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Americans in Every Way Except on Paper
This month, the Trump administration announced it was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provided temporary permission for over 800,000 undocumented young people brought to the United States as children to live and work in the country. The young people covered by DACA include teachers, journalists, entertainers, behavioral health specialists, and many other young professionals. As the place in the labor movement for professionals, the Department for Professional Employees’ (DPE’s) affiliate unions’ members bring to the table a diverse array of backgrounds, nationalities, and immigration experiences — including Dreamers.
Union Plus Offers Help for Those Impacted by Hurricane Irma
If you are a union member who participates in certain Union Plus programs and have been affected by Hurricane Irma, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Union Plus Disaster Relief Grant program.1
Union Plus Disaster Relief Grants of $500 are available to eligible participants of one of the following programs:
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Bargaining Opens at Cougar Helicopter Inc.
Negotiations have begun with Search and Rescue cabin crew (SAR CC) and pilots represented by OPEIU at Cougar Helicopter Inc. (CHI), located in St. John’s Newfoundland Labrador Canada.
Pictured are the negotiating committee members on August 14, left to right, GHPA/OPEIU Local 103 President Luke Yosca, OPEIU DAG 110 SAR Pilot Scott Ferguson, OPEIU DAG 110s SAR CC President Cody Neal, OPEIU DAG 110s SAR CC Negotiator Steve Pettie, and OPEIU DAG 110s SAR CC Vice President Sean Matthews.
These members with Cougar work in some of the world’s worst weather conditions. The SAR pilots and cabin crew are currently negotiating for their second collective labor agreement. Dispatchers, weather observers and radio operators are now bargaining for their first union agreement. All three groups have negotiators selected from their different units, and are assisted by OPEIU Senior International Representative Patt A. Gibbs.
Union Plus Offers Help for Those Impacted by Hurricane Harvey
If you are a union member who participates in certain Union Plus programs and have been affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Union Plus Disaster Relief Grant program1.
Union Plus Disaster Relief Grants of $500 are available to eligible participants of one of the following programs:
- Union Plus Credit Card Program2
- Union Plus Life Insurance
- Accidental Death Insurance
- Union Plus Auto Insurance or
- Union Plus Mortgage Program
Participants who live in the following counties may be eligible for individual assistance: Aransas, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Harris, Jackson, Kleberg, Liberty, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria and Wharton.
Donate Now to Help Texas Families Affected by Hurricane Harvey
OPEIU members have always been there to help their sisters and brothers in need. From the devastation in Louisiana caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, to the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 in New York and New Jersey, we are proud to say that OPEIU members came forward and did all they could to help those affected.
Now our sisters and brothers in Texas need our help. Hurricane Harvey is probably the largest natural disaster ever faced in Texas. The resulting downpours have caused untold damage in Houston, Galveston Island, Corpus Christi, Beaumont-Port Arthur, parts of central Texas and many areas in between. And, as we all know, things could get much worse over the days ahead as heavy rains continue to fall.
Seattle-area union members who dole out benefits to other union workers go on strike
Union workers go on strike around Seattle from time to time. But what happens when office administrators who serve union workers go on strike?
On Wednesday, a local union whose members handle pension and health-care benefits for about 250,000 unionized workers in the Puget Sound region and across the West announced it was fed up with negotiations with its members’ employer and went on strike.
Congrats to 2017 OPEIU Scholarship Winners!
Congratulations are in order to the winners of the 2017 OPEIU Scholarships. Information and applications for the 2018 scholarships will be available in January 2018 by clicking the Member Resources tab).
Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund — Full-Time Winners
Jaylen Stark
DAG 2007A
Region I
Xinyl Li
Local 2
Region II
Megan McCarthy
Local 6
Region II
Statement on Charlottesville from OPEIU President Richard Lanigan
Our country is still reeling from the shocking events in Charlottesville this weekend. In no uncertain terms, OPEIU strongly condemns the violence and hatred that was displayed by Nazi white nationalists in Charlottesville and the racist rhetoric that has followed.
While we may not share the same political views, all Americans share a desire for freedom, justice and equality. And in these confusing, disheartening times, one thing is clear – now is the time that all good people must act, stand up and speak out against this hatred and bigotry. We must all educate ourselves on the issues and then demand that our elected leaders stand with us against all forms of racism, violence and injustice. Each and every one of us shares this responsibility; we must not and cannot remain silent in the face of hatred.
Urge Your Senator to Defeat Health Care Bill
Act now to urge your senators to oppose the Republican leadership’s healthcare bill that will rob millions of people of benefits while giving a huge tax break to the wealthy.
Go to https://aflcio.org/ today to find your senator and call and email to urge them to vote no on the health care bill.
Get Connected!
The new OPEIU app is a great way to stay connected to your union, learn more about your membership benefits, find links to OPEIU’s social media networks, and much more.
Available for free download for iPhones at the App Store and for Android devices at Google Play by searching OPEIU.