Scoop October 2012

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop October 5, 2012 Election Day is Just a Month Away!

Each Friday until the election on Nov. 6, we will present one of our statewide EMPAC-endorsed candidates. This week for your consideration Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, a SEANC member and incumbent Democrat from Harnett County who has served in the position since 1997. Don’t forget that early voting begins on Oct. 18 and lasts through Nov. 5. For an interactive map of local early voting sites, click here. Also, swing by the SEANC Central Office today to pick up your Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor yard signs!

Click here to read the September Reporter!

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SEANC In the News

SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope took to the airwaves this week to defend against an attack on state employees. The so-called "Citizens Against Government Waste" released a report claiming North Carolina's public employees are overpaid and make far more than their counterparts in the private sector. Cope called the report ludicrous and pointed out that corporate tax loopholes are the real reason for the state's financial woes, not state employees who struggle to make ends meet.

Shop with SEANC for Insurance Options!

October is open enrollment month for supplemental insurance for state employees – so don’t forget to look at SEANC’s options before making a decision.

SEANC offers three plan options for both dental coverage and vision insurance. Members can also find competitive rates for term, whole and universal life insurance, as well as plans to cover accidents, cancer, disability, critical illness and more. To find out more, visit the SEANC insurance page or contact a SEANC group insurance specialist at 919-833-6436 or 800-222-2758

Insurance Survey (Plus a Chance for a Free Gas Card!)

SEANC needs to hear from you! Do you currently use or are you interested in one of SEANC’s insurance programs? Do you also need some help with rising gas costs? Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey to help SEANC’s Insurance Department better serve you. We had great response to the survey last week, and look forward to more this week. You must be logged into the SEANC website with your member ID in order to participate. All responses will be entered for a chance to win one of two $25 gas gift cards for your time, and we will announce the winners in next week’s Scoop! We look forward to hearing from you!

SEANC Hot Spots:

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

SEANC Keeps Adding New Members!

SEANC’s Member Action Department recruited 37 new members this week at 24 worksites across the state. Recruiters made stops this week at Department of Transportation offices in Chowan, Davidson, Forsyth, Jackson, Stanley and Wilson counties, McCain Correctional Hospital, Wake County, N.C. School of Science and Math, Division of Employment Security offices in Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Onslow counties, the Department of Agriculture’s new employee orientation, N.C. Forestry Services in Fairfield, Davidson Co. Community Corrections and Courthouse, N.C. Cooperative Extension Services in Troy and Graham County, Bertie Correctional Institution, Pender Correctional Institution, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Pembroke, Western Carolina University and Cherry Hospital. If you would like for a member action coordinator to visit your agency, please contact Member Action Director Lynn Cote.

Prepare for a Scare!

Carowinds and SEANC have teamed up for a special group discount for SEANC members to the annual SCarowinds Halloween Haunt!

Simply visit the special SEANC reservations page and log in to see the special rates. The username and password for the site are both SEANC (all capital letters).

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop October 12, 2012 Statewide TV Ad for Linda Coleman

SEANC launched a statewide television campaign this week in support of Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor, touting her record as a champion for North Carolina’s working families. The ad, titled “Extreme Politics,” highlights the stark differences between lieutenant governor candidates Dan Forest and Linda Coleman - namely, Dan Forest’s radical position to deny women’s access to birth control and cancer screenings and his opposition to a minimum wage law. The ad goes on to highlight Coleman’s commitment to protect minimum wage, promote job training and serve as a champion for women’s equal access to health care.

Watch the video on SEANC’s YouTube channel and be sure to share it with your colleagues, friends and family!

Click here to read the September Reporter!

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Lt. Gov. Dalton Favors IT Privatization, Open Personnel Files

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton told The News & Observer this week that he favors IT privatization in state government, despite the fact that it has been a dismal, costly failure to taxpayers in Indiana, Texas, Virginia and other states. The article says that Dalton “is inclined to support legislative proposals to open government personnel file material to the public to disclose reasons for a person's termination, suspension, transfer or demotion.” SEANC members vigorously oppose this type of legislation. The article goes on to say that Dalton “did not think a public employee's performance evaluation or notes to the file by the supervisor should be public record, although he said he would look at it some." SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope stated that, “If Dalton becomes governor, SEANC would work to educate him on the reasons privatization costs the taxpayers more money and presents numerous security concerns regarding the private information of taxpayers that state agencies are charged with securing. Privatization doesn’t make sense – especially in IT services – because we already know it will cost more and provide less security for the taxpayers.”

Today is Last Day to Register to Vote; Early Voting Starts Soon!

Election Day is Nov. 6 but statewide early voting runs from Oct. 18 until Nov. 3. Today is the last day to register to vote in this election! SEANC recently announced bipartisan endorsements for the 2012 general election in November. The endorsements are made through SEANC’s Employees Political Action Committee (EMPAC), which is a member-led subsidiary. “Our members took this job seriously,” said EMPAC Chairman Wayne Fish. “We looked at candidates’ records and asked them tough questions. In the end, we are confident that we have

SEANC Hot Spots:

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

endorsed candidates who support our values.� The 67 bipartisan endorsements in races for the General Assembly are a result of recommendations from SEANC members at the district level. Those recommendations were then confirmed by the statewide committee in late August.

