August 7, 2000

PERS HEALTH INSURANCE RATES

The PERS Board of ADminsitration has had these insurance rates on their agenda since April. Of the four options for rates they decided on no co-pay changes. The other proposals would have modified co-pays from $5 to $10 for RX and/or Office visits. But with high co-pays, the increases would be less on premiums. In the next year a change in co-pays will probably come up again. The City's Health Insurance Fair will be on Tuesday, October 3, 2000, at the Fire Training center. The Open Enrollment Period will be from October 1, through October 31, 2000, two weeks hosrter than last year.

WELLNESS REQUESTS

Now is a good time to turn in your wellness recepts for the new fiscal year. Bring in your original receipt to the BCEA Office for home exercise equipment, supervised health promoting activity, or exercise videos. This does not apply to golf lessons or videos.

AFSCME ROCKS - Member-At-Large Sharon Leech

"AFSCME ROCKS," with those words President Mc Entee opened the 34th International AFSCME Convention in Philadelphia and rock it did. AFSCME is not the largest bargaining unit in the AFL-CIO. The importance of that became evident when President Clinton, Vice-President Gore and several other leaders spoke at the convention. We voted on severael reolutions directing the National leaders in areas we wanted them to give priority over the next two years. Privatization on the job and for Social Security was explained in a carnival like setting at the "Unfair" Privatization Expo on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

At the Equal Partners Breakfast the mystery guests speaker was Mary Tyler Moore. She made us laugh, cry and left us with the message that it is never too late to set your life on the right track.

I attended a workshop on steward issues and very much enjoyed sharing ideas with members from all over the country. Charles Kernaghan, Executive Director of the National labor Committee, spoke on the depolorable working conditions in other countries that are without union protection. His description of child labor in China made me promise myself to try to never buy anything made in that country again.

Seeing the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and walking the streets our forefathers, who formed our great country, made quite an impression on me. It also became aware I am part of a group that has the power to get things that matter to me done. It all gave me a much-needed feeling of renewed belief in the fact that as one person I can make a different. I want to thank the membership for the privilege of being one of the five delegates sent to the convention.

POLITICAL CONVENTIONS

Now is the time the Political Parties' Conventions to get out their messages. The RNC this week has had more than it's share of demonstrations. When the DNC has it's convention in Los Angeles, the protectests will make a showing here. The airport, studios, and the Hilton in Burbank may also be targets for protesters. The City has a contingency plan if demonstractions occur here in Burbank. This could mean as City Employees we could be called as Emegency Workers.

I encourage you to follow the political conventions to hear what the issues are in this election. the next Persident will influence the Supreme Court appointments, privatizing government, workers' rights, and so much more. This November's election will be very important. VOTING - it matters to working families.

AFSCME MEMBERS VOTING TO MAKE OUR UNION STRONGER
Taken from "AFSCME 2000 Voting - It Matters to Working Families"

Dear AFSCME Sisters and Brothers,

Democracy in the United States is facing a crisis. The broad particpation in elections that has defined us as a democratic soociety is threatened. The percentage of Americans participating in the election process has been declining for nearly 50 years. Citiczens have become increasingly cynical and mistakenly that their vote does not matter for a number of reasons. Roughly 70 million Americans are ineligible to vote in elections because they are not registered. Nearly 1 in 3 voters must re-register before a national election because they have relocated.

To help reverse these alarming trends, AFSCME is making a concerted effort to register, educate and motivate every one of our members. We understand that realistically, we may not be able to reach that goal. But with hard work, we should be able to get 80% of 1.3 million members registered in time for the 2000 elections.

With two-thirds of our membership currently registered, AFSCME is a leader in voter participation among organized labor.

Though the union's level of voter registration is good, it varies widely among locals and councils.

In support of the 80% registration goal, the International Union is offering the locals and councils resources and materials. These are available from the Political Action Department of Washington, D.C.. Let's make this Internal Voter Registration project the most successful it can be.

In Solidarity,