NGO Sadness
Hi everyone,
This is my very first blog seeking your support for the upcoming 2018 April Election for SEIU Local 1000 President. I take full responsibility for this website and its material. I will not delete constructive blogs that differ in opinion from my own views concerning our Union from other Local 1000 State represented employees regarding the image, the actions, and the direction of Local 1000.
This very first blog will be about the annual Non-Germane Objector (NGO) campaign for the upcoming fiscal year, July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, for those who wish to remain or become a NGO. This annual NGO letter must be received by Local 1000 no later than July 1, 2017. This letter allows State represented employees of Local 1000 to roughly pay no more than 65% to 70% of regular membership dues based on their monthly salary classification depending on the current accounting period for Local 1000. This reduced pay is based on the fact that our Union can only require a NGO represented employee to pay for contract negotiations and grievances costs and not for any political costs OR other non-germane expenditures.
I, Richard Louis Brown, am and have always been strongly opposed to anyone becoming or remaining a NGO! My reasons why "Real Americans Fight” and don’t become a NGO are listed below:
Real Americans fight and display patriotism for our country by never relinquishing their voting rights-privileges at any time. Our democratic republican form of government has stood the test of time and why our country is the most emigrated country in the world. Anyone outside the US border desiring a better more fulfilling life and job opportunities often comes to live in this great country with their families for our sacred freedoms of speech, religion, peaceful protests, right to bear arms, and our most valued democratic process-Voting! Going NGO is not casting a vote to build unity for long lasting positive change because it doesn’t include politics. Voting on any issue always involves politics. This is the reason why NGOs are not allowed to vote in Union elections for new leadership and for approving new contracts.
Becoming a NGO has not and will not solve the problems of Local 1000. It doesn’t build solidarity within our Union but actually destroys our unity by some people paying substantially less but yet still reaping the same pay and retirement benefits as dues-paying members. It also creates other competing Unions but yet their members still pay into and are legally represented by Local 1000 so it simply doesn’t make any sense to become or remain a NGO. Stipends for our elected Local 1000 leaders are paid by all State represented employees including NGOs of Local 1000.
Being a NGO is the easy and cheap way out of tackling the real problems within our Union versus adopting the positive solution of electing a new "volunteer" leadership team that will provide financial and transparent integrity while establishing one membership class for true unity that saves everyone money but yet provide the best paying contracts and grievance protections.
I am a proud American who honorably served our country so we could remain free and independent from our enemies while ensuring that our democratic process of voting remains in place for our citizens. Therefore the destructive reality of someone becoming so angry, so desperate and losing all hope in Local 1000 really offends my DNA because in a sense my military service along with other men and women that served America was simply done in vain and currently ignores the sacrifices of our military servicemen and women serving today. I understand that this is my very first blog and I want to establish a dialogue with you in hope of getting your support for the upcoming 2018 Local 1000 April Election for President. So the NGO sadness is really an issue about the importance of voting and saving our Union versus simply giving up. Real Americans fight, they never give up, and they don’t stop believing but hold on to that amazing long lasting feeling of faith, hope and charity through courage, integrity, and vision. Let’s change our Union by voting versus becoming or remaining a NGO.
Thank you,
Richard Louis Brown
408-207-2339