PARI-MUTUEL EMPLOYEE'S GUILD

SEIU LOCAL 280

Affiliated with Service Employees International Union AFL-CIO, CLC

General Office

1838 E. Huntington Drive

Duarte, CA. 91010-2672

(626) 301-7900

1-800-439-4280 (CA toll free)

E-mail: Pmeg_Local280@hotmail.com (626) 301-7960 FAX WEB: http://www.seiulocal280.org

0906new.doc, 9/11/06

PRESIDENT

RICHARD CASTRO

RICHARD CASTRO

The recently negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement is currently being proof read. Once those corrections have been made, I will collect the signatures to the Agreement and we will get if off to the printers and then distributed. The reason for the delay was because of changes required by the Federal Internal Revenue Service for Pension Plans that we were not aware of. These new language changes had to be included or the Pension Trust would not have passed ‘tax exempt status.’

The CA SEIU Jurisdictional Hearing and Consolidation process for other Locals is in progress. Over 20 different SEIU CA based Locals will be voting on various mergers. In our case, our situation is still being evaluated and once we get more information it will be passed on to the membership. If we are merged into another Local (such as SEIU 1877), the membership will have an opportunity to vote it up or down.

Our Executive Board is optimistic that if we do not remain a stand alone Local as we are today, that other race track classification of workers will be merged into our Local 280. Personally I think that is one of the main reasons no decision has been reached regarding our future. We are considered the most knowledgeable, best organized, best structured of all the CA Race Track Locals.

Part of the Jurisdictional process was the formation of a ‘Property Service Council'. The International has ordered Local 280 to participate in this council. Jim Correll, Douglas Kempt and myself attended the first meeting September 6^th. We agree that this Council probably as it is being proposed is not the best structure for us. This Council is being looked at as an administrative tool so that duplication of services won’t happen because everything will be centralized. So who does the newsletter and what does it contain. Currently everything in the newsletter relates to us. What is proposed will contain information on janitors, cemetery workers, landscape workers…..we feel it is best if all the concentration for our members relates as it does only to our issues. These are the kinds of issues that the International is trying to get worked out.

WOW! DID LOCAL 280 MEMBERSHIP COME THROUGH ON THE PHONE BANK CALLS AND THE PETITION! We had less than 36 hours to get prepared and put a plan in place, worse it was over the weekend. The over 900 signatures went to every CA Assembly person and more. When we lobbied, we were greeted: ‘we are hearing from your members;’ your members are calling, we understand. They got faxes, overnight mail, e-mail….it was a great campaign.

The first two days organized labor stood together. Third day, the Communication Workers Of America folded as did some CA Racing Associations. Fighting to slow the passage of the Indian Compacts to help get money into CA Horse Racing Purses was successful. We stopped the ratification of the Compacts, and that is giving more time for CA Horse Racing interests to negotiate a financial package that eventually should bring more work for our members.

We will probably have to do this again; probably be on short notice and I know if asked, we will get the job done. Working together at some point will benefit all of us over the long term. From this Executive Board, we say thanks for the effort; it was appreciated by the CA Horse Racing Industry.

The Legislative tool to amend the Indian Compact (which we petitioned against passage, AB 2399 carried by Bonnie Garcia, Assemblywoman) was flawed for many reasons. It took away State and Federal Labor Laws governing worker protection rights that we have currently at the race track. For example, the tribe would not even have to pay minimum wage for work done on the reservation. The Tribe would not have to pay overtime as we know it. If you had a grievance, too bad because that was an unacceptable method to resolve a work related dispute. There was no written promise that tribal money would go to CA race track purses in AB 2399. The CA Racing Associations could never operate ‘new gaming machines, or even Bingo. There was no written promise from the Governor that he would help racing, only a promise after the election would he get involved (if at all). This was a major concern for us in racing, because over the last couple of years there have been many broken promises from this Governors’ Office.

This issue is important for us, because we have members who work on CA Native Tribal Casino Reservations. In the future, hopefully we will increase the number of jobs on Tribal Casino Reservations, either as Local 280, some other SEIU Local or because of a merger with UNITEHERE. These are just some of the many reasons why all Racing Associations and Organized Labor did a joint venture to stop AB 2399 as it was written.

We did a great job getting our position heard. Because after November, 2006 we will have a 1/3 changeover in Legislators, we will need to lobby our interests again and harder. If you know anyone running for office that is favorable to Organized Labor, please get this information to the Southern Office.

We still need tote problems documented. Many locations are not reporting machine problems. Remember, this is a joint effort between the tote company, mutuel department and Local 280. We can’t get it fixed if we don’t know about it.

