PRESIDENT RICHARD CASTRO RICHARD CASTRO
Again,
I want to thank all the members who attended our most recent membership meeting
at
I
would again like to call attention to the possibility of a union dues
increase. As I have stated every time
this subject has been raised, this Executive Board is looking to the membership
for suggestions as to how might the union dues be structured better. I’m pleased that this Board had the
opportunity to discuss what cost measures have already been taken; to point out
again that a big part of the problem is the loss of members (over 300-350 in
the last 7-8 years) which represents a loss of over $150,000.00 each year in
annual revenue. We no longer have a
Northern Office; The Northern Business Agent’s hours have been reduced to cut
costs. The negotiators/Executive Board
has had at least 15 conference calls in the last year to save on meeting
costs. These are some of the cost
cutting measures already in place.
It’s
the membership that has the choice: keeping representation the same or similar
as it is today (which will require a small increase); keep the dues that we
currently have, which will result in loss of services to the membership. One member brought up selling the office
building and/or eliminating staff which I think would be foolish.
Some
of the proposals brought up at this meeting: having a base plus an additional
pro-rated charge for days worked; have a tiered system whereas for example
those with a seniority number under a 1000 would pay one rate, those over 1001,
a different (lower) rate; one suggested lowering dues for just those with the
higher numbers which would require the base to be raised by the others.
Not
brought up at this meeting, but someone suggested that those who qualify for
health benefits should pay more, which I think deserves more consideration.
The only reason I’m bringing this up again, is
to stimulate conversation as to what the membership will support. This Executive Board understands that we work
for the membership, and all I’m trying to do here is get more of the membership
involved in a constructive way.
At this meeting some members also suggested proposals
that should be directed for Contract Negotiations. Our current Collective Bargaining Agreement
ends September 2009. I have already
started a file for these negotiations.
Anyone who would like to submit proposals should feel free to send such
a letter and I will see it gets into the file for future negotiations. This Executive Board has and will continue to try to find ways to improve our current
Collective Bargaining Agreement. It
isn’t a waste of time to submit your thoughts or your wish list.
I
want to also thank the membership and our Executive Board for all the help that
I have had this past term as your President.
It has been a pleasure for me having the opportunity to serve you. It is very clear to me that you deserve more
in wages and benefits. Most of us
realize this is a sick Industry right now which makes negotiations especially
for higher wages so difficult.
Regardless how difficult, I can promise you this Board will continue to
fight for your rights to higher wages and better benefits.
Congratulations to brother
Kent Fox who won his first race as a Professional Harness driver at
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ELECTION
NOTICE |
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2007 is an election year for Local 280. There will be voting for all
positions: President, Northern and
Southern Vice-Presidents, Secretary-Treasurer, Northern and |
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Monday,
October 1st at |
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Tuesday,
October 2nd at |
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Francesco's
Restaurant, 8520 Pardee & |
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The Ballots
are scheduled to be sent out Monday, October 22nd and returned by
Saturday, They will
be picked up at If there
is a runoff, the Ballots are tentatively scheduled to be sent out on the
November 15th and counted on November 30th. |
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If you
have any questions, please refer to your Constitution and By-Laws or call the
Guild office. |
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Retirement
and Pension Meetings |
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There will be meetings on the following dates and
times to talk about and answer questions concerning retirement. If you are getting closer to retirement or
have questions about your pension or
retiree benefits, you should
attend one of these meetings: |
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October 1st @ |
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October 2nd @ |
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Francesco's Restaurant, 8520 Pardee & |
Recently we had
a member who was over 70 1/2, being denied unemployment benefits because he was
drawing a pension from his employment at the racetrack. The unemployment office
and later the appeals hearing officer ignored the fact that the pension he was
receiving was from monies he could have taken home on his paycheck, had not the
membership designated those monies to go into the pension fund. The E.D.D. and
the hearing officer also ignored the fact that this person under federal law
was required to take his pension because he was over 70 1/2 years of age. In
addition to these facts the E.D.D. and the hearing officer also ignored written
evidence that in 1992 one of our retired members, Merwin Koppel, won an appeal
with the E.D.D. that because our pension was "in lieu of wages" you
could draw your pension and collect unemployment benefits.
After receiving the denial from the hearing officer, our
attorney, David Rosenfeld was called; he appealed the member's case before the
Calif. Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board; the denial was reversed and this
particular member was granted his money. Even though this case was won, our
attorney tried to have this case published as a precedent decision, but the
Insurance Appeals Board denied that request. However, it can still be used in
cases involving our Guild members.
