THE
State Employees Association of North Carolina, SEIU Local 2008 P.O. Drawer 27727, Raleigh, NC • www.seanc.org 800-222-2758 • 919-833-6436 • Circulation 55,000
May 2012
• Vol. 30, Issue 6
SEANC, Treasurer’s Office Settle Suit by Jonathan
Owens
SEANC Communications Specialist
In mid-March, SEANC officially settled a lawsuit filed against the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer in 2008 over public records requests pertaining to investment decisions made with the state pension fund by then-Treasurer Richard Moore. SEANC agreed to settle the suit because it determined that current N.C. State Treasurer Janet Cowell has sufficiently satisfied the association’s public records request. “This is a victory for anyone who believes in open government,” SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope said. “We fought to ensure that our members’ pensions weren’t being used to further Richard Moore’s
political ambitions. While we do not believe we received all the records we requested, we feel confident we have now obtained sufficient records to address our concerns, and at the end of the day it indeed seems like there were questions about some of Moore’s activities.” The suit stemmed from records
requests filed by SEANC in March and October 2007 after an article in Forbes magazine suggested that Moore had engaged in “pay to play” tactics regarding investments he made with state employees’ pensions. The contentious legal battle culminated in June 2010 with the state Supreme Court overturning a trial court’s dismissal of the case, stating by unanimous decision that under public records law, SEANC had stated a valid claim for production of records held by Moore. “State employees, retirees and taxpayers are now vindicated by the successful conclusion of this ugly holdover from the 2008 Gubernatorial Primary,” Cope said.
jowens@seanc.org
Vote Linda Coleman for Lt. Governor on May 8 There is only one politician that SEANC refers to as its hero, former state representative and Office of State Personnel Director Linda Coleman. Coleman earned the title SEANC Hero back in 2006 when she single-handedly held up the state budget in support of vital public services and the people who provide them. No politician has done Coleman that before or since
See page 3 for EMPAC’s legislative endorsements
for state employees. In 2008, Coleman was awarded the first EMPAC Legislator of the Year Award for her efforts to secure pay raises for state employees. As director of the state personnel office, she has led implementation of Executive Order 45 which provides a partnership between managers and employees to produce cost-efficiencies, improves morale and strengthens communication in state agencies. Her door is always open for state employees because she is a champion of those who need one—the working families who make up the 99 percent. Because she’s had our back for years, we have the chance to return the favor now and endorse Linda Coleman for Lt. Governor of the great state of North Carolina.
Executive Director’s Message By Dana Cope
SEANC Executive Director
We Must Stand Together in this Election
I
f you’ve ever heard me speak at an annual district meeting or our convention, you’ve likely heard me say, “We have no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent issues.” I repeat this message because I believe it. As an association dedicated to working with the General Assembly and other officials in state government, we cannot afford to be partisan. We must dedicate our energy to fighting for what is right and fair for state employees. This stance has served us well in recent years as we have seen the General Assembly change hands. We have been able to present a united front when pointing out to the new leadership that state employees are an invaluable asset to this state. In making this year’s round of legislative endorsements, our district and statewide leaders have selected the candidates who will continue to support what we feel is right and fair for hardworking state employees. Outside of the General Assembly, the only statewide race we chose to speak on in the primary is the lieutenant governor’s race. Our support for Linda Coleman as the Democratic nominee is a no-brainer. Coleman has been a strong advocate for state employees since her freshman year in the N.C. House. Coleman has fought hard for raises for state workers. She understands that SEANC members provide vital public services that keep this state safe and moving forward, and that the state must look after this precious asset in order to continue to grow. Coleman has also become somewhat of a regular at our conventions and other gatherings, and has always made it a point to listen to our members’ concerns. Throughout her career in state government she has stood up for working families, while her opponent in the primary has always stood firmly with the upper one percent. It’s easy to get caught up in partisan bickering in any election, but in this economy it is time to vote with your wallet in mind. With so many of our key issues on the table in coming years — privatization, pay raises and the State Health Plan to name a few — it is important that we remain strongly united and make sure our voices continue to be heard.
