Congratulations are in order to the winners of the 2017 OPEIU Scholarships. Information and applications for the 2018 scholarships will be available in January 2018 by clicking the Member Resources tab).
Jaylen Stark DAG 2007A Region I
Xinyl Li Local 2 Region II
Megan McCarthy Local 6 Region II
Our country is still reeling from the shocking events in Charlottesville this weekend. In no uncertain terms, OPEIU strongly condemns the violence and hatred that was displayed by Nazi white nationalists in Charlottesville and the racist rhetoric that has followed.
While we may not share the same political views, all Americans share a desire for freedom, justice and equality. And in these confusing, disheartening times, one thing is clear – now is the time that all good people must act, stand up and speak out against this hatred and bigotry. We must all educate ourselves on the issues and then demand that our elected leaders stand with us against all forms of racism, violence and injustice. Each and every one of us shares this responsibility; we must not and cannot remain silent in the face of hatred.
Act now to urge your senators to oppose the Republican leadership’s healthcare bill that will rob millions of people of benefits while giving a huge tax break to the wealthy. Go to https://aflcio.