WIII"13
CO
ALA
Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-CIO and CLC
No. 446
Winter
1993
0.1-4D-3
Organizing Victories
On The
Rise
Sea-Land Shipping Members
Win Record-Setting
Job Guarantees
Pictured
at a Sea-Land ratification meeting are (left -to-right)
Local 153 Secre-
tary-Treasurer and International
Vice President Michael Goodwin, Board
Mem-
ber Barbara Humph and Business Representative
Thomas Havriluk.
In a ground-breaking
develop-
ment, the Office and Profes-
sional Employees
International
Union (AFL-CIO) has
won a labor
contract that guarantees jobs for
OPEIU
members at Sea-Land Corpo-
ration, announced OPEIU Interna-
tional President John Kelly.
Kelly said that under the terms
of
the previous Sea-Land agreement, the
company relocated nearly 300 jobs to
the non-union
ports of Charlotte,
North Carolina and Dallas, Texas.
"As a result
job security became our
number one issue. After all, we now
have a union
wage at Sea-Land
of
$21.27
per hour and theoretically we
might negotiate
up to $25 with vastly
improved fringe benefits. But what
good would it do, if there were no
jobs left," Kelly said.
This new
job security clause - un-
precedented in shipping and most in-
dustries for administrative and cleri-
cal employees - covers the 401 most
senior employees who will remain
at
their respective ports after the reloca-
tions are completed, he explained.
The ports and local unions
covered
by the contract are Oakland, Califor-
nia (Local 29); Jacksonville,
Florida
(Local 73); New
Orleans, Louisiana
(Local 403); Houston, Texas (Local
129);
Elizabeth, New Jersey and
Charleston, West Virginia (Local
153);
Baltimore, Maryland and Portsmouth,
Virginia (Local 2); San Juan, Puerto
Rico (Local 506);
and Seattle/Tacoma,
Washington (Local 8).
Members from all ports voted over-
whelmingly Tuesday, December 15
and Wednesday, December 16 to rat-
ify the contract, which will
expire Au-
gust 31,
1996.
OPEIU and Sea-Land negotiated the
agreement under the auspices of the
Federal Mediation and Conciliation
Service over a three- month period,
September to
December 1992.
The
contract additionally provides annual
wage increases of 3 percent starting
September 1, 1993, and cost-of-living
adjustments on a periodic basis.
(Continued on
page
4)
Locals
3 and 29
Take on
Bank
of America
Local 3 of San Francisco
and
Local 29 of Oakland
an-
nounced a
joint campaign to
organize Bank
of America employees
in California after the Bank
disclosed
its
plan to turn
thousands of jobs into
part-time
positions and deprive the
af-
fected employees of medical
coverage
and other benefits.
The campaign is aimed at helping
employees defend themselves,
OPEIU
International
Vice President Kathleen
Kinnick
said. She said
that interest is
also high in unionization
because the
Bank
has said
it will layoff thousands
of
additional workers
in the wake of
its merger with
Security Pacific.
"Banks
long have been heartless
in
their
treatment
of employees," Kin-
nick, who is also
president of Local
3,
added.
"But
recent actions by Bank
of
America,
coming
on top of BofA's re-
port that it earned a profit
of $1.5 billion in 1992,
demonstrates flagrant
dis-
regard
not only for the wel-
fare of its employees but
also
for the communities
it
serves."
Only through collective
action can bank workers
gain
an effective
voice and
the
strength
to protect
their jobs
and benefits, Kin-
nick said, adding that
OPEIU representatives
are
providing
assistance and
direction.
Targeted in
San Fran-
cisco this week were BofA
facilities in the downtown
and financial districts of
San Francisco. The organizing
effort
is scheduled
to extend to outlying
branches soon.
In the Eastbay region,
Bank of
America
employees have been
meet-
ing
with OPEIU
representatives. Simi-
lar efforts are
continuing in Pleasan-
ton, Concord and Sacramento.
