On November 8th, FCGEU-SEIU members made our voices heard at the polls, as we ensured victory for every Pro-County Employee, Pro-Union candidate we endorsed. "This election was about ensuring that working people are able to put food on their table and have a voice on the job," said FCGEU President and Fairfax County engineer Karen Conchar.

The 2011 elections represented a real victory for elected officials who stand up for county employees and home care workers; whether those elected officials were Democrats, Republicans or Independents. More importantly, howevever, the 2011 elections represent a victory for working families, who mobilized to make sure that Fairfax continues to be a great place to work, live and play.

Union members have been working on the election all year to ensure that candidates addressed the issues that are important to our community, our members and our families. After surverying over 500 of our fellow members, the Union's Election Committee drafted a Candidate Questionnaire, which was sent to all candidates. The Questionnaire asked candidates to take stands on pay raises, protecting our pensions, reforming Pay-for-Performance, providing quality services to county residents, and much more. The Election Committee also interviewed all the candidates and researched their stances on the issues. After all this work was done, members voted on which candidates to endorse for the County Board and for the State Senate. 

Once we endorsed candidates, our members went to work, knocking on doors and making phone calls, to make sure that our Pro-County Employee, Pro-Union candidates won on Election Day! Together with other SEIU Home Care and Janitor members, as well as SEIU staff from the DC office, our members made over 15,000 door-knocks and phone calls!

The result? All 15 endorsed candidates won! 

In the end, FCGEU-SEIU made the difference in some of the most competitive races in the entire state, electing Pro-Union Republicans like Supervisor John Cook and Pro-Union Democrats like Senators George Barker and Dave Marsden. We sent a message to both parties in this election: Supporting working families is the way to win elections!

Jon Miskell, union member from the Housing Department, made this point when he said, "It is critical for our membership to support our endorsed candidates. Case in point is the Braddock District Supervisor Race. Our endorsed candidate, Supervisor John Cook, won a close election by just 376 votes. FCGEU members made the difference during GOTV weekend distributing door hangers and making phone calls."

The complete list of victorious candidates includes: Chairman Sharon Bulova and Supervisors John Cook, John Foust, Michael Frey, Penny Gross, Cathy Hudgins, Gerry Hyland, and Jeff McKay; Sheriff Stan Bury; and Senators George Barker, Adam Ebbin, Barbara Favola, Mark Herring, Dave Marsden and Chap Petersen.

But our work isn't over yet. 

With the election behind us, the real work of providing quality public services is just beginning. Union members will need to keep the pressure on our newly-elected Supervisors to make sure they keep good on their pledges to fund county services for residents and fair pay raises for employees. Furthermore, with the state Senate in a 20-20 tie between Democrats and Republicans, we will need to keep the pressure on all Senators to restore cuts to the pay and hours of our Home Care worker sisters and brothers.

To get more involved in the Union's efforts to hold elected officials accountable, please contact Political Organizer Frank Hood at Frank.Hood@seiuva.org

Union endorsed candidates for the 2011 election include:
 

Fairfax Board of Supervisors

• Chairman Sharon Bulova (D) - At-Large
• Supervisor Penny Gross (D) - Mason District
• Supervisor John Foust (D) - Dranesville District
• Supervisor Gerry Hyland (D) - Mount Vernon District
• Supervisor Jeff McKay (D) - Lee District
•  Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D) - Hunter Mill District
• Supervisor John Cook (R) - Braddock District
• Supervisor Michael Frey (R) - Sully District
• State Races
• State Senator Mark Herring (D) - 33rd District
• State Senator Chap Petersen (D) - 34th District
• State Senator David Marsden (D) - 37th District
• State Senator George Barker (D) - 39th District
• Candidate Adam Ebbin (D) - 30th District
• Candidate Barbara Favola (D) - 31st District

Fairfax Local Races

• Sheriff Stan Berry (D)

Now is the time to support the candidates who support working families. Each week we are phone banking and knocking on doors for endorsed candidates to help them get elected.

