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Save the Date: "Show up Strong" March 9th for OPEA Lobby Day

 

Public employees from across the state will descend on OPEA’s annual Lobby Day Tuesday, March 9th at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City.

 

“Every year we hear from members and all state employees that it’s too difficult to make it to Lobby Day,” said OPEA President Connie Stockton.  “They use every excuse imaginable…they will have to use annual leave; their work load is too heavy; it’s too long a drive to Oklahoma City.

 

“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but no more excuses!  If you want to protect your job, if you want to provide a living for you and your family, if you want to protect your benefits and your longevity…you will do whatever it takes to be at this year’s Lobby Day. We need to SHOW UP STRONG!

 

“Never in OPEA’s 35-year history has one Lobby Day been more important,” Stockton said.  “We are continuing to see RIFS and furloughs and VOBO’s, and I’m afraid it’s just the tip of the iceberg.  If you think you’re immune to these cuts, you can think again.  This budget shortfall is going to affect every one of us.  We’ll either see our jobs cut and be on the unemployment line, or our co-workers will be cut and we’ll be left picking up the slack and doing their job in addition to ours.”

 

State employees have not seen a salary increase for years, and in fact, are facing cuts in pay thanks to furlough days being implemented across many state agencies.

 

“Last year we had 200 people show up for Lobby Day,” Stockton said.  “If every DHS office would just send three employees that would be 200 people.  If our top 10 agencies did that, we would have 2,000!  If we don’t make some sacrifices, take a day of annual leave and drive to the Capitol, our legislators will continue to think they can walk all over us.  This year I’m asking each and every one of you—no matter what your job is—to schedule a day now and come to Lobby Day and SHOW UP STRONG!”

 

 

The Agenda

 

9 a.m.

Registration opens on the second floor rotunda

 

9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Visit with your legislators

 

11 a.m.

Move to the south steps of the Capitol

(in the event of inclement weather the rally will be held inside the Capitol Rotunda)

 

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Show up Strong Rally

 

Invited Speakers:

Governor Brad Henry

Lt. Governor Jari Askins

Speaker of the House Chris Benge

House Minority Leader Danny Morgan

Co-President Pro Tempore of the Senate Glenn Coffee

Senate Minority Leader Charlie Laster

 

 

Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Mark Beutler

13 comments (Add your own)

1. FattCatt wrote:
Connie,

Another excuse is not knowing where to park. Can you add this info to all future postings when necessary.

#1 On the East side of the Capitol south of 23rd between Phillips & Lincoln is a very large parking area and there is a tunnel that will take you straight to the Capitol.

#2 To the West of the Capitol is the Jim Thorpe Building between 18th & 21st is another large parking lot.

#3 Just South of the Capitol between 19th and 21st on Lincoln is a large parking lot.

I have verified that all of these areas are public parking with the Capitol Patrol.

>*x*<

December 25, 2009 @ 11:07 AM

2. Leslie Austin wrote:
If the good people in high places would drop the retirement from 90 back to 80, they would have a lot of people retiring. Making room for new employees that can be hired on at a lower pay. The issue of the 90 rule has been on the table for a long time and no one appears to care or even look at it. I know I would get the ---- out as soon as I could!

December 28, 2009 @ 3:22 PM

3. Bob Monday wrote:
I agree! If they drop the 90 back to 80 I would take the early out retirement and work somewhere else that pays more and get my retirement.

If they want to loose people then work on getting the 90 back to 80 retirement and then a lot of people would take it and leave.

December 30, 2009 @ 8:46 AM

4. FattCatt wrote:
Guy's,

Not to worry, some Senator's relative will get close to the rule of 80 to retire and they will change it back to 80...it's all politics.

>*x*<

December 30, 2009 @ 12:09 PM

5. # wrote:
have we ever actually got anything as a direct result of a lobby day?

December 30, 2009 @ 3:11 PM

6. FattCatt wrote:
#,

Yes we have.

2000 Raise - $2,000
2004 Raise - $2,100
2006 Raise - 5 percent

Also:

2001
The benefit allowance was changed to
guarantee that the subsidy would increase
as the cost of insurance increases.

Annual leave was increased to 15 days for
employees with up to five years of service
and to 18 days for employees with five to
10 years of service.

2003
Employee rights were strengthened in
discipline and hiring.

2005
Employees were given the right to appeal
evaluations to the Merit Protection
Commission.

2006
Active and retiree insurance premiums
were blended to provide retirees with
more affordable health insurance.

Since 2006 attendance to Lobby Day has declined drastically.