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The Reporter • May 2012
“We have no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent issues” Cope Please join me in supporting the candidates we have endorsed. Working together toward common political goals, we can determine our own destiny and ensure that we get what is fair for all state employees.
dcope@seanc.org
The Reporter, USPS 009-852 (ISSN 1069 2142), is published nine times a year in the months of February, March, April, May, June, July, September, November and December for $2.50 per year, per member, by the State Employees Association of North Carolina, Inc., P.O. Drawer 27727, Raleigh, NC 27611-7727. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC, and additional offices. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: THE REPORTER P.O. Drawer 27727 Raleigh, NC 27611-7727
2012 Primary Endorsements
EMPAC, the political arm of SEANC, announced on April 2 its support for a bipartisan slate of General Assembly candidates for the 2012 primary. The endorsements resulted from recommendations by SEANC members at the district level, which were then confirmed by a statewide committee on March 31. Only candidates in contested primary races were endorsed.
N.C. Senate Candidates
N.C. House Candidates S5 Don Davis (D)
H4 Jimmy Dixon (R)
H32 Dollie Burwell (D)
H54 Jeff Starkweather (D)
S10 Brent Jackson (R)
H72 Edward Hanes (D) S21 Larry Shaw (D)
H5 Ann Mobley (D)
H33 Rosa Gill (D)
S22 Mike Woodard (D) H60 Marcus Brandon (D)
H95 Robert Brawley (R)
S25 Gene McLaurin (D) S26 Phil Berger (R)
H38 Yvonne Holley (D) H69 Jeff Gerber (R)
H7 Angela Bryant (D)
H109 Wil Neumann (R)
S32 Earline Parmon (D) S33 Stan Bingham (R)
H39 Darren Jackson (D)
H27 Michael Wray (D)
H71 Everette Witherspoon (D) H50 Valerie Foushee (D)
H117 Chuck McGrady (R)
S45 Daniel Soucek (R) S48 Tom Apodaca (R)
The Reporter • May 2012
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SEIU CONVENTION
Delegates Chosen to Represent SEANC SEIU Convention scheduled for May 28-30 in Denver
District 1 – Bryan P. Cooke District 2 – Wayne Fish District 3 – Doris Greer District 4 – Jimmy Davis District 5 – Tony Smith District 6 – Wayne Freeman District 7 – Henry Belada District 8 – Leonard Reynolds District 9 – James Burgess District 10 – Kim Martin District 11 – Anthony “AD” Hall District 12 – no candidate District 13 – Mary Sue Eldridge District 16 – Carolyn Perry District 17 – Wayne Talbert District 18 – Pamela Locklear District 19 – Angela Lyght District 20 – Tammi Blake District 21 – Janice Bass District 22 – William Spade District 23 – Harold Faulk District 24 – Katrina Davis District 25 – Jonathan Stephenson District 26 – Stanley Gales District 27 – Janet H. Bunch District 36 – Dianne (Dee) Carter District 37 – James Bridges District 38 – Betty Jackson District 39 – Art Anthony District 40 – Darius McLaurin District 41 – Michael J. Gould District 42 – Betty “BJ” Jones District 43 – Duane Smith District 44 – Sandra Johnson District 45 – Darcell Carter District 46 – Dewey Hamilton Jr. District 47 – William D. (Danny) Rose District 56 – Michael A. Johnson District 57 – William Drew Stanley District 58 – Marie Stone District 59 – John Miller
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The Reporter • May 2012
District 60 – Hiawatha Jones District 61 – E. Leigh Bair District 62 – Lewis Sasser District 63 – Marion Drake District 64 – Bonita Barfield District 65 – Gloria Highsmith District 66 – Lenell Miller District 67 – William Boyle District 68 – Rita Woods District 69 – Baldwin Keith Renner District 70 – Douglas Wilson* Statewide Delegates (five chosen) Joe Brown B.N. (Bob) Hopper Sidney Sandy Doranna Anderson Marilyn Jean Martin
SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope and President Charles Johnson will also serve as delegates in their capacity as international board members
PHOTOS BY JOHNNY DAVISON
District Delegates
SEANC members counting SEIU delegate ballots on April 2. For complete results, visit www.seanc.org *Roland Best won the delegate slot for District 70, but chose not to attend
THE
Doug Sutton
Insurance Services Toni Davis, Editor-In-Chief Jonathan Owens, Managing Editor Alicia Clapp, Associate Editor Johnny Davison, Associate Editor
Providing quality and affordable insurance to SEANC members for over 30 years. We appreciate doing business with you!