 Union members won a 2% raise this year by advocating and meeting with the Board of Supervisors. They heard you and will continue to do so if you show them you have the power to get them elected. Do you want your MRA next year? Let's keep this discussion going with Board of Supervisors already working to make this happen. If you are willing to do what it takes to keep these pro-county employee candidates in office, please call Frank Hood at the union office (571) 432-0265 or on his cell phone (309) 657 4595 or email him at frank.hood@seiu5va.org

HOW DID UNION MEMBERS WIN?

January 2011– No raise proposed for county employees.

March 2011– Union members advocated for a fair raise.

April 2011– 1.12 % proposed by the county.

June 2011– FCGEU launched 3.5 % Campaign.

July 2011– 1.52% proposed by the county.

August 2011– Over 2000 county employees signed the Petition for 3.5%!

SEPTEMBER 2011 COUNTY ANNOUNCES 2% RAISE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES!

After 3 years with no raise we advocated and won a raise for county employees. Join our voice today. Together we can win more with a stronger voice!O

Karen Conchar,  Capital Facilities,  President of FCGEUE.

At the time this remark was made, the market-rate adjustment was estimated to be 1.12% based on the inflation-based formula. This increase would be effective in mid-October. Since this remark was made, the Fairfax County School Board granted school employees a 1% COLA with a regular merit of 2.5 % average of 3.5% salary raise for school employees. The retirees of the Fairfax County will receive a 3% raise. Loudoun County employees will receive a 3% COLA. Prince William County employees will receive a 2% COLA. We believe our increase should be set at 3.5%.

For the past two years in which we have not received any increases to our salaries, the following money was left over at what the county calls Carry over.

Carry over from FY 2010 to FY 2011 amount was:  

                                                                               $ 149,823.215.00

Carry over from FY 2009 to FY 2010 amount was:

                                                                               $ 118,623,689.00

Yes, that totals:                                                    $ 268,446,904.00

 This money left over was used each year for various items to include FOCUS or held in reserve, or to help with the next year’s budget. Meanwhile, county employees do not have extra money for savings or money to put away to cover shortfalls in their next year’s budget!

That is why we, your Union, are requesting a 3.5% increase to our salaries. This increase would come from this year’s Carry over budget and would cost roughly 32.9 million, which is just a small amount when compared to the Carry over budget! From what we can understand, the Carry over balance will be similar to previous years as noted above and it is time the county invested some of the balance in its employees. Chairman Bulova’s  public address when approving the FY2011 budget she “acknowledges and commends the excellent work of County employees, recognizing and appreciating that the workforce is doing more with less. County services are effective, efficient, and valued because of County employees and their hard work.

 Unfortunately, based on the current economic situation, the FY 2011 Budget does not include pay increases for County staff and the projected increases in health insurance premiums will continue to dilute their purchasing power as salaries are held flat. As such, the Board directs that staff should attempt to minimize premium increases, which will be set in the fall of 2010, while maintaining appropriate reserves in compliance with County policy.” As many of you are aware, the increases were not minimized by county staff but by the Board after many petitions were completed on the health care increases. This year those increases will really affect your pay check and we will fall behind further and further. That is why we feel it is time for the county to invest in its employees and reward us a 3.5% raise. What can you do to get involved in our campaign to win a 3.5% raise?

 BAND TOGETHER! July 13^th we will launch our 3.5 bands showing solidarity with wristbands that say 3.5% for all. Wear your band to work each day and we will show that county employees are united for a fair raise.

Talk to all your co-workers (union and nonunion employees) about our campaign for a fair raise. Ask them to band together with you.

Show up at the Carryover budget hearing with us in September. We will make a presentation to the board and we need to show that we are dedicated to the community we serve, but also deserve a fair raise!

Please join us, the larger the number, the louder the voice!

 The first change to the Family Medical Leave (FML) is to restrict the eligibility for the leave to those that work a minimum of 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months prior to requesting the leave. This change does not allow employees that work 20 hours a week to qualify for FML.

