend the HSS By-laws to reflect the same language as the SEIU Local 517M By-laws. The proposed change reduces the length of time a member needs to be in dues status to run for a Unit Officer position. According to Article IX of the HSS Unit By-laws, amendments are passed by the Unit Board and then, after at least 30 days’ notice to the membership, placed before the SEIU Local 517M Executive Board for ratification. This vote will take place at their May 18th meeting. Please click on the link and read the full details.
Civil Service Responds to New Solutions Staffing Ratios
Under Gov. Snyder’s direction, the Department of Civil Service has conducted an investigation into worker/management staffing ratios in state government. The New Solutions for Michigan Report shows a staffing ratio of 5:8 workers to 1 manager. Read what the Civil Service internal investigation claims the ratio is.
Report on Private Prisons Shows Risks to Public
Legislators’ Rush to Privatize Prisons Will Benefit Corporation, Not Michigan Taxpayers
New Report recommends caution due to lack of cost savings, contractor’s troubled record
LANSING – Legislators should investigate the failed promises of prison privatization in Michigan and other states before rushing to pass proposals under consideration, state corrections officers familiar with the issues said today in releasing comprehensive research about risks to taxpayers and dangers to residents.
“The reality of privatization is that it ends up costing taxpayers more, not less – and we’ve seen that in Michigan,” said Michigan Corrections Organization Executive Director Mel Grieshaber. “Privatization is tempting because corporations make all kinds of promises, but they don’t deliver on the cost savings and they don’t run their facilities safely. Michigan doesn’t need more prison space. Taxpayers should question why the Legislature is rushing to approve a plan that will give more profits to a corporation that already failed here.”
In addition to the privatization of various prison services that has hit unexpected snags, the Legislature is preparing to vote to authorize housing state inmates at a private prison in Baldwin in Lake County owned by the GEO Group, Inc. The prison was run as the North Lake Facility for Youth by GEO, then the Wackenhut Corrections Corp., from 1998 until 2005.
Its contract was cancelled after years of unusually high rates of costs and violence and failure to deliver contracted services – yet the for-profit company sued the state for $5.4 million when Michigan terminated the contract.
Now GEO is seeking to re-populate the prison, despite Michigan’s prisoner population being the lowest since 1998. The legislation (HB 5174 and HB 5177) has appearances of being a bailout for GEO for the money they put into the private prison, which they have kept running with a skeleton crew.
Money allocated to private contractors not only goes out of Michigan (GEO is based in Florida) but tends to be used to support the corporation’s focus on profit rather than public safety: GEO’s top six executives made $13.5 million in 2010.
Led by the Michigan Corrections Organization (MCO), SEIU, the UAW, AFSCME, and MSEA joined together to release the comprehensive examination of privatization,“Pitfalls and Promises: The Real Risks to Residents and Taxpayers of Privatizing Prisons and Prison Services in Michigan,” . It details the problems under privatization at Baldwin and elsewhere and GEO’s troubled history, including multiple lawsuits that have cost GEO tens of millions of dollars – liability costs passed on to state with which it contracts.
Officer Kevin McDaniels of the Michigan Department of Corrections worked at the privatized Baldwin facility from the day it opened until it closed. As a lieutenant, he screened job applicants and would often see candidates he recommended for rejection hired as corrections officers.
“We held nearly 30 training academies in those six years and we still ran without sufficient staff because so many would quit or call in,” said McDaniels, who now works at the Pugsley Correctional Facility near Traverse City. “When you have the constant rotation in of new officers, most with little experience, the inmates are unsettled and there is a much greater risk of officers being hurt or security problems. The difference between a state-run prison and a private-run facility is the difference between a secure, efficient operation and a chaotic danger zone.”
The report also details problems with the state’s privatization of prison services such as health care and food service.
“State food service workers also perform custody and security duties, just like Corrections Officers,” said Mark Smith, a 22-year food service supervisor at Chippewa Correctional Facility in Chippewa County. “Unlike us, when food service is privatized, those kitchen workers must have a Corrections Officer with them, which only drives the costs back up. It’s another example of how privatization sounds good on paper but doesn’t actually save money in real life. A better way is to have employees work with the state to find ways to cut costs, which is what we’ve been doing successfully and want to keep doing.”
Lawsuit and ULP Filed Over 4% State Retirement Contribution
A lawsuit was filed on Monday, February 13, 2012, by SEIU Local 517M and the other four state employee unions. The lawsuit is over the State’s requirement of a 4% contribution to the defined benefit retirement system if a state employee chooses to remain in that system and not convert to a defined contribution retirement. This requirement was enacted by the legislature without the approval of the Civil Service Commission. More information will be available on this website.
View The Lawsuit Here
Detroit Free Press Coverage 2/13/2012
Also, last Friday, February 10th, SEIU Local 517M as well as the other four union-members of the Coalition of State Employee Unions, filed a formal Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against the Office of the State Employer for:
“….unilaterally implementing without bargaining with the SEIU and in derogation of the SEIU’s collective bargaining agreement, changes…..in the defined benefit pension plan” by requiring employees to either contribute 4% of their compensation to remain in the plan or freeze their current DB benefit.
We will update our SEIU members as these actions unfold.
Changes to State Employee Retirement
There are a lot of questions about the choices employees must make regarding their retirement. The Office of Retirement Services is holding informational meetings throughout the State. Click https://dmbinternet.state.mi.us/dmb/ors/Seminars/prim/SeminarDates.asp?Cmd=date&Region=9&System=1 to find a meeting near you. There are questions regarding whether or not employees should make their irrevocable choice or wait to see if litigation is pursued against the 4% contribution. YOU MUST MAKE A CHOICE. Even is a lawsuit is filed, the Unions may not prevail so whichever option you choose is the plan you will be placed in. There are also questions regarding the letter that ORS sent out to Defined Contribution employees that stated the maximum healthcare premium benefit to be earned would be 80%. The current law states that an employee in the DC plan can work 30 years and earn up to 90% of their healthcare premium. This has not changed. There is speculation that ORS is looking into the future and assuming that the change in premium split for active employees moving to 80/20 for the State Health Plan will also be applied to retiree healthcare. The Retirement Act does state that the premium for retirees will be at the same proportion as active employees but this change has not occurred. It may occur in the future and if so, it would apply to all retirees, not just employees in the DC plan.
State Employee Retirement Questions
There is great confusion about the statement sent to Defined Contribution employees regarding the 80% maximum for healthcare coverage. The new law did not change the fact that DC employees earn 3% of their healthcare premium per year up to 90%. The Office of Retirement Services may be looking into the future and assuming that retirees will have their premiums changed to 80/20 based upon the new State Health Plan premium for active employees changing to 80/20 on October 1, 2012. Please attend the meetings that are being held around the state and ask your questions to Retirement. https://dmbinternet.state.mi.us/dmb/ors/Seminars/prim/SeminarDates.asp?Cmd=date&Region=9&System=1. At this point, there are no solid answers and the current law stands at 90% coverage.
State Employee Retirement Changes FAQ
Here are Frequently Asked Questions put together by the Office of Retirement Services concerning the changes in the retirement systems for state employees.