By now hopefully you have heard that AB 2399 has been defeated. The bill would have given the Indian Casinos (specifically the Agua Caliente Indians in the Palm Springs area) additional slot machines. Three other compacts hinged on the passage or defeat of AB 2399. If the bill had passed, the Indians would have gotten money, the state would have gotten additional money, and the tracks may have gotten something for purses but there were no guarantees that it would have been enough to make racing viable again with the Eastern Tracks that have/or will have slot machines. The bill was defeated because there were no provisions for labor as had been written into other compacts and the workers on those Indian reservations would have had nothing to protect them.

If you have ever been to an Indian Casino it appears that the worker’s seem happy. However it only takes one boss who believes that he has the right to touch an employee in an inappropriate way, or to make a person work overtime without additional pay, and then you have problems. The way AB 2399 and the other three compacts were written, if these things happened, the employee would have no recourse. They would be under no state or federal worker protection laws. The only protection they would have had (if the Indians had agreed to it) was a Union contract which they have in some Indian Casinos.

Now why should we care about the workers at the Indian Casino’s? Especially since the Union that would be representing them, UNITE-HERE is currently causing 280 problems. We should care because we are all workers and an injustice against one is an injustice against all. However, we should also care because there were no guarantees in these compacts for Horse Racing. The Governor indicated he would help Racing but it was not in writing or in the compact. AB2399 was stopped, and hopefully there will be something in writing in this and the other compacts that will help California Racing to compete with the other states.

Thanks to all of you who signed the petition and or made phone calls, it worked.

On my last visit to Del Mar I saw a number of clerks gathered around the self-serve machines before deadline. There they were, in their Del Mar provided Hawaiian shirts in front of main line 1, in full view of management handing out assignments making their wagers. Now if these clerks are going to bet, wouldn’t you think that they could punch out their tickets at their own windows instead of on a self-serve machine in front of management? You would think so wouldn’t you?

I understand that a lot of our members only belong to the Union because they have to. They probably don’t care one way or the other about the Guild and hate paying the dues. I don’t like paying my dues either, but you pay dues to have a job that pays a minimum of $16.63 an hour. A job that has a pension plan that contributes a minimum of $2.14 an hour for every hour worked. A job that allows you to take off time from work when you want and return years later (with refresher training) without missing a beat. A job that pays for insurance for a member who went through his $1 Million in life time medical benefits, and then got he and his spouse insured with Kaiser. I keep stating a job this or a job that. But do you think this job would be any good without the Union? If you do, compare the job at Wal Mart to that at Ralph’s or Safeway. Compare Wal Mart’s medical benefits to that of a Retail Clerks. If you think this is such a great job, then ask yourself why do the Tracks in California pay like they do compared to those in Arizona and the clerks in Vegas. This job is good because of the Union. The Guild knows that its members would not have a job without the racetracks as employers. But would you want a $10.00 an hour job if there were no Union. The job is good because the Union and the Union members since the early 40’s made it be a good job. Don’t embarrass yourself or its members by betting on self-serve machines in front of management or at any other time.

In my last newsletter, I mentioned that the Pension Trust is starting the pensions of members reaching age 70. You do not have to wait to age 70 ½ anymore before being able to draw your pension and work full time. You can now draw it at age 70 and work full time-(but not before age 70).

The Guild has movie tickets for sale. Both AMC and Regal are $6.00 each. The Guild also has See’s candy 1 lb certificates for sale at $10.00 each. These may be purchased by sending in the correct amount to the Guild along with a stamped self-addressed envelope. The Guild also has discount cards and coupons available to you for the Long Beach Aquarium, Magic Mountain, LegoLand, Sea World, and Universal Studios.

SOUTHERN VICE PRESIDENT

DOUG KEMPT

DEL MAR 2006

Del Mar had a good meet! Numbers were down slightly off of a record year. We certainly could have used many more clerks on the weekends and especially the big days. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO BRAVED TO GET DOWN TO DEL MAR THIS YEAR. WITH GAS PRICES AND THE HOUSING COSTS, DEL MAR AND YOUR UNION THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!

CALLING ON AND OFF

If you are not going to report to work when you are expected, please call off. If you have not worked the previous day, please call on. This should be routine by now, but we still hear from managers that many clerks do not call on or off. The code-a-phone numbers are readily available, please use them.

PEACE THROUGH MUSIC BENEFIT CONCERT SEPT. 16, 2006, 7:30pm

Nat Nadar’s annual benefit concert will present a wide variety of talented musicians at the First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena, 3770 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Contact Nat Nadar at 626-351-8680 for tickets.