State Employees Association of North Carolina P.O. Drawer 27727 • Raleigh, NC 27611 1621 Midtown Place • Raleigh, NC 27609 Telephone 919-833-6436, 800-222-2758 www.seanc.org
Advertising Policy SEANC accepts advertising material from companies and persons seeking to communicate with SEANC members. Acceptance of this advertising does not indicate SEANC approval or endorsement of any representation that the message, product or service is as represented by the advertiser. SEANC accepts no responsibility and shall not be liable for any use of or reliance on any such information, product or service. SEANC is a private entity and is under no obligation to carry advertisements of any nature, political or otherwise, that may be viewed as contrary to the interests of the association and its membership.
Please call us if we can be of service.
919-836-9993 or Toll Free: 1-800-788-7771 dougsutton@dougsuttonins.com
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The Reporter • May 2012
5
MEMBER ACTION
District 17 member Kemrey Lamarr speaks with N.C. Rep. Pat Hurley at District 17’s monthly meeting in Burlington on March 19.
PHOTO BY MICHELLE THROWER
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY STEVE LAWSON
PHOTO BY JOHNNY DAVISON
SEANC’s Retiree Council and staff met with state Sen. Tom Apodaca (center, white shirt) on March 27 to discuss issues facing retired state workers, including a cost of living adjustment, SPA rights and the State Health Plan. The council plans to meet with N.C. House leaders ahead of the May legislative session as well.
SEANC District 42 Chairwoman Betty Jones (above, left) and member Betty Gilbert (above, right) prepare baskets for participants in an Easter egg hunt at the N.C. School for the Blind in Winston-Salem on March 29, co-sponsored by the district.
PUBLIC POLICY
Quotes to Note 6
“The university, in our opinion, is historically bad for rank and file employees. Basically what they are trying to do is say ‘Trust us’”
“Our most vulnerable populations should be the last ones up for sale to the lowest bidder.”
SEANC Executive Director Dana Cope in the April 3 Chapel Hill News story “UNC system president defends proposed personnel change”
Ardis Watkins, Legislative Affairs Director with SEANC, questioning whether it was appropriate for mentally ill patients to be turned over to a private company in the WRAL-TV report on April 2 “With Dix closing imminent, NC still negotiating for care of mentally ill”
The Reporter • May 2012
ANNUAL MEETINGS CALENDAR District 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
Date Time Place June 26 Ryan's Steakhouse June 12 5:30 p.m. J&S Cafeteria, 900 Smokey Park June 12 6 p.m. Holiday Inn Express, 1943 Blowing Rock Rd. May 24 Western Piedmont Community College, 1001 May 24 6 p.m. Burkemont Ave. Broughton Campus-Chapel Basement, 1000 S. July 10 6 p.m. Sterling St. May 22 5:15 p.m. J. Iverson Riddle Dev. Center Gym, 300 Enola Rd June 21 6:30 p.m. Western Steer, 334 SW Blvd June 11 7 p.m. Golden Corral, 1540 Highway 29 N June 14 6 p.m. Golden Corral, 11205 E. Independence Blvd July 10 5:30 p.m. Mimi's CafĂŠ, 10224 Perimeter Parkway June 12 June 18
6 p.m. 6 p.m.
6 p.m.
Asheville Boone
Polk Correctional Institution, 1001 Veazey Rd Golden Corral, 4055 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd
June 14 5:30 p.m. DOT, 4809 Beryl Rd June 14 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl June 13 5:30 p.m. NCSU McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St DOC Enterprise Conference Rm. Door #4, 2020 June 14 6 p.m. Yonkers Rd June 11 6 p.m. Golden Corral, 3424 Capital Blvd June 21 5 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl
Y
Morganton Morganton
Y
Newton Concord
Y
Matthews Charlotte
Carrboro
Y
Y
Butner Dunn St. Pauls Clarkton Butner Durham Raleigh Raleigh Raleigh
Y
Raleigh Raleigh Raleigh
June 19 6 p.m. Logan's Roadhouse, 1000 Timber Dr E Garner June 8 6 p.m. Holiday Inn North Raleigh, 2805 Highwoods Blvd Raleigh June 19 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh June 12 5:30 p.m. SEANC Central Office, 1621 Midtown Pl Raleigh May 18 6:30 p.m. David's Restaurant, 1011 Roanoke Ave. Roanoke Rapids June 7 6 p.m. Parker's Barbecue, 2514 US Hwy 301 S Wilson Neuse Correction (white building on left at end June 12 6 p.m. of entrance road), 701 Stevens Mill Rd Goldsboro Cherry Hospital Conference Center, 201 Stevens Goldsboro June 11 6 p.m. Mill Rd June 18 June 18 6:30 p.m. Onslow County Museum, 301 South Wilmington Richlands June 25 6 p.m. New Hanover Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr. Wilmington June 6 6:30 p.m. Heritage House, 1503 South King St Windsor June 26 6:30 p.m. The Warehouse, 204 Main St Winterville ECU Brody Building-2nd Fl Conf Rm, 600 Moye Greenville June 19 5 p.m. Blvd July 10 6:30 p.m. West New Bern Fire Dept, 900 Chelsea Rd May 23 7 p.m. Nixon Catering, 749 Virginia Rd Elizabeth City State University-Kermit White June 28 5:30 p.m. Center, 1704 Weeksville Rd June 12 7 p.m.