 Employees can still be granted leave in accordance to Chapter 10 of the Personnel Regulations, but if you are a part-time employee any leave taken will not be designated as FML and will not protect your job nor provide you with the County’s portion of the insurance payment during any Leave without Pay (LWOP) period. It should be noted that the Director of an agency can also grant leave to any employee beyond the 12 weeks allotted by FML if they so chose.

 The second change to the policy is that employees will be required to use all accrued sick, annual and compensatory leave balances in excess of 80 hours as appropriate, prior to the use of LWOP.

 A little known fact is that the county can place an employee on FML without the employee’s request or knowledge. The county is required to notify the employee within 5 business days after the supervisor becomes aware that the absences may qualify for FML.

 Employees meeting the 1,250 hours worked or more are to be returned to their former position, unless the agency acquired the approval of the Human Resources Director prior to the employee return to work. Part time employees do not have that guarantee.

 It should also be noted that if an employee is injured on the job and is receiving worker’s compensation, the department must designate the FML entitlement to run concurrent with a worker’s compensation absence if the workplace injury meets the definition of a serious health condition. 

The definition of a serious health condition is still working it way though the court system, but the county’s definition of Serious Health Condition is an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition which requires either inpatient care, or a continuing regimen of treatment by a health care provider. Even if the employee’s injury leave is approved for more than the 12 weeks allowed by FML, the county can take steps to reduce the time period of worker’s compensation by placing the employee in service connected disability retirement or recommending termination.

 Please contact the Union office at 571-432-0265 if any of these situations apply to you, as soon as possible. It is very important for you to be appraised of the situation so that you can make intelligent decisions.

 “These difficult economic times call for a new kind of union: A union that meets the needs of its members while working with management to deliver the top-notch services that Fairfax families expect,” said FCGEU President Karen Conchar, a county engineer. “Now, one-thousand hard-working county employees have united together and recognized that FCGEU is this new kind of union.”

 FCGEU represents general county employees from across the County workforce, including librarians, maintenance workers, IT professionals, tax collectors, housing specialists and human service providers. For the past two years, FCGEU has partnered with the Board of Supervisors to find cost-savings in the County budget, and minimize the impact of recent budget cuts for employees and residents. This partnership with the Board of Supervisors was underscored by the message of congratulations received from Fairfax County Board Chairman Sharon Bulova.

 “I have appreciated the opportunity to work with representatives of FCGEU, especially during the past two years,” said Bulova. “They have provided a helpful forum for discussing employee issues. Congratulations on reaching 1,000 members.”

 Moving forward, FCGEU’s priorities for 2011 include continued membership growth, reforming the County’s Pay-for-Performance system, finding additional cost-savings in the budget, educating members about the new healthcare plans and electing a Pro-Employee majority to the Board of Supervisors in the November elections.

 For additional information, visit www.fcgeu.org

FCGEU members want to be sure you are informed and aware of the decisions
that could affect your health care coverage.

Right now there are proposals to:

• Increase emergency room visit costs from $50 to $150
• Eliminate the Blue Cross/ Blue Shield Fair Choice PPO plan
• Increase our monthly health care premiums up to 21%

Join us for these Health Care Forums to discuss the County’s
health care changes and federal Health Care Reform.

When and Where
Tuesday, Oct. 5 South County Govt. Center, room 220 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 6 Government Center, Conf. Room 8 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Friday, Oct. 8 Government Center, Conf. Room 8 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Refreshments will be served
For more information call 571-432-0209.

Thanks so much for contacting me about our consideration of changes to the County's Pay for Performance system.

I really appreciate hearing from you, and would like to thank you for your good work as a County employee. Thanks in large part to the dedication, commitment, creativity and hard work of our talented workforce, Fairfax County has been able thus far to weather the most serious economic downturn of our lifetimes.

As you know, the Board of Supervisors has committed to changes to our compensation plan to make it more fair and equitable.  These discussions are taking place now and I will be sure to keep your comments in mind as we deliberate on this important matter.

Again, thanks for contacting me

Sharon