Scoop May 2012

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop May 4, 2012 Vote May 8 for Linda Coleman and General Assembly Candidates

Vote for one of SEANC’s 28 endorsed candidates during the North Carolina primary on Tuesday, May 8.

Remember to tell your family and friends to vote for Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary. If you haven’t seen SEANC’s TV commercial for Coleman, you can view it here.

A Budget Surplus for North Carolina?

Click here to read the May Reporter!

SAVE THE DATE! The Don Jones Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Aug. 10 at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek

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Right now it looks like the state will see a $21 million budget surplus after paying off some Medicaid bills. Could this be the year that state employees and retirees see some results in their paycheck? SEANC leaders and lobbyists are in the General Assembly every day leading up to the start of the legislative session on May 16, speaking up on behalf of the working men and women of North Carolina.

Can't Wait for a Raise? Recruit Members and Earn Cash Today!

SEANC's Member Action Department is offering a $15 incentive for recruiting five new members. Just fill out and return this form. Have questions? Contact SEANC Retention Specialist Tiffany Woodard at 800-222-2758 or twoodard@seanc.org.

May 13 is Mother's Day

Mother's Day is right around the corner. Have you ordered flowers yet for the special people in your life? From You Flowers offers a 25 percent discount to PerksCard holders by entering 720 at checkout.

SEANC Hot Spots:

Member Discounts Benefits Bulletin SEANC in the News SEANC Insurance Update Your Contact Info Calendar of Events www.seanc.org 800-222-2758

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop May 11, 2012 EMPAC-endorsed candidates have strong showing in primary As of Friday, 21 of the 27 SEANC-endorsed General candidates won their primary battles on Tuesday, with one race still too close to call. Twelve candidates are heading to the General Assembly having no opposed candidates in the general election. One candidate, Wil Neumann (R-Gaston), is in a runoff on July 17.

Here is a bipartisan list of winners.

Perdue releases budget recommendations

Click here to read the May Reporter!

SAVE THE DATE! The Don Jones Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Aug. 10 at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek

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Gov. Beverly Perdue announced her $20.9 billion budget recommendations for 20122013 on Thursday, and included a 1.8 percent raise for active state employees, a 1.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment for state retirees and a call for a sales tax increase. Perdue’s recommendations will soon be negotiated with budget plans from the N.C. House and Senate. Rest assured that as the budget process moves through the General Assembly, SEANC will be on hand every day representing public services and the people who provide them.

SEANC, Linda Coleman make history SEANC members helped make history on Tuesday, as Linda Coleman became the first female AfricanAmerican to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant governor. Coleman scored a landslide victory over state Sen. Eric Mansfield in the primary, winning by a double-digit margin. A runoff, held on July 17, will determine who her Republican opponent will be in the November general election. Read about it here and here.

SEANC In the News SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope was quoted in an Associated Press article responding to the first proposal for state employee pay raises in years, saying “After four years of wandering around the desert, we get a sip of water." SEANC Legislative Affairs Director Ardis Watkins also spoke out on behalf of the state personnel rights of UNC system employees this week in an article in The Chapel Hill News.

SEANC Hot Spots: Member Discounts Benefits Bulletin SEANC in the News SEANC Insurance Update Your Contact Info Calendar of Events www.seanc.org 800-222-2758

AAA Membership Discount Planning summer travel? SEANC members can receive $10 off first-time enrollment with AAA Carolinas. If you are already an AAA member, you can receive $10 off gift memberships for family and friends. To get the discount, just complete this application form.

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State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop May 18, 2012 Legislature Returns to Raleigh for Short Session

SEANC was on the ground to meet legislators as they returned to Raleigh for the short session Wednesday. The House and Senate intend to do their legislative work, including tweaks to the state budget, at a very fast pace. SEANC is seeking a pay raise for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees. Other priorities include fighting privatization and maintaining SPA Rights. Read more in this week’s Legislative Update.

Click here to read the May Reporter!

SAVE THE DATE! The Don Jones Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Aug. 10 at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek

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SEANC Releases Report on Prison Privatization Failures

This week SEANC released a scathing 68page report titled, “Privatizing State Prison Health Care: A Prescription for Making Taxpayers Sick” that details the failures of similar efforts in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The report follows the release of an RFP from the state Department of Public Safety for privatizing inmate health care. On Thursday, SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope hand-delivered the report to the N.C. House and N.C. Senate leadership, and staffers distributed copies to other legislators and the media. Cope also appeared on The Bill LuMaye Show on WPTF 680 AM on Thursday morning to discuss the failures of inmate health care privatization.

SEANC in the News

SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope and General Counsel Tom Harris were interviewed this week after news broke that N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis paid two staffers a month’s salary after they resigned from his office in the wake of scandals with lobbyists. Cope was quoted in a column by News & Observer columnist Barry Saunders saying, “I hope (Tillis) treats other state employees the way he treats his political appointees." Harris, a former Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division guru, said "I am not aware of any rule that addresses pay for a resignation” in another story in the N&O.

Membership Discount

form to SEANC.

Take a break from the summer heat and hit the waves at one of the waterparks offering discounts to SEANC members! Members can get a deal on admission at Wet ‘N Wild Emerald Pointe in Greensboro, Jungle Rapids Waterpark in Wilmington and Myrtle Waves in Myrtle Beach by visiting a branch of the State Employees Credit Union or by mailing in this

SEANC Hot Spots:

Member Discounts Benefits Bulletin SEANC in the News SEANC Insurance Update Your Contact Info Calendar of Events www.seanc.org 800-222-2758

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop May 25, 2012 SEANC victory: General Assembly halts privatization of inmate health care

SEANC wishes to express its gratitude to every General Assembly member who unanimously voted on May 23-24 to halt the privatization of inmate health care, without a legislative act, during the 2011-2013 biennium as part of a Medicaid fix bill. The bill is headed for Gov. Beverly Perdue’s desk and she is expected to sign it. Read more in this week’s legislative update.

Tell your legislator you need a raise!

Click here to read the May Reporter!

SAVE THE DATE! The Don Jones Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Aug. 10 at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek

Quick Links:

The N.C. House is expected to release its budget next week. Last week, Gov. Beverly Perdue released her budget which called for a 1.8 percent pay raise for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, but House leaders have signaled that they will pursue onetime bonuses instead of salary increases. Please contact your legislators today to tell them you need a pay raise, not a bonus. Click here to find your representatives.

SEANC stands up for unemployed workers

SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope joined with the N.C. Justice Center and leaders from 15 other state and national groups Thursday to speak out in opposition to cuts to unemployment insurance benefits suggested by the N.C. Chamber of Commerce. The chamber wants legislators to cut the maximum unemployment benefit from about $506 a week to $350 weekly. The chamber also wants to cut the period of stateprovided benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks.

Enjoy a night at the movies!

Want a night out? Go see a blockbuster movie!

SEANC members can purchase discounted movie theater tickets online for Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Theaters and Fandango at SEANC Perks. Buy today and save!

SEANC Hot Spots:

Member Discounts Benefits Bulletin SEANC in the News SEANC Insurance Update Your Contact Info Calendar of Events www.seanc.org 800-222-2758