April Update from Flora Walker

Update from UDW/AFSCME
Administrator Flora Walker

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April 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last year saw many changes and new challenges for our Union the United Domestic Workers of America (UDW). I am convinced these changes have made us stronger. And they will allow you to have a greater voice in determining your future in this very honorable occupation in which you are employed.

The Administratorship
In June 2005, UDW's parent union, The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) placed UDW under administratorship (details) because of financial malpractice. The UDW National Executive Board members, including the President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Vice Presidents all resigned their positions. AFSCME and UDW's other parent union, the National Union of Home & Healthcare Employees (NUHHCE), are sharing the duty of overseeing the administratorship.

How does an administratorship affect you? AFSCME and NUHHCE are responsible for day-to-day union business operations. They are working with UDW staff and AFSCME auditors to ensure that UDW is on sound financial footing.

Despite what you may have read, no union member or group of union members was responsible for the removal of UDW's President or National Executive Board members. The investigation and decision to put UDW in Administratorship was solely made by AFSCME.

California Home Care Workers Union
Shortly after the administratorship was set up, another union, SEIU, began "raiding" the counties where there are UDW contracts, trying to take over our members. Both AFSCME and NUHHCE sent hundreds of organizers in to these counties. The organizers met with local union members and explained this was a conflict between two unions and UDW didn't want to continue to waste members' hard earned money organizing the same workers all over again.

In winter 2005, UDW/AFSCME/NUHHCE agreed with SEIU to form a new union, the California Home Care Workers Union. In all counties covered by UDW and SEIU where there are no union contracts, workers would become part of this new organization. Homecare workers in those counties who already belong to UDW would remain members of UDW.

A New Year and a New UDW
As 2006 started, a new year for the new UDW also began. UDW now has 13 bargaining units in 11 counties with ADDUS HealthCare or the county IHSS public authorities. Those counties are Butte, El Dorado, Kern, Merced, Orange, Placer, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Stanislaus. We are nearly 50,000 home care workers strong!

We are proud to announce that all UDW bargaining units are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. At a minimum, these agreements guarantee increased wages, health insurance, labor-management rights, and a grievance procedure.

We are rebuilding our union, making it stronger than ever before. Here are our goals for 2006:

Continuing to make our union financially stable, spending members' dues money wisely and for the benefit of members and the members' union - the United Domestic Workers of America.
Growing our union membership to 60 percent. Currently, less than half of the workers in our counties are UDW members. We can negotiate from an even stronger position if our employers know we all stand together in the Union. Also, decisions in our state capitol directly affect us and we need to present a united front there, too.
Establishing an office to serve union members in every county or region where UDW operates. We currently have offices in Riverside, San Diego, Orange, Sacramento, and Stanislaus counties. We are opening an office for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties this week. Offices will be established or reopened to service Kern, Butte, Placer, El Dorado, and Merced counties.
Communicate better with UDW members. We will have more members meetings, continue the publication of the UDW newsletter, The Home Care Worker, and expand important information available to you on our website www.udwa.org.
Identifying, training and working with new member leadership. The UDW belongs to its members, and that's how members should feel. In our drive to increase the union membership, we must develop leaders in every bargaining unit to help shape and advance the goals of that unit and the entire Union.
Bargaining for better wages and benefits. Members whose contracts expire in 2006 and 2007 will get help from AFSCME's top-notch negotiators. We will recruit and train bargaining unit members to negotiate for the highest wages and best health care benefits available under the law.
Remaining Active in Sacramento. UDW and its members must be ever vigilant at the State Capitol to both ensure IHSS remain intact and to assure growth in our wages and benefits. New legislation must be introduced to gain fresh benefits and protections for IHSS home care workers.

You and I confront a busy and ambitious agenda for 2006. I have now personally met and talked with hundreds of home care workers and I am convinced we can achieve it!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to so many members who have stood up for the UDW during the trying days of 2005. We are also grateful to those helping us realize our goals in 2006.

In Solidarity,

Flora Walker
Administrator

Flora Walker has been appointed Administrator of UDW until the union's financial house is back in order. Ms. Walker is Western Regional Director of UDW's National Union, AFSCME.

Read article in the San Diego Union Tribune: Union Leader Who is Ready for a Challenge

Click here to read more about the UDW Administratorship.

Do you know if you are a Union member? Paying dues does not mean you are a UDW member. If you aren't sure, you just need to sign a membership card and mail it in to Headquarters. It doesn't cost any more, and has many benefits.

At UDW, we know that sometimes you need specific answers to your questions. Our toll free hotline is there to get the answers you need. Call us at the Member Communications Center by dialing
1 800 621-5016

Understanding UDW's work in Sacramento

Read about what we do to protect your rights, your wages, your job itself, and how you can help.