February 2011 Spotlight

A bulletin distributed after each Board of Governors meeting for use in district newsletters, websites and meetings. For more information, contact the SEANC Communications/PR Department at 800-222-2758 or 919833-6436. The Spotlight can be found on the SEANC website, www.seanc.org, under “News/Publications.”

The Board of Governors (BOG) met on Feb. 18-19, 2011, to discuss business important to state employees and retirees.

Treasurer’s Report: SEANC’s finances are exceeding target rates with receipts at 35 percent and disbursements at 29 percent.

NAACP Special Presentation: Mary Perry from the N.C. NAACP presented a lifetime membership honor to SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope.

Executive Director’s Report: Perdue Budget Released: Perdue kicked off the annual budget process by choosing wealthy corporations over working families in her budget proposal, which was released on Feb. 17. The governor’s budget proposed: 10,000 job cuts, of which 3,000 are currently filled, changes to the State Health Plan with a $21.50 premium for the Standard 80/20 plan, an early retirement buy out for up to 1,000 employees and only half the contribution necessary to fund the retirement system. At the same time Perdue slashed state employee jobs and benefits, she also proposed to lower the corporate tax structure to the lowest rate in the South and the third lowest in the country. After receiving the governor’s budget recommendations, both the House and Senate will pass different versions of the budget before together agreeing on a compromised budget that will then be sent to the governor for her signature.

Take Pride in Carolina Campaign: SEANC is offering legislators another choice in the budget – instead of cutting quality public services and the people who provide them – with its Take Pride in Carolina campaign. The campaign urges lawmakers to take pride in our state by producing a budget that will keep quality public services. To kick off the campaign, SEANC held a press conference and released the Take Pride in Carolina report, which outlined $10 billion in budget savings from members. SEANC members also made several hundred calls to Gov. Perdue’s office, asking what team she was on – wealthy corporations or working families?

The Take Pride in Carolina campaign will have its own logo and will use several modes of communication to highlight public services and the people who provide them. This outreach will include a distinct website, a blog, TV and radio advertisements , direct mail, social media, text messaging and hometown rallies.

Communications: The SEANC Central Office is increasing its communications to include more Legislative Updates, SEANC Warriors grassroots lobbying opportunities, additional Facebook posts and, coming soon, a Twitter feed. Please take a moment to verify that SEANC has your correct e-mail address on file. If you use Twitter, you can sign up now to follow SEANC on @SEIU2008.

SEANC Ethics Policy update: Several districts raised concerns to the Executive Committee about loopholes and inherent conflicts of interest that (1) allowed leaders of the association to run for office while simultaneously holding an elected or appointed SEANC officer of SEANC and (2) allowed current elected or appointed state government officials to serve as elected or appointed officials within SEANC. The Executive Committee unanimously voted to revise the ethics policy and presented a proposed ethics revision to the BOG for action. After considerable debate, the BOG voted to update the ethics policy.

The practical effect of this policy would have SEANC officers and certain SEANC staff positions resign their positions if they filed to run for a political office or hold a political appointee position in state government. The ethics policy update takes effect immediately.

The full text of the resolution below: The SEANC Board of Governors resolves that it hereby amends the SEANC Ethics Policy to state that it is unethical for any person who has filed to run for or who holds an elected or appointed public office to serve as an elected or appointed state-level officer of SEANC, including its subsidiary bodies, or to be employed as SEANC’s executive director, political director, legislative affairs director or chief of staff/general counsel.

SEANC Ethics Compliance: SEANC General Counsel Tom Harris distributed certification forms relating to the SEANC ethics policy and tax reports for completion by the district chairpersons and district treasurers who missed doing this at the convention. All district chairpersons and district treasurers must complete this paperwork and return it to Tom Harris by the end of March.

Meet and Confer Update: SEANC Intergovernmental Liaison Linda Rouse Sutton presented an overview of the Meet and Confer Executive Order 45, outlining what is permitted under the order and how SEANC plans to execute this new opportunity to work more closely with employees across state government. Sutton explained how the new Meet and Confer process will empower members to be more proactive in their workplace issues and asked for BOG members to forward names to identify a few people within each state group or agency who would help lead this effort within their agencies. Members can contact Sutton at 252-559-0291 or lsutton@seanc.org with names or questions.

Bylaws Update – Chairman Cliff Brown presented an update about bylaws updates. Two bylaws amendments that the committee is working toward involve two-year officer terms and a biennial convention beginning in 2016. The rationale is to align officer terms and the SEANC convention more closely with the state election cycle. SEANC must also change its bylaws to elect members to the SEIU convention to concur with federal law. The bylaws amendment would specify how the elections would occur.

Insurance Board of Trustees will be offering identity theft insurance soon.

Membership Committee – Chairman Spillman Grice and the membership committee is requesting districts to increase their recruiting activities. Eleven districts participated in the retiree in the workplace recruitment campaign. Members must continue to recruit. To assist, there will be an emergency Membership Recruitment Training Event on March 15.

The committee is hosting a SEANC convention delegate challenge between Feb. 18 and July 25. Members who successfully recruit five new people will get a t-shirt and $10.

Minority Council – Chairman Nilesh Surti has finalized an anonymous survey to gather data regarding minority issues in the work place from SEANC members.

Youth Council – Chairwoman Emily Jones reported offering a scholarship for the fist time.

The Youth Council will raffle three vacations at convention in order to fund the scholarship.

Tickets are $1 each and the winners of the raffle will be announced at convention.

Member Discount – The committee announced 40 new businesses since November. All districts are expected to recruit a minimum of five businesses.

EMPAC – Chairwoman Amaka Flynn reported that 2012 election funds are expected to be approximately $952,000. Districts 6, 22, 23, 24, 27, 26, 40, 47, 61 and 63 have reached the 25 percent membership goal.

IMPORTANT DATES March 2 – Retiree Council lobbies at the General Assembly March 15 – Membership Recruitment Training Event March 16 – Eastern Lobby Day in Raleigh, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

March 23 – Central Lobby Day in Raleigh, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

March 24 – Policy Platform Advisory Committee March 30 – Western Lobby Day in Raleigh, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

April 9 – Western Hometown Rally in Morganton, Judge’s Riverside Restaurant, 12 – 12:45 p.m.

April 16 – Eastern Hometown Rally in Greenville, H. Boyd Lee Park, 12 – 12:45 p.m.

April 30 – Minority/Youth Council meeting April 30 – Central Hometown Rally in Raleigh, Bicentennial Park, 12 – 12:45 p.m.

VOTES PASSED – A motion to fund the Take Pride in Carolina campaign by utilizing SEIU International, EMPAC and reserve funds.

PASSED – A motion from Executive Committee to transfer $5,000 from the SEANC reserve account to the automobile maintenance and fuel line item due to projected increases in fuel costs.

PASSED – A resolution from the Executive Committee amending the SEANC ethics policy.

The SEANC Board of Governors resolves that it hereby amends the SEANC Ethics Policy to state that it is unethical for any person who has filed to run for or who holds an elected or appointed public office to serve as an elected or appointed state-level officer of SEANC, including its subsidiary bodies, or to be employed as SEANC’s executive director, political director, legislative affairs director or chief of staff/general counsel.

PASSED – A motion to accept the Minority Council survey.

PASSED – A motion approving the SEANC Veterans Council partnership with North Carolina United Power.

PASSED – A motion to require each chairman to appoint a veterans representative at the district level.