Nancy Wohlforth,
senior represen-
tative for Local 3, is
spearheading
the
drive in San Francisco.
Dick
Delaney, OPEIU international
representative
working from Local
29,
is leading the drive
in the Eastbay.
State Fed calls for
B of A boycott
The locals also are urging
California
AFL-CIO unions,
councils and union
members
to withdraw funds
from
Bank
of America in response
to the
Bank's layoffs and benefit
cutbacks.
Executive
Secretary-
Treasurer Jack
Henning
of
the California Federation
declared in
a letter mailed
to AFL-CIO affiliates that
withdrawing funds
and
closing accounts
"will tell
those who rule this bank
that organized labor
will
not stand
silent in the fact
of such an assault
. . ."
Kathleen Kennick (left),
president of OPEIU Local
3, and
Diana Volpini-Allen
(above), Local 3 business
agent,
handbill Bank of
America workers.
Page Two
WHITE COL
The
two
letters
here illustrate
the
benefits o
unionization
as well
as
John
Kelly,
President
Suite
610
Office
and
Professional
Enap/oyees
International
Onion
265
W.
New
Yo
14th
St.
rk,
NY
Dear
Pre
10011
dent
Kelly,
It
is
with
great
pleasure
that
I
writing
the
letter,.
As
I
arn
sure
you
are
aware,
the
American
Red
Cross
has,
and
continues
to
ghat
th
Florida,
assisting
the
of
of
Ifurricane
Andrew.
Within
the
structure
of
the
we
have
a
number
of
AEU
am
one.
C/O
Cornraunity
Services
Liaisons,
who
work
direct/y
with
the
labor
of
which
I
One
or
two
days
after
the
hurricane
hit
the
coast
I
received
a
call
in
Washington,
.DC
from
woman
who
lived
in
Pompano
Beach,
who
wanted
to
volunteer
to
help
out
on
the
labor
desk.
She
said
she
was
a
retiree
from
OPZIti.
We
were
extremely
busy
at
the
time,
and
it
took
a
day
or
two
to
return
her
call.
That
woman
was
_Elizabeth
Ann
Coughlin.
I
can't
say
enough
about
the
contribution
Ann
Made
to
our
efforts
to
help
the
victims
of
this
disaster.
She
reports
every
morning
at
9:30
and
sta,ys
until
6:30
in
the
evening,
1/Ionday
through
Friday,
and
has
on
occasion
worked
the
weekends
as
well.
Not
only
does
she
answer
our
phones,
but
she
knows
all
the
unions,
BA's,
131111's
and
others
who
we
are
in
constant
contact
with.
She
deals
with
them
and
takes
care
of
their
we
the
same
as
any
other
staff
person.
We
couldn't
do
ourjob
without
Arm's
headquatred,
and
8
miles
back
every
RI:gilt.
helIa.
In
addition,
she
drives
48
miles
froth
home
to
the
r8
hall
where
we
are
can't
think
of
any
wa,y
to
thank
her
that
would
be
adequate,
but
1
felt
that
You
as
President
of
her
union
sou/d
be
aware
of
how
one
of,your
mernbrs,
(27
in
general.
contributed
to
the
recovery
of
union
embers,
their
families
and
the
co
unity
in
Sincerely
Se
fraterna/ly,
Winter 1993
(202)639-3650
November
5,
1992
the
compassion
and
generosity
displayed
by
ASL-C
IO
Co
Stanley
A.
Gordon
namunity
Services
Liaison
union members
and
officers
to
each
other.
Local
153
Pension
Fund
265
West
14th
Street
New
York,
New
York
10011
William
J.