Dinner Contact Name Y Teddy Greene - 828-736-2190 Dodie Collins - dodiesputer@aol.com Y Doris Greer - doriswgreer@charter.net Jimmy Davis - seanc_d4@yahoo.com
Morganton
Winston-Salem State University-Anderson Center McNeill Dining Rm, 601 Martin Luther King Dr Winston-Salem Kernodle Senior Center, 1535 S. Mebane St Burlington
OWASA Community Meeting Rm., 400 Jones June 19 5:30 p.m. Ferry Rd June 9 10 a.m. June 21 5:30 p.m. Camp Barham June 14 7 p.m. The Brass Lantern, 515 Springbranch Rd May 10 7 p.m. St. Paul's Community Building, 111 N. Third St June 21 6:30 p.m. Clarkton Town Hall/Train Depot, 81 N. Elm St June 14 June 14
City
Trent Woods Edenton Elizabeth City
Johnny Burnette - burnettejohnny@bellsouth.net Wayne Freeman - wfreeman8009@gmail.com Henry Belada - woodchop7@charter.net Leonard Reynolds - tworeynolds@embarqmail.com James Burgess - jmburgess32158@gmail.com Kim Martin - kmartin@ctc.net A.D. Hall - adhall227@yahoo.com Ashley Fenton - ashley.fenton62@yahoo.com Kathy Whaley - kdwhaley@uncc.edu Melva Daniels - acey326@hotmail.com Wayne Talbert - awaynet@embarqmail.com Pamela Locklear - plumbee1114@aol.com Angela Lyght - aslyght@gmail.com Cliff Brown - seanc2@nc.rr.com Joel Valentine Deborah Harney - deborahharney@ymail.com Harold Faulk - haroldfaulk@atmc.net Anne Marie Bellamy - 910-617-5197 Jonathan Stephenson - stepheja@gmail.com Stanley Gales - gsb05@doc.state.nc.us Gracie Lesane - 919-452-4341 Lynn Stephenson - Lsteph2001@aol.com Jay Bridges - jaybridges@bellsouth.net Betty Jackson Creech - bettyjacksoncreech@yahoo.com Art Anthony - art_anthony@ncsu.edu
Y
Althea Boone - dist40boone@yahoo.com Mike Gould - mjg12@msn.com Betty Jones - 919-855-4279 Duane Smith - jumper20032@yahoo.com Sandra Johnson-Lemon - sjohnsonlemonseancd44@aol.com Dee Carter - dee.carter70@gmail.com Dewey Hamilton - dhamiltonjr@aol.com Shirley Ballard - 919.222.8242 Grace Edwards - edwagrace@gmail.com Drew Stanley - drew.stanley@suddenlink.net
Y
Marie Stone - 919.988.0368
Y
John Miller - john.miller@dhhs.nc.gov Hiawatha Jones - hjones242@nc.rr.com E. Leigh Bair - leighpooh@yahoo.com Lewis Sasser - lsasser@ec.rr.com Marion Drake - 252.325.4438 Bonita Barfield - bhh1008@msn.com
Y
Y Y
Y
Gloria Highsmith - highsmithg@ecu.edu Lenell Miller - lenell.miller@dhhs.nc.gov Stanley Drewery - drewerystanley@yahoo.com Rita Woods - rita.woods@doc.nc.gov
Light snacks Keith Renner - vrkeithr@yahoo.com Roland Best - rolandbest@embarqmail.com
The Reporter • May 2012
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The Reporter • May 2012