To the Taxpayers of Washington State and their Senators and Representatives I share a personal tale and make a suggestion.
Taxpayer unions that came in through the legislative process must be reversed. These so-called unions, are not unions as citizens and workers historically knew them to be. As I've written previously, and provided testimony to the legislature for a number of years such folks as Andy Stern, the past head honcho of the SEIU (Service Employees International Union), in his early career was a government employee. Andy Stern saw what a cash cow state governments were and got busy lobbying for taxpayer money.
These so-called unions (including the Washington state employees union, AFSCME, of which I had been a member) are merely folks involved in shenanigans, doublespeak, doubletalk, fear-mongering and behind the scenes threats to those who might oppose them to ensure their goal of getting an uninterrupted flow of taxpayers' money.
Now...this last year coming into this year I got to experience the SEIU "organizing of workers" first hand in Oregon. It fully supports my testimony to the legislature these last four years.
I had an individual client in Oregon. I heard SEIU was "organizing" and my name and contact information had to be turned over to them. Well, I thought I'll be experiencing the SEIU "organizing" drill. I waited. I waited. I waited. I waited. At Christmas time I got a postcard. It was blue with white snowflakes. After scrutinizing it I realized it was from the SEIU. There was no message about SEIU organizing or that they were a union or that they cared about me.
Well, I thought, I'll just wait some more. I waited. I waited. I waited. I waited.
Mid-May 2011 I get a letter from the Employment Relations Board that they were mailing me a SECRET BALLOT. I am told if I make any other marks on my ballot (say, that I am not afraid for them to know how I voted and signed my name) my ballot won't count, "because that would destroy the secrecy of your ballot and may void it." My name and address are on the back of my "secret" ballot envelope with my signature. This is NOT how it's done in a real election.
Plus the only folks allowed at the ballot counting are SEIU and "authorized representatives of the employer." Again this is not done in a real election.
The letter says, "...you should consider yourself as having the same rights and responsibilities as a voter in a voting booth." Were they being nostalgic or ironic?
Thus SEIU NEVER contacted me to ask me how I felt about joining their union or even if I wanted to be in a union. SEIU did not call me or send me a letter telling me how much they cared about me or my client. They DID NOT.
Recently, I was invited and appeared for the Governor's signing of the Colby Thompson Act on May 10 2011, named in honor of then 9 month old Colby who at an unlicensed home received permanent brain damage. There were some SEIU members in the Governor's conference room for the signing and picture taking. I heard family members asking each other who those people were at Colby's bill signing.
I went to SEIU 925 website to see what they had to say about now 19 month old Colby and how much they honored and cared about this little guy; and how they supported Colby's mom and dad in getting this bill passed.
NOT A WORD ABOUT COLBY.
SEIU was first most excited about the non-expiring license bill (full paragraph) then excited about the portable criminal history check that they could use and lastly mentioned about upping the fine on unlicensed homes and centers.
Nothing about the new criminal history check which requires all applicants to be fingerprinted (thus an increased safety to children) and nothing about 9 month old Colby and his injuries from being in an unlicensed home; and his parents spearheading the drive to address unlicensed care.
The more unlicensed homes get licensed the more opportunity SEIU will have to get that flow of uninterrupted taxpayer money.
My suggestion to the public is to contact all the representatives and all the senators to ask them to work on reversing these so-called unions. They are not unions. Your senators and representatives want to hear from you.
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