Leitold,
Director
Dear
Sir:
13030
Reeveston
Houston,
Texas
770:
January
7,
1993
I
wish
to
thank
all
concerned
for
the
unexpected
extra
Pen
check
in
December,
1992.
sion
It
was
most
welcome
to
retiree.
supplement
the
adjusted
income
of
a
The
greatest
gift
to
me,
I
think,
was
the
reassurance
made.
the
good
management
of
the
fund
so
this
consideration
could
be
I
have
been
a
Union
member
since
I
was
first
exposed
to
Unions
and
will
remain
one
for
as
long
as
I
live.
OPEIU
enabled
me
to
earn
a
better
living
and
claim
a
protection
from
many
unethical
business
practices.
I
was
proud
to
be
a
Union
worker
and
to
represent
the
Union
for
a
number
of
years
as
an
Officer.
The
past
twelve
years
have
had
some
VERY
AGONIZING
hours
for
me
as
I
saw
the
Unions
stagger
and
weaken
from
the
calculated
onslaught
of
a
coalition
of
politicians
and
big
business.
Please
confer
to
all
involved,
my
appreciation
of
the
extra
Pension
Representatives.
and
the
reassurance
of
the
wisdom
and
inte
check
grity
of
my
Union
of
Sincerely,
5ee
moo
Hazel
Lorene
Scarsellato
Retiree,
OPEIU
Local
129
Solidarity
Works!
9
Winter
1993
WHITE
COLLAR
Page Three
Washington Window
It
Doesn't
Take
a Rocket
Scientist
As a
rocket
scientist directly
responsible
for sending
men to the Moon
and
bringing
them
back safely, Casey
Patelski
was
paid to imagine the worst
possible scenarios
and
prevent them from happening.
But Patelski, who
retired last
June at age 62
after 28 years
at McDonnell
Douglas, never
dreamed
of a scenario in which
he would be sit-
ting before
a Senate
panel in a wheelchair, vent-
ing anger
and fear about
the possibility of finan-
cial ruin and
going on public assistance to
pay
for medical care.
Last October,
Patelski and other retired
Mc-
Donnell Douglas
employees were shocked
when
the
aerospace giant
announced that it was termi-
nating
non-union
retiree health benefits in 1997.
The firm gave
these retirees a one-time pay-
ment of $18,000,
which it contends will cover
health insurance
premiums through 1996.
In-
stead of
using its own money for the
$18,000
payoff, it raided
the employee pension fund
"sur-
plus," which otherwise
could have been used for
pensioners' cost-of-living
adjustments.
McDonnell
Douglas now is threatening to
im-
pose
the same health
"plan" on its union workers
and retirees.
"I feel
betrayed," Patelski told a joint meeting
of Senate Labor Committee and Senate
Finance
Committee
subcommittees.
"I feel I've
been
cheated out of my health
insurance. Although
this
maneuver benefits the corporate
bottom
line, it does so only at the expense
of its retirees
- people like me
who devoted our careers to
working to benefit the company and the coun-
try"
Patelski was project
engineering manager for
crew
systems design and launch of the Skylab
Space Station.
He was managing director of
Houston Mission Control for the Apollo Saturn
Moon Program. He manned the flight consoles
for the
moon flights.
He said the firm had promised him, in its
brochure handouts and in his retirement inter-
view, that he and his wife would get lifetime
health benefits. "When we were planning our re-
tirement, we knew we wouldn't have to worry
about health
care costs."
In the 1960s and '70s, he resisted the lure of
higher pay at other firms,
opting for the security
of McDonnell Douglas'
good pension and health
care benefits when he retired. At age 18,
he had
contracted polio.
Although
long recovered,
he
feared a possible
recurrence.
Two years ago,
his
legs began
to weaken.
He now gets around
by
wheelchair.
"I simply
do not
know what the long-term
out-
look
is on my medical
condition, but it doesn't
take
a rocket scientist,
which I happen to be -
to realize
that I
am going to have continuing
medical costs,"
Patelski told the Senators.
"I doubt that
a person like me is going to
be
able to obtain
health insurance or, if we
can, I
bet that the
cost will be prohibitive," he added.
He said that
while Medicare will help to a
de-
gree, his wife,
53, won't be eligible for many
years. "We
now live under the constant fear that
something will
happen to us that will erase our
financial resources
and make us dependent on
public assistance,"
he said. "This should not and
need not have happened."
Patelski noted
that more than half of McDon-
nell Douglas's business
comes from government
contracts. "This is why I
think it is important for
Congress to pay particular
attention to what this
company is doing and to work
to prevent com-
panies, especially those that get so much work
from the government, from breaking
their
promises to employees."
McDonnell Douglas is among
a rapidly in-
creasing number of firms, particularly manufac-
turers, which
have been eliminating or sharply
reducing health benefits
for future and current
retirees.
Several factors underlie this disturbing trend.
But the common thread is skyrocketing health
care costs, a problem
that has moved to the top
of the nation's political
agenda.
Another reason is the growing number of re-
tirees in relation
to the active workers who sup-
port retiree benefits through their deferred
wages. This situation is especially prevalent in
the manufacturing sector. A third factor is a new
accounting rule under which companies
must in-
clude in their profit and loss reports the future
costs of funding retirees' health benefits.
A number of legislative remedies have been
suggested, including lowering the Medicare re-
tirement age to 60, and making health coverage a
vested right under the Employee Retirement In-
come
Security Act.
But all agree that
the only sure and lasting
cure is comprehensive health
care reform.
&IP
HUOVicetwPAcia
MB
R agrodt4s
44
Ir -iim
Aci
III ....111 le
i 1011111111.
- -19P1
IL
iik
0044141111111
,
' ''
A ,i il.
i ienrr-vvirr;
..6-0
rE,
Inor
,,., .
iimiii
Agi
110NIIIPI
mIrL41r-'46-, isismi !FAL
Or
jii
im
des
NORAPERICAN f
Ai
FREE TRADE ZONE
um _- YMM-JEME
CZZL.M2=EM
"WW1.
pi,
ji
prow
gr-,
Work
and Health
by Dr. Phillip
L. Polakoff
Late-Life
Alcoholism
ate -life alcoholism - heavy
drinking
that begins
around age 40
or after - appears to be on the
rise.
It's a problem
that has been underreported
as par-
ents,
teachers, health
authorities and others concentrated
their worries on
the increase in teenage
drinking and its
tragic consequences.
Now, it's the older
alcohol abusers who are causing con-
cern, and this
concern probably will increase as the popula-
tion ages.
The government estimates that
the number of problem
drinkers over age 65 is roughly somewhere
between 2 and
10 percent. That would
mean half a million to 2.5 million
Americans.
Late-life alcohol abuse can be tragically insidious. As
a
person gets older, physical changes occur that decrease tol-
erance and intensify the effects of alcohol in the body.
Alcohol in the bloodstream remains at higher levels over
a longer period
of time than it does in a young person.
The result is quicker and longer-lasting intoxication.
Because every person is different, it's impossible to draw
a precise line about what constitutes drinking that's getting
perilously close to the edge of abuse. Some experts con-
sider three to four drinks per day on a regular basis as
heavy drinking. But even moderate
drinkers
may fall unwit-
tingly into the alcohol trap.
Vicki Schmall, Ph.D., a specialist in gerontology at the
Oregon State University Extension Service, points out that
it's not the quantity of alcohol
consumed that is crucial in
determining an alcohol-abuse problem, but what alcohol
does
to
the person.
For instance, two drinks could be hazardous for some-
one with decreased tolerance
who is in
poor health and
taking several prescription drugs. For some people, just
one drink can result in decreased cardiac output and effi-
ciency.
While late-life alcoholism
may have many causes, psy-
chosocial factors and the
stresses of aging are believed to
play a significant part:
unfulfilled retirement expectations
too much leisure time
boredom
and loneliness
loss of spouse or friends
physical discomfort from ailments
When too
many of these experiences pile up, it may
lead
to a phenomenon called
"learned helplessness." Over-
whelmed
by circumstances beyond
his (or her) control, the
individual gives up and - in some cases - turns
to the
bottle.
But things are not as bleak as they may appear to trou-
bled elders. There's help out there. Treatment often
in-
cludes hospitalization
for detoxification, followed by enroll-
ment in an outpatient support
group. Two to four weeks in
the hospital allows time for counseling
that helps the
drinker
understand the problem,
meet nutritional needs
that have been neglected, regulate medications,
and un-
dergo physical rehabilitation
if necessary.
The
National Institute of Health reports
that older prob-
lem
drinkers and alcoholics have an unusually good
chance
of recovery with
proper treatment. They're more likely to
complete a course
of treatment or therapy than their
younger counterparts.
Self-help is possible, but don't count on it. Those with the
problem should seek help
from a trusted family member, a
friend, a. doctor or someone they respect.
It may be particu-
larly difficult for family members to admit that Grandpa or
Grandma has a drinking problem. If necessary, get help in
explaining it to them.
Page Four WHITE COLLAR
Winter
1993
Local 153 members at Sea-Land in Elizabeth, New Jersey celebrate their new contract.
Sea-Land
(Continued from
page 1)
It also calls for
the awarding
of
shares of common stock in CSX
Corporation,
the company's par-
ent, to individual ESOP (em-
ployee stock ownership plan) ac-
counts of union members, contin-
gent upon the achievement of
Sea-Land's financial goals. But,
the company
has achieved a
steady financial growth during the
past several years, noted Interna-
tional Vice President Michael
Goodwin - also chief negotiator
of the agreement.
Goodwin
explained that Sea-
Land has in recent years shifted
about 300 jobs from the
unionized
ports to ports in the Sun Belt,
where it can pay non-union work-
ers lower wages.
In September,
the company
began moving 180 positions to a
new service center in Dallas. Two
years
ago, the company moved
another 125 clerical jobs to Char-
lotte, NC, citing a need to decen-
tralize operations. But, according
to Goodwin, "We were deter-
mined to protect the jobs and
benefits
of our members."
Following the contract
settle-
ment New Jersey Governor Jim
Florio issued a proclamation com-
mending the union and company
on saving jobs of New
Jersey
workers (shown
at right).
OPEIU Local 11 Organizes
200 at El Ranchito
Plant
ome 200 mostly Latino em-
-
ployees of
El Ranchito, a
Mexican food" producer,
joined
Portland-based OPEIU
Local 11, following
a National
Labor Relations
Board election in
November 1992.
According to Gary Kirkland,
Local 11's
executive officer and
secretary-treasurer
and OPEIU's
international
vice president, the
bargaining unit consists
of pro-
duction workers,
route drivers,
clerical, retail, cooks, food
prepa-
ration and quality
control person-
nel.
He said
that issues in the orga-
nizing campaign included "lack
of
respect" these new members re-
ceived on the job,
a sense of being
"taken
advantage of," and simply
being "treated
unfairly." Wages
and benefits, however,
were ex-
tremely
important to these mini-
mum-wage workers
who labor
long hours with no benefits
what-
soever.
Shop steward Anita
Macias
confirmed this.
She said, "We had
to organize because
of the very
poor treatment of people. Many
were discriminated
against con-
tinually. People were paid totally
different wages.
Who knows why?
Just because someone liked
you
better, I don't know. It was un-
bearable. Some
of the workers
were
practically in tears each day
as they punched
out from work.
And, because we had such
low
pay and no benefits,
in addition to
the bad treatment, turnover was
very high."
International Vice President Gary
Kirkland announces organizing
victory
at El Ranchito.
"Out of desperation
we finally
contacted the union," she contin-
ued, "and began the campaign
with a committee of 10. It just
took off from there.
"I must say the victory was
sweet. Local 11 threw a celebra-
tion for us, and we had a great
time. We are now just looking for-
ward to having a contract. That's
where we're putting
our ener-
gies."
Kirkland gave high praise to
union organizer Jeff
Edmiston
and Labor Relations Specialist
Dave Winders for following
up on
the organizing lead and putting
the drive
together. He noted that
the workers lead by Business
Representative Kirk Stanford are
in negotiations now for the first
Local 11 contract at El Ranchito.
We wish
them success and look
forward to reporting on this new
agreement.
STATA OP NPW .11,04P1'
EXIXOTOOk D4PAPITAENT
WHEREAS, keeping fobs in New
Jersey is a priority If the Garden State
is to continue to be a hub of business and industry
in the 21st century; and
WHEREAS, thanks to a
unique agreement between the Office of
Professional
Employees International
Union and Sea-Land Services Inc.,
four
hundred of the company's
nOice workers are assured
of
drawing paychecks Or
the entire term
of a new contract that expires on August 31, 1996: and
WHEREAS. in exchange
for Job guarantees. union leaders agreed to a
requirement that the workers
undergo training in modern office technologies,
such as word and data processing,
which will no doubt enhance the productivity
for Sea-Land Services,
inc..; and
WHEREAS. this historical agreement
stands as an e.xample of a
"win-win" situation,
as the employees are given job security, and the employer is
assured of a highly-tratne4
enthusiastic workforce;
NOW, THEREFORE. 1, JIM FLORIO, Governor of
the State of New Jersey,
do hereby
recognize and commend
THE
OFFICE
AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES
INTERNATIONAL
UNION AND SEA -LAND SERVICES, INC.
as a new era of employer/employee relations is ushered on February 4, 1993.
GIVEN, under my hand and the
Grew Seal
nil the State of New Jersey, this
twenty-second day of
January
in the
war of
Our
Lord one thousand nine
hundred and ninety-three and of the
Independence oldie United States.
the two hundred and sixteenth.
-/
___.1 BY THE GOVERNOR
.
L LUNIEL
J. DALTON: SECRETARY
OF STATE
N
IF
----4
------N_____fl
Local 402 Presents Plaque
to Cadiz
Richardo Santiago, president, and Guillermo Figueroa, trustee of
OPEIU Local 402 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, present a plaque of
recognition to Jose Cadiz, president of
the Puerto Rico Federation
of Labor. Cadiz was honored at the annual dinner of the New York
State AFL-CIO. With them (right) is OPEIU International Vice
President Michael Goodwin who
also serves on the executive com-
mittee of the State Federation.
Winter
1993
WHITE
COLLAR
Page
Five
San
Francisco's
Local
3
Unionizes
Shelter
Employees
Part II
Last issue we reported the successful organizing cam-
paign
waged by Local 3 to bring the benefits of collective
bargaining to shelter workers at the St. Vincent de Paul
Multi-Service Center in San Francisco. We now have
photos to go with that success story. On the top right are
new Local 3 members (left-to-right)
Ron Steel, Demetres
Mumford and Arnold Franklin. On the right
is a photo of
the center with its beautiful mural. In fact, the center has
won awards for both its
interior
and exterior architec-
tural design. Again, we are extremely
pleased to welcome
these workers to
the union.
New York Times
Credit
Union
Employees
Win
Local 153 Representation
The employees at the
New York Times
Credit Union
voted
overwhelmingly for Local 153
to represent them in the work-
place, said 153 Business Repre-
sentative Patricia Hoffman.
"That," she said, "is news
that's fit to print."
Important issues for these
new Local 153 members were
the credit union's
cutback in
benefits, particularly health
care benefits.
Hoffman said the em-
ployer board of directors at-
tempted to talk the employ-
ees out of unionizing. "This
was incredibly anti-union,"
she said, since more than
half of them are also News-
paper Guild (union) mem-
bers.
The
credit union serves the
employees the New
York
Times. These new Local 153
members
are now preparing to
bargain.
Business
Representative
Pat Hoffman poses here with
credit
union stewards Denise
Metta and Belinda
Chung. Frances
James
also serves as steward.
Flint Red Cross Organizes
with Local
459
0
n December
8, 1992,
Local 459 took part in
two
elections for union
representation were at the Flint
Red
Cross - one successful and
the other inconclusive. Bargaining
units had early been
defined in a
National Labor Relations Board
hearing.
The
first
of units consists of a
separate Genessee-Lapeer
Chap-
ter bargaining unit composed of
clerical and caseworker
employ-
ees who provide community ser-
vices. The sole petitioner
for this
bargaining unit was OPEIU Local
459 who won handily.
The second unit in the Wolver-
fine Chapter
Red Cross is a non-
laboratory
unit and the vote was
inconclusive -
results pending.
According to Business Repre-
sentative Joe
Marutiak the issues
leading the employees to seek
unionization varied according
to
where
they worked.
Genessee-
Lapeer employees, for example,
were primarily concerned
about
job security and to protect them-
selves from arbitrary
employer ac-
tions, such as forced transfers and
terminations.
Marutiak reports that Local 459
is working now on negotiating
this first
OPEIU contract at Flint
Red
Cross.
Maine Health Care
Workers
Choose Loeal 555
The health workers
at
Agape House, a home fa-
cility for the mentally re-
tarded, voted two-to-one for
union representation by OPEIU
Local 555, reports Local President
Karen
Veinote.
Veinote said that job security
had been the chief motivation for
the workers' interest in organiz-
ing, precipitated by installation of
a new administrator who began
laying
off the more
senior employ-
ees - employees with strong
bonds
with the clients.
"The campaign was difficult
and
the election results were post-
poned because of charges
against
the
employer with the labor
board," she said, "but, in the end,
the workers prevailed and won
the right to bargain collectively.
"The
facility has even gone so
far as to hire a labor relations
consultant
who will go to any
lengths to defeat the union. So
our negotiations
are slow and
rough. Ultimately we intend pro-
viding these members with a new
contract
and all of the protections
that guarantees."
It is very exciting, Veinote
stated, especially since this vic-
tory at the Ellsworth, Maine
health care facility has generated
another appeal
to organize, this
time
from a nearby hospital with
250 employees.
We welcome these new mem-
bers to the OPEIU family.
Winter 1993
WHITE COLLAR
Page Seven
Mortgage
Rates
Hit 20-Year Low
Now Could
Be the Right Time for
Homeowners
to
Refinance
with
Union Member
Mortgage and Real Estate
If you own a home, refinanc-
ing your mortgage through
the
Union Member Mort-
gage and Real Estate program
could really pay
off.
During February, mortgage in-
terest
rates dropped to their low-
est level since May 1973.
The aver-
age interest rate on a 30-year fixed-
rate mortgage
was 7.65 percent on
February 21, according to the
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage
Market Survey. A year ago, the rate
was 8.82 percent for the nation.
Although this is good news to
members in the market to buy a
home, members
who already own
a home may reap the biggest re-
wards. The low rates provide an
opportunity for homeowners to
lower their mortgage
payments
and save money by refinancing
through he union's mortgage pro-
gram.
If your current mortgage carries
an interest rate of 9.5 percent
or
higher, now is a good time to call
Union Member Mortgage and Real
Estate
at 1-800-848-6466 and
talk to an expert counselor. The
counselor
can help you decide if
refinancing is right for
you.
The key in deciding
to refinance
is whether you can save enough
money to justify the costs. When
you refinance, you pay off your
Mortgage
Rates
Fall
Mortgage
rates fell during the last year, hitting a 20-year
low
in late February. Lower
rates mean it could be a good time
to refinance a
mortgage or buy a home.
Members can call Union
Member
Mortgage and
Real Estate
at 1-800-848-6466
9.0%
8.8%
8.6%
8.4%
8.2%
8.0%
7.8%
7.6%
7.4%
SOURCE:
30-Year Fixed Rate
Feb. 19, 1993 I
OM=
7.65%
011011111111"0
11ZUFAMtM1
Feb. 21 1992
NU
I 8.82%
EN
F eddie Mac Primary Mortgage
Market Survey
old loan and
take out a new loan.
That means you'll go to settle-
ment
and go through many of the
same steps as when you bought
your current home, often with the
same substantial costs - points,
application fee, closing. Remem-
ber, refinancing may not save you
money if you plan to sell your
house in the near future.
Still must qualify for loan
Since this is a new loan, you
will have to qualify again. That
means you'll
need a good credit
history, and have to meet certain
guidelines. The union has no in-
volvement in mortgage loan deci-
OPEIU Regional Education
Conferences
Organizing
and Sexual Harassment
The
1993 conferences are off and run-
ning; and we should be able to report
to you next issue
on the first few.
Because the economic and
political cli-
mate is improving, the union is looking for-
ward to a renewed push to organizing
the un-
organized -
our most basic mission. So, all
of the regional conferences
this year will
focus on the basics for beginning organizing
campaigns,
while the full-time staff confer-
ence in Washington, DC will have
an ad-
vanced
organizing component. It's an excit-
ing time and you will want to participate
in
the challenge.
We also
will have sexual harassment
workshops at the regionals to
inform mem-
bers and
officers of their rights, as well as
responsibilities as representatives,
regard-
ing this important issue.
I think you will find all of the conferences
immensely helpful. You owe
it to yourself,
your local union
and your members to keep
informed on these timely issues.
We look
forward to seeing you
there.
Southeast/Southwest Conference
March 19-21, 1993
The
Fairmount Hotel, New Orleans,
Louisiana
Western Canada
March 19-21, 1993
Coast Plaza Hotel, Vancouver, British
Columbia
(covered additional topics as well)
Legislative/Organizing Full-lime
Staff Conference
March 24-27, 1993
Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel,
Washington,
DC
West/Northwest
Conference
April 16-18, 1993
Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco,
California
Northeast Conference
October 15-17, 1993
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston,
Massachusetts
North Central Conference
October 22-24,
1993
The Marquette Hotel, Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Erie Conference
November 12-14, 1993
The Holiday
Inn Southwyck, Toledo,
Ohio
sions. Loans are made through
the program by PHH US Mortgage
Corp., one of the nation's largest
and most stable lenders.
Another important considera-
tion is the amount of equity in
your house. You need to have at
least 10 percent equity in your
home to apply for a refinancing.
If you decide to apply, you will
pay a $250 application fee and
one point (one percent of your
loan amount)
at the time of appli-
cation. These fees are applied to
the money you'll
need to bring to
the table at closing.
One phone
call
Union Member
Mortgage and
Real Estate offers expert coun-
selors, a nationwide
real estate
network, discounts for home
buy-
ers and sellers,
special help for
first-time home buyers and unique
union-members-only
features that
can help
members make pay-
ments during prolonged strikes
and
when hardships arise from
layoffs and disabilities. If you're
looking
to sell a home, buy a
home or to refinance
your current
mortgage call Union Member
Mortgage and Real Estate
at
1-
800- 848 -6466,
8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Monday to Thursday,
and 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m., Friday, Eastern Time.
OPEIU
MOURNS
CESAR
CHAVEZ
The members and of-
ficers of the Office and
Professional Employ-
ees International Union
mourn the loss of
Cesar Estrada Chavez,
founder and president
of the
Farm Workers of
America. Chavez
died
suddenly on Thursday,
April 22, 1993, in his
sleep. Funeral arrange-
ments for the 66 year-
old labor leader were
pending as this
news-
paper went to press.
Watch for
additional in-
formation on Chavez in
the next issue.