Those members who wish to have their children covered
under the Health and Welfare insurance, ages 19-23 who are attending colleges,
must submit to the Health Trust every semester or quarter, documentation
from their children's school registrar, proof that the child is taking a
minimum of 12 units or the equivalent.
I
get a lot of requests from members asking if they can buy health insurance
through the Guild. I have to tell them "no"; that the only way that
you can be covered under our policies is if you work the required number of
hours-1170 for day workers, or 85% of the available hours at Los Alamitos for
night workers. Once you have qualified for the insurance, you can continue on
the insurance (if there is no lapse of coverage) for a period of 18 to 36
months by paying the COBRA rates (costs plus 2%); or, if you are drawing a
pension, you can continue on the plan as long as the premiums are paid as a
retiree.
I also get inquiries about the "free one- time insurance"
option. What that is, is the One-Time Disability option.
One time during your career as a clerk, if you are on the insurance and do not
make your days the following year due to substantiated medical reasons, there
is a provision in the contract that will allow you to have the insurance for an
additional year, with the employer paying its share of the premiums as if you
had worked. This option is for medical
reasons only.
There is also a provision with the California Service
Employees Health Trust that will allow you to have up to an additional 6 months
of coverage, if you don't make your days due to medical reasons, and are
disabled during the time the 6 months of insurance would take effect. Contact
me if you have any questions.
The pension trust is still taking about 5 months to
process the pension applications. The pension trust is also requiring members
to begin taking their pensions at age 70 instead of age 70 1/2. There will be
pension meetings held on Oct. 1st and 2nd before the
nomination meetings in both So. and No.
The
postage of this newsletter is being paid for by American Income Life. They will be sending you information
concerning free Accidental Death insurance. You are covered by the policy by
just being a dues paying member. If you fill out the card, you can name your
beneficiary; if you do not fill out the card, your beneficiary would be your
estate. By filling out the card, you may be contacted by an insurance agent. If
you do not want to meet with the agent to discuss their products, tell them so.
You do not have to meet with them to be covered.
SOUTHERN VICE-PRESIDENT DOUG
KEMPT
The first four weeks of the
2007
FAIRPLEX BEGINS
The 2007 Fairplex meet begins
the Friday after
SATELLITE WORK OPPORTUNITIES
With many clerks down at
OAK TREE 2007
Oak Tree @ Santa Anita will
run
BIG DAYS
The following are days where
a large crowd is anticipated, and clerks will be needed:
Monday, Sept. 03…Labor Day
Holiday
Wednesday, Sept. 05…
Wednesday, Sept. 26…Opening
Day at Oak Tree
Saturday, Sept. 29…Stein
Giveaway at Santa Anita
Sunday, Oct. 07…Sweatshirt
Giveaway at Santa Anita
Fri. Oct. 26 and Sat. Oct.
27…Breeder’s Cup Days (two days)
Saturday Nov. 03…Cal Cup Day
at Santa Anita
USE OUR WEBSITE
Please use our website,
http//www.seiulocal280.org to access all sorts of information. Last ons, work
rules, contract language and current messages etc., are always available.
Should you have any problems with the website, please call the office, and we
should be able to help you navigate.
YOUR WINDOW
During the
CUSTOMER SERVICE
I cannot emphasize this
aspect of our jobs enough. The customers we serve are the ones paying our wages
and benefits. Most of them pay good money to come to see us (parking, gas,
program, seat, form, food and drinks etc.), and we need to remember that if
they do not come to races, they can stay home and wager all day long. When you
get new, obnoxious, drunk or unhappy people at your window, please try to be
nice to them. You can be the difference between a new customer becoming a
regular, or that person deciding to stay home and spend their money elsewhere.
We need the customers to come to the racetracks and satellites to see us, and
utilize our knowledge to make their experience a pleasant one.
TOTE PROBLEMS
We are still dealing with old
machines and recurring TOTE problems. When you experience a problem, please notify
your STO. Problems like ticket jams, delays, stuns, sticking keyboards, double
numbers etc., need to be documented. Your STO should have a sheet to document
TOTE problems. New machines are being deployed slowly, and we believe they will
be completely installed by the end of the year.
S.T.O. RESPONSIBILITIES
You are the supervisor of
your line/ lines. When clerks have Tote issues or Customer Service problems,
the STO is the first person they should call on for help. If a clerk reports
the same TOTE problem more than once, you need to let the mutuel office know
that you have a recurring problem. Documentation of issues is vital to your job
responsibilities. Management, the TOTE Company and the
BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES
When you open your machine,
the first thing you should do is put in your draw (usually $880). At the end of
the day, you should count your money, check it if you need to, then enter your
final return for the total amount being returned. Finally you may perform a
“function 10” to see how you balance. You are not to change your money or your
final total once you have counted out and entered your final return.
CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW MEMBERS
In mid-July we brought in a
total of 14 new members (one of which
was in the North) -- Clyde Adams, Gail Ask, Tina Chou, Jimmy Chow, Quinita
Floyd, David Kasparian, Franz Kroellian, William Lenny Jr., Lucia Morinico, Van
Ngo, Thuha Nguyen, Thu Nguyen, Rumpa Suwanchatchai, and ZhouMing Wu.
NORTHERN VICE PRESIDENT NATALIE GIBSON
Handle
was up at Golden Gate Fields Spring Meet.
At the 35 day meet, which ran from April 25 to June 10, all-sources
(including simulcast betting from
In
Fresno Fair is fast approaching, and I am getting the
worklist together. If you are planning
on working there, it is not too soon to get your name on the worklist. This year because Bay Meadows is running later, if you are working as a
regular (or at one of the satellites), you cannot return to that facility if
you leave to work at
It has been brought to my attention again, that some of
you are not courteous to the Patrons, and also that you continue to eat at the
window. PLEASE stop this practice, and let us show Management what a great
crew we are. I know I have mentioned
this before, but without the Patrons we would not be working, so PLEASE be kind.
Bay Meadows Summer-Fall meet started Wed. August 22, and
continues through Sun. Nov. 4. There are
quite a few groups signed up for the meet.
Please look on the board where I posted the requirements, to see if your
number fits to work on these days.
Fresno Fair starts Wed. Oct. 3 through Oct. 14. There will be no Live Racing at Bay Meadows
on Oct. 3 and 4, and again on Oct. 10 and 11.
There will be a short crew on these days, so plan accordingly.
A big THANK YOU to all of the clerks
who showed up at the fairs. I
know it is a long drive, but you came through this year, and I appreciate it;
because of you, we were over the requirements.
We were fortunate in initiating one new member in the
North in July -- congratulations to David Kasparian.
October 27 is Breeder's Cup,
and is a good opportunity for work.
To all who have lost a loved
one, you have our deepest sympathy, and to those who are ill we wish you a
speedy recovery.
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RETIREE'S
LUNCHEON The
Southern California Retiree's luncheon will take place on Wednesday October 3rd
at Santa Anita. Tickets are $10.00 each, with a 2 ticket maximum per retiree.
Deadline for the tickets is Sept. 25. Additional tickets may be purchased for
$47.00 each. There will be no refund of the $10.00 per ticket this year. |
IN SAD REMEMBRANCE
The Sisters and Brothers of Local 280 extend our
deepest sympathy to the family and friends of those active members and retirees
who recently passed away.
BARRY,
George G. (Ret.)
batsch, Dianna J. (Ret.)
BOCK, Norman E. (Ret.)
GUILTINAN, francis (RET.)
KADOWAKI,
Gary (#568)
large, Bobby (#1669)
Lucero, Ben (#610)
PUREN, Andy
A. (RET.)
STARKEY,
John E. (RET.)
MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our condolences
go to the family of Barbara Stewart on the passing of her father Winfield
Williams.
Congratulations
to Joe and Sharon Stellino, who welcomed a new granddaughter to their family on
July 24th.
Pmeg Local 280 Retirees Circle By Joe Stellino Thanks to all the retirees
that contacted me about the newsletter.
I received this e-mail from Retiree Brother Robert Feuer, which I
thought should be published: "Dear Members, I retired 4 years ago with a
job-related injury. In the recent
newsletter some of our leaders spoke of the advantages the Then there is the Pension
which has made it possible for me to live a comfortable life while many
people my age or older are still struggling with jobs that strain their
declining physical abilities.
Along with a Social Security check, the pension is a life-saver. The only disappointment I have
felt with the pension is that it is not adjusted to the cost of living
which means, in terms of real dollars, I have less income each
year." Please feel free to contact me
anytime to let me know what you Retirees would like to see put in the
Local 280 Newsletter. My e-mail - jstellino@sbcglobal.net (This
is a temporary replacement for the 2007 Racing Calendar) * Southern Thoroughbred and Fair - minor changes from 2006 . No six-day race weeks except . Weeks with a Monday resulting in a five day work week . The week following the Monday Holiday will be the standard
Wednesday through Sunday five-day work week. ** approved by CHRB *** closing day to be determined
.