There is a total of 30,000 State employees, of those employees 10,000 are members of OPEA. Out of that 10,000 less than 200 showed up for the rally in 2009...that is less than 3% of OPEA members, less than 1% for all State employees. There were more Legislators at rally this last year than ever before. So many, they almost out numbered the State employees that attended the rally.

I hear members and non-members exclaim "OPEA is supposed to get me a raise, protect my benefits and job."

Not true.

OPEA does a lot of work for us; they give us tools to keep our jobs secure. Giving us information to what is happening at the Capitol so; we are not blind sighted and told that we have no choice in the matter but to find another job.

If a hammer was set before you would you expect it to jump up and build a house?

No you wouldn’t.

OPEA is our hammer, it's up to State employees to pick it up and build the house.

Now take a look at the figures above and tell me what Lobby Day does for State employees.

January 5, 2010 @ 10:09 AM

7. Linda Clark wrote:
Change the Golden rule of retirement age to 70, and that should do the trick!!!

January 22, 2010 @ 12:51 PM

8. buffy wrote:
To Linda Clark :
Everyone know who retired can't live of their retirement ?? Lots have worked right up to their deaths. Is their hope?

January 27, 2010 @ 8:51 AM

9. Christie Biggs wrote:
I have read these statements and it is amazing how anyone can think that the staff for OPEA is paid to represent us over at the capital. WHAT THE STAFF IS PAID TO DO IS TO HELP THE STATE EMPLOYEES REPRESENT OUR INTEREST AND THEY FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE MEMBERS. There is more then one way to get to the legislature then at the lobby day, HAVE YOU CALLED YOUR LEGISLATURE IN YOUR AREA, HAVE YOU ATTENDED A TOWEN HALL MEETING IN YOUR AREA TO LET YOUR LEGISLATURE KNOW WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, YOU VOTED FOR HIM TALK TO HIM AND LET HIM KNOW THAT THE STATE ISSUES ARE JUST IMPORTANT AS EDUCATION. REMEMBER WE ALL COULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN OUR HOUSES LONGER IF IT WASN'T FOR STATE WORKERS OUT THERE BUSTING *****. YES A RAISE WOULD BE NICE, BUT HOW ABOUT US HANGING ON TO WHAT WE DO HAVE LIKE OUR INSURANCE, OUR LONGATIVE, AND WORKERS IN THE AGENCY.
February 5, 2010 @ 12:33 PM

February 5, 2010 @ 12:39 PM

10. Jann Ensz wrote:
I agree with Christie. Our OPEA representatives can not do it all. The Legislators are more apt to be for something if their constituents let them know what they want or do not want. We have to be more active and get more people to the Lobby Days, especially this year, since we do not want to lose what we have worked so long to obtain. At stake this year will be your insurance benefit. There is a bill out there regarding a different way of obtaining an HMO and maybe competition for Health Choice (which would definitely hurt Health Choice). This should be our worries this year. That and keeping our jobs. If you are not aware, there are VOBOs in many agencies as well as RIFs. Your jobs are not a given.

February 10, 2010 @ 2:12 PM

11. Tulsa Retiree wrote:
Dropping retirement from the rule of 90 to 80 will only put more stress on the retirement system. You might want to look at how much money OPERS lost last year. If you were hired on under the rule of 90 you knew what you were getting into and were glad to take the job. The state is not a botomless money barrel and we have to face facts. I am more concerned for the employees that are being RIF'd as I type than people who have a job and are complaining because they do not like the retirement agreement they entered into when they were hired. I have friends in DOC that are finding out this week that they are RIF'd after 14 years service. Be thankful you still have a job.

February 12, 2010 @ 1:38 PM

12. Brit Baber wrote:
I understand that there are times for layoffs and furloughs, but i do not understand and resent when an agency hires their political cronies, promotes and gives raises to management, then lays off the employees. It is unprofessional, poor managment, and poor leadership. Listening to politicians claim they will take action is like listening to fairy tales.

March 5, 2010 @ 8:17 AM

13. MeMawLady wrote:
I agree, state employee's need to ban together and fight our legislation and let them know we're tired of being ignored. I remember when my parents worked for the state, almost all employees belonged to OPEA and stood strong against legislation, we need to do so again. We could be a force to be reckoned with. That's how teachers do it, they show up in force, close down the schools to show up and here with sit, with a measly 200 show. How sad. Quit grumbling, get off your carcass and DO something about it for once in your life, stand up to be heard!

March 5, 2010 @ 11:53 AM

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