The Air is Chilly, So Hit the Ice!

your tickets today!

Disney on Ice returns to Raleigh! Experience the magic as some of the biggest stars in animation come to life to perform the hottest tunes from across the kingdom! Your SEANC membership gives you access to exclusive deals for the Dec. 5-9 shows of Disney on Ice Rockin' Ever After. Order

State Employees Association of North Carolina The SEANC Scoop October 19, 2012 Early Voting Opens, Time to Vote!

Yesterday marked the start of early voting in North Carolina and voters went to the polls in droves. SEANC urges all members to get out and vote. SEANC’s Political Action Committee EMPAC made 72 endorsements in Council of State and General Assembly races in favor of candidates who support public services and the people who provide them. A complete list of early voting sites can be found here!

SEANC in the News

SEANC launched a statewide television campaign last week in support of Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor, touting her record as a champion for North Carolina’s working families and highlighting her opponent Dan Forest’s radical positions against minimum wage laws and women’s access to health care. The commercial was featured on the News & Observer and WRAL TV-5's websites. You can also watch the ad on SEANC’s YouTube channel.

Click here to read the November Reporter!

SEANC welcomes 109 new members who made the choice to support public services & the people who provide them by joining the association in October.

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Forest on the Run: Desperate candidate sends spam to raise funds

Linda Coleman’s opponent in the lieutenant governor’s race, Dan Forest, has been spamming state government workers’ email accounts asking for donations “in any amount.” SEANC contacted the News & Observer after members called the office to request action against their public services being interrupted for a request for campaign cash.

Shop with SEANC for Insurance Options!

October is open enrollment month for supplemental insurance for state employees – so don’t forget to look at SEANC’s options before making a decision. SEANC offers three plan options for both dental coverage and vision insurance. Members can also find competitive rates for term, whole and universal life insurance, as well as plans to cover accidents, cancer, disability, critical illness and more. To find out more, visit the SEANC insurance page or contact a SEANC group insurance specialist at 919-833-6436 or 800-222-2758.

Get a Deal on Your Next Getaway

Looking for a place to stay for your next getaway? SEANC members can receive exclusive discounts at Choice hotels, which include Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites and Sleep Inn. Use the SEANC discount ID number provided here when making reservations and save 20 percent!

SEANC Hot Spots:

Member Discounts 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 October 26, 2012 SEANC Exposes Forest's Extreme Views

SEANC launched a website this week, extremedanforest.com, to expose the radical stances of lieutenant governor candidate Dan Forest. This website exposes the real Dan Forest – the Dan Forest who will gut worker rights and take away women’s access to affordable health care from women while choosing corporations over people. It covers everything from his nutty views on the United Nations taking over America down to the fact that he’s paid his taxes late and is a hypocrite who claims he wants to cut government spending, but has benefited from state government contracts.

Click here to read the November Reporter!

Quick Links:

SEANC in the News

When SEANC launched the website on Dan Forest’s extreme views, Executive Director Dana Cope told the News & Observer, “(Forest) is probably the most radical candidate who’s ever run for North Carolina office. The vast majority of some of those viewpoints are way outside the mainstream, even within the GOP circle.”

Also this week, the state’s two largest newspapers, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer, endorsed Linda Coleman for lieutenant governor. The Charlotte Observer said she is “an independent thinker, and better attuned to businesses’ needs for well-educated workers.” Both statewide papers pointed out that her opponent’s views are too radical for North Carolina.

Early Voting Already a Hit in N.C.

More than 1 million North Carolinians have already cast their ballots since early voting started on Oct. 18! The popularity of early voting means that voters might experience a short wait at the polls, but it is worth it to make your voice known. SEANC urges all members to get out and vote early. SEANC’s Political Action Committee EMPAC made 72 endorsements in Council of State and General Assembly races in favor of candidates who support public services and the people who provide them. A complete list of early voting sites can be found here.

SEANC Adds to Member Rolls!

SEANC’s Member Action Department added 30 new members in the last week from 19 worksites around the state. The new members come from the Division of Employment Security office in Sanford, Department of Transportation offices in Alexander, Iredell, New Hanover and Pamlico counties, clerk of court offices in Alexander, Iredell, Johnston and Lincoln counties, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Pamlico

SEANC Hot Spots:

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

Community College, Pamlico County Schools, the N.C. Forestry Service, Lincoln Correctional Center, Gaston Correctional Center, Bertie Correctional Institution, J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, Vocational Rehabilitation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. If you would like for a member action coordinator to visit your agency, please contact Member Action Director Lynn Cote.

Peace of Mind for Your Holiday Travels

Traveling for the holidays? Travel safer by becoming an AAA member at a low price! SEANC members receive $10 off first-time enrollment. If you are already an AAA member, you can receive $10 off gift memberships for family and friends. See this form for more details!