Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s Open Letter to First Lady Michelle Obama regarding Healthy Parks Healthy People Proponents and EBRPD Labor Negotiations

June 30, 2013

Dear First Lady Michelle Obama,

Thank you so much for being a truly healthy role model.  I am one of millions of Americans who are proud of you and what your name stands for.

In your remarks at the 2010 National Recreation and Park Association Conference, you had recognized East Bay Regional Parks’ ”Trails Challenge” as a model initiative. Thank you for caring about what we do at EBRPD; we are Healthy Parks Healthy People Proponents.

Here are updates on what’s happening with contract negotiations at EBRPD:

• 65% of Local 2428 members who voted have rejected the offer from the District. If we do not get a fair contract by Wednesday night July 3rd, 2013 we shall go on strike on July 4th and 5th.    Our Negotiations Team has already appropriately notified the public regarding  our intentions.
• Since our Local 2428 Negotiations Team and District’s Team will be meeting with the mediator again on Monday July 1st . . .  I humbly ask that you use your mighty voice to express your concern for fair  treatment to ALL employees of a public agency that is thriving because of  OUR property taxes (Measure WW), OUR patronage, OUR support, and the dedication and labor of 600+ employees.  Please contact EBRPD Board Members and General Manager with a simple message:  ”Please give your dedicated employees a fair contract now.”  Please see names and contact info below.
• Employees’ outstanding achievements continue to garner local and national awards for the park district. Every employee contributes toward the relationship-building that takes place every day in the park district (in person, over the phone, via emails). These individuals, who are union employees, make regional parks and trails safe, clean and beautiful.
• If  we do go on strike, please come by and cheer for us.
• We wish to secure a fair contract for current and future coworkers, one that would not further diminish our buying power and narrow negotiating parameters for  future contracts.

Here are names and contact information of the 7 EBRPD Board Members, General Manager, and our Union President. 

“EBRPD Board President John Sutter” <jsutter@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Vice President Ayn Wieskamp” <awieskamp@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Secretary Ted Radke”  <tradke@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Treasurer Whitney Dotson” <wdotson@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Beverly Lane” <blane@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Doug Siden” <dsiden@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Carol Severin” <cseverin@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD GM Robert E. Doyle” <bdoyle@ebparks.org>

Please cc   “AFSCME Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha” <local2428negotiations@gmail.com> Tel: 510-566-5985

U.S. mailing address to Board Members and General Manager: EBRPD Board, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), extension 2020 for Clerk of the Board

Please cc Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha: Local 2428 East Bay Parks, 80 Swan Way, Suite 110, Oakland, CA 94621 Tel: 510-566-5985

First Lady Obama, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Sincerely,

• California and Federal tax payer
• user of EBRPD parks and trails
• supporter of Measure WW
• part-time Sr. Office Assistant for EBRPD
• fan of all employees at EBRPD
• published author and writing coach

June 30, 2013

Dear Governor Brown,

Thank you so much for being our remarkable leader in California!

When you were our Oakland Mayor (Thank you!), did you take walks in East Bay Regional Parks?

Here are updates on what’s happening with contract negotiations at EBRPD:

• 65% of Local 2428 members who voted have rejected the offer from the District. If we do not get a fair contract by Wednesday night July 3rd, 2013 we shall go on strike on July 4th and 5th.    Our Negotiations Team has already appropriately notified the public regarding  our intentions.
• Since our Local 2428 Negotiations Team and District’s Team will be meeting with the mediator again on Monday July 1st . . .  I humbly ask that you use your mighty voice to express your concern for fair  treatment to ALL employees of a public agency that is thriving because of  OUR property taxes (Measure WW), OUR patronage, OUR support, and the dedication and labor of 600+ employees.  Please contact EBRPD Board Members and General Manager with a simple message:  ”Please give your dedicated employees a fair contract now.”  Please see names and contact info below.
• Employees’ outstanding achievements continue to garner local and national awards for the park district. Every employee contributes toward the relationship-building that takes place every day in the park district (in person, over the phone, via emails). These individuals, who are union employees, make regional parks and trails safe, clean and beautiful.
• If  we do go on strike, please come by and cheer for us. 
• We wish to secure a fair contract for current and future coworkers, one that would not further diminish our buying power and narrow negotiating parameters for  future contracts.

Here are names and contact information of the 7 EBRPD Board Members, General Manager, and our Union President. 

“EBRPD Board President John Sutter” <jsutter@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Vice President Ayn Wieskamp” <awieskamp@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Secretary Ted Radke”  <tradke@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Treasurer Whitney Dotson” <wdotson@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Beverly Lane” <blane@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Doug Siden” <dsiden@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Carol Severin” <cseverin@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD GM Robert E. Doyle” <bdoyle@ebparks.org>

Please cc   “AFSCME Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha” <local2428negotiations@gmail.com> 510-566-5985

U.S. mailing address to Board Members and General Manager: EBRPD Board, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), extension 2020 for Clerk of the Board

Please cc Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha: Local 2428 East Bay Parks, 80 Swan Way, Suite 110, Oakland, CA 94621 Tel: 510-566-5985

Governor Brown, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Teresa LeYung-Ryan

• California tax payer
• user of EBRPD parks and trails
• supporter of Measure WW
• part-time Sr. Office Assistant for EBRPD
• fan of all employees at EBRPD
• published author and writing coach

“What are you thinking about, Charlotte?” Wilbur asked.

