2/22/10 HOTLINE: WFSE/AFSCME radio commercials ("We can't afford to lose these services") start airing on 35 stations statewide

2/22/10

    This is the Federation Hotline for Monday, Feb. 22.


FIRST PHASE OF YOUR MEDIA PUSHBACK CAMPAIGN STARTS

    You sometimes take a beating in the media—or those who don’t like you use the media to try to keep you down.

    Rallies, job actions, press releases and talking to media outlets are great, but they don’t guarantee placement on the air or in print.

    So, today, the Federation launches a multi-phased paid media campaign to spotlight what you do and why we need to close tax loopholes and raise revenue. It comes at just the right time. The state Senate majority Democrats will unveil their proposed supplemental budget within the next few days, followed by the House. There are only 17 days left in the session.

    So here is the 30-second spot airing on 35 radio stations around the state over the next week to two weeks (depending on the radio station):

State Legislators are considering devastating cuts to public services provided by people you know, caring people.  People who protect abused kids, the elderly, the disabled and protect our neighborhoods from dangerous offenders.  We can’t afford to lose these services.  Legislators need to make the hard choices: Close the tax loopholes! And, yes, raise revenue.  Call 1-800-562-6000.  A message from the Washington Federation of State Employees.


The spots are airing on the following stations:

Seattle: KOMO, KIRO-AM (ESPN Radio), KIRO-FM, KMPS, KZOK and KPTK.

Tacoma: KLAY

Olympia: KGY-AM, KGY-FM, KRXY, KXXO.

Yakima: KXDD, KRSE, KARY, KUSA.

Spokane: KXLY-AM, KXLY-FM, KXLX (ESPN Radio), KSBN.

Wenatchee: KZPH

Tri-Cities: KALE

Goldendale: KLCK

Centralia: KELA

Longview-Kelso: KLOG

Pullman: KQQQ

Ellensburg: KXLE

Ephrata: KULE-AM and KULE-FM.

Astoria, Ore: KAST

Chelan: KOZI

Bellingham: KPUG

Anacortes: KLKI

Forks: KVAC

Walla Walla: KTEL

Lewiston, Idaho: KATW


KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH CALLS ON THE FOUR KEY ISSUES:

Call 1-800-562-6000. Tell your legislators:

• STOP HEALTH CUTS! Tell them to do the right thing. Restore the $300 million in state employee health insurance funds. They created the problem when they underfunded your health plan in 2008. Tell them that only half of that needs to be state funds—the rest would be from federal and other funds.

• RAISE REVENUE! SUPPORT ESSB 6130 to amend I-960 and allow majority rule on revenue issues. The House passed ESSB 6130 Wednesday night on a vote of 51-47. It now goes back to the Senate.

• CLOSE TAX LOOPHOLES! SUPPORT HB 3176 to close tax loopholes to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.

• OPPOSE FURLOUGHS! OPPOSE SSB 6503, the state employee furlough bill. Its unintended consequences will cost more, not less.

You can also take online action at www.wfse.org > Action Center.


FOR CORRECTIONS MEMBERS, DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THE DOC SUMMIT

    Corrections members have an opportunity to shape their future on a number of issues at the Federation’s DOC Summit

When: Saturday, March 20, 2010, 10 AM - 4:00 PM
Where:    SeaTac Doubletree Hotel                    
Who:           This summit is open to the first 200 DOC members who register.
Registration deadline:      March 1, 2010
The goal of the summit is to gather a diverse group of DOC members from as many field offices, institutions, and represented job classifications as possible to help shape our future.
The summit will include:
An open conversation about what we’ve learned this past year and where we are headed now as a union.
AFSCME staff from “the other Washington” will share Corrections and Law Enforcement presentations from other parts of the country.
Lunch will be provided only for members who register prior to the March 1st deadline.  WFSE will reimburse registered members’ travel expenses. Carpooling is encouraged.
PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE at WFSE.org > DOC Summit. Look for the DOC Summit icon in the upper right corner of the webpage. Questions? Contact Pam Herrick at 800-562-6002 or pamh@wfse.org.


HELP NEEDED FOR LOCAL 308 MEMBER WHO LOST HOUSE IN FIRE

    Rebecca Powell, a member of Corrections Local 308 in Seattle, recently lost virtually all her possessions in a house fire. She’s back to work and is in dire need of a few items: three to four upright dressers, and toys for her 9-year-old granddaughter. We’re sure she’d take other offers of assistance. If you can help, contact Rebecca directly at (206) 516-7715 or WFSE/AFSCME Council Rep Britt Kauffman at 1-800-924-5754.


    That’s it for now. Call Tuesday for the next message.

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