PARI-MUTUEL CLERK TRAINING

About 15 new clerks were trained at Del Mar this season. We believe training will take place at Santa Anita sometime soon. Please contact the Southern office if you have anyone who would like to be trained and we will call them when a class is announced. Thank you to all who help recruit new clerks. We need new members to keep growing and be able to survive in the future.

WORK OPPORTUNITIES

If you make a habit of showing up, and making yourself available for work, there is work available. Night clerks have been needed at Los Alamitos and night satellite locations especially on Saturdays. By not filling our crew requirements we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

CALL OUT TO ALL CLERKS WHO HAVE NOT WORKED!!!

There is a clause in our contract that Local 280 members must work at least 20 days per year to keep their seniority. We have not been enforcing this clause lately, but that does not mean that we may have to begin enforcing it in the future. If you are not working as a clerk, please call the Southern Office to get re-trained and activated again. You may need to begin working twenty days a year in the near future to keep your seniority! Start the process now, before we get to that point.

UPCOMING BIG DAYS

The following days will be crucial to show management we can service the customers:

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27^TH, OPENING DAY OAK TREE

SATURDAY, SEPT. 30^TH, STEIN GIVEAWAY @ OAK TREE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14^TH, BACKPACK GIVEAWAY @ OAK TREE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28^TH, CALIFORNIA CUP DAY @ OAK TREE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4^TH, BREEDER’S CUP during HOLLYWOOD PARK

TUESDAY DECEMBER 26^TH, OPENING DAY @ SANTA ANITA

Please plan your schedules so that you are available to work these days. Calling off on these days or not being available are really killing our Union. We are at a critical stage, and if we cannot man these facilities on these big days we are contributing to our own downfall.

BIG DAYS BONUS?

We are trying to get management to agree to pay some sort of a bonus to those people who work all the big days in our industry. When and if it will happen depends on our commitment to be able to get people to come out on the big days.

NEW MEET APPLICATIONS

When you start a new meet, you need to fill out a new application at the Host Track. California State Law requires employers to have up to date information on their employees. To make life easier for all involved, when you report to work for a new meet at the host track, please be prepared to show your CHRB License, Passport or CA ID and a Social Security Card. You are required to show your CHRB license when entering a facility. We all need to help make this arduous process as easy as possible, so a little patience and preparation on your part can go a long way.

CALLING OFF ON SATURDAYS

If you make the regular worklist and you don’t want to work everyday, the only day you can regularly call off on is Sundays. By calling off on Saturdays, we have lost many jobs, and management does not have to fill all the call-offs at the Host track. If you want to work part-time, you need to be a weekender. Otherwise instead of calling off on Saturdays, take the whole week off by going on will-call.

NORTHERN VICE PRESIDENT

NATALIE GIBSON

Some of Local 280 members are confused why I am working as a clerk. I will try to explain the situation. I am only working 3 days a week for the Union. This is what the board voted on last year. During the Stockton meet I was allowed 5 days working as a Union Representative. A motion was made to allow me to work full time during the fairs, for lack of a second the motion died. I hope this explains why I am working as a clerk the other couple of days. Fairs were down quite a bit this summer. Santa Rosa was tough getting clerks to travel that far to work. Thanks to the permits and retirees who showed up. We were short two the first week, met the requirements the second week, but were 5 short both weekends. Maybe next year we can come up with a solution to get more clerks to come up to Santa Rosa. A big Thank you to all who worked this year.

We initiated four new members into Local 280 in the North. Congratulations to Stella Lepine, Eugene Davenport, Robert Cline and Deborah Owens. I was at Bay Meadows opening day. This was a first for me as last year I missed because of negotiations. I imagine it is a fun place to work. The handle and the attendance were up.

Attention Local 280 members if you plan on working the Big Fresno Fair this year, the dress code has changed. Men white shorts, white golf shirts OK, shorts OK, jeans OK, sandals OK.

Ladies white shirts or blouses OK, shorts OK, jeans OK, sandals OK.

Dress code will be strictly enforced by management. I will be going to Fresno next week to look things over and see if we can get the place cleaned up a bit for the clerks. We are in the process of getting the list for Fresno together so if you plan on going to the Big Fresno Fair let me or the Southern Office know so you can get your name on a list. Requirements will be 64 weekdays and Friday and Saturday 70. Sunday requirement is 64 and may be more. Do not forget white shirts. See you opening day in Fresno.

Sorry to report that members Jack Schiefer, Tom Mulligan and Tom Farrell passed away. Bob Hoshide's mother died. Nancy Kreider's mother died. And Carlos Caldwell's brother died. To all who lost a loved one, you have our deepest sympathy and to all who are sick, we wish you well on the road to recovery.