“I was just thinking,” said the spider, “that people are very gullible.”

“What does ‘gullible’ mean?”

“Easy to fool,” said Charlotte.

If  we are to read the General Manager’s letter and accept the document as the whole truth (without conducting fact-checking), then, yes, we are gullible.

The letter says that the District is offering an overall pay increase of 8.5% over a four-year contract.  Why doesn’t it say that employees’ buying power has eroded by 11.5% over the past four years?

The District is offering 2% wage increase for July 1, 2013–March 31, 2014 (previous contract has already expired on March 31, 2013) while 2013 Consumer Price Index is 2.4%.

CPI figures confirmed by  http://www.bls.gov/ro9/9240.pdf

2010  2.4%

2011  2.1%

2012  3.5%

2013  2.4%

The letter says: ” . . . current average total compensation (wages and benefits) for the basic park maintenance worker as a Park Ranger 2 with a high school education and three years of service is $102,000.”  What it doesn’t say is that (according to District’s website) the minimum monthly salary for Park Ranger II is  $4,310.80 and maximum monthly salary is $4,693.87.  Office Assistant/Senior Office Assistant min. $3,800.88/month; max. $4,286.75/month.

And, those salary figures are gross, not net.  Ask a Park Ranger II or Office Assistant what his/her take-home pay is.  Ask a Park Ranger II or Office Assistant what losing 11.5% buying-power over the past four years means in terms of paying:

• rent or mortgage and property tax
• food
• utilities
• hygiene products & clothing
• transportation or gasoline, car maintenance and insurance
• home owner or tenant’s insurance
• doctor-visit co-pays
• living expense for dependents

What the letter doesn’t say is that while the EBRPD board members approve “merit increases” for managers . . . the  job classifications and salary schedules for many non-management positions are outdated.

EBRPD is a special district (not state, not city).  The District reports 2012 General Fund revenues exceeded expenditures by $9.7 million, or 10%, which means General Fund revenues grew by $3.4 million. In 2011, General Fund revenues exceeded expenditures by $9.3 million. In other words, the Park District is indeed financially healthy. Even during the recession, the District had a surplus of $5 million.  Why erode skilled and loyal employees’ wages/benefits/buying power?

How can we say "Thank you" to the employees who make East Bay regional parks and trails clean and beautiful?

On June 26, 2013 AFSCME Local 2428 had released this statement:

AFSCME LOCAL 2428 EAST BAY PARK WORKERS ARE PREPARING TO STRIKE JULY 4^TH AND 5^TH FOR A FAIR CONTRACT

WHY WOULD WE GO ON STRIKE ?

• We are trying to reach a fair contract with our employer the EBRPD. If we do not reach agreement by the evening of July 3rd, then, yes, we shall proceed with work-stoppage on July 4th and 5th; Local 2428 had already notified the public on June 26.
• Our wages are 17% less than our counterparts in other public agencies.
• The District’s offer does not keep pace with inflation (our buying power has already eroded by 11.5% over the past four years)
• The District’s offer amounts to a net wage increase of 1.125% each year over 4 years; if CPI stays at 2.4% each year, we would fall further and further behind.
• If Board Members grant merit increases to one group of employees (highest-paid group), then it’s only fair to not erode the wages of the lower-paid groups.

What is Local 2428 Negotiations Team asking on behalf of their 600+ members?

a 3-year contract April 1, 2013 — March 31, 2016 that offers:

• Year 1 – current CPI of 2.4 plus 1% = 3.4%
• Year 2 – CPI plus 1.75% — with 2.5% floor /  4.75% ceiling
• Year 3 – CPI plus 1.75% — with 2.5% floor /  4.75% ceiling

Here are names and email addresses of the 7 EBRPD Board Members and General Manager:

“EBRPD Board President John Sutter” <jsutter@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Vice President Ayn Wieskamp” <awieskamp@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Secretary Ted Radke”  <tradke@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Treasurer Whitney Dotson” <wdotson@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Beverly Lane” <blane@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Doug Siden” <dsiden@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD Board Member Carol Severin” <cseverin@ebparks.org>

“EBRPD GM Robert E. Doyle” <bdoyle@ebparks.org>

Please cc   “AFSCME Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha” local2428negotiations@gmail.com 510-566-5985

U.S. mailing address to Board Members and General Manager:    EBRPD Board, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605    1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), extension 2020 for Clerk of the Board

Please cc Local 2428 President Cliff Rocha:  Local 2428 East Bay Parks, 80 Swan Way, Suite 110, Oakland, CA 94621   Tel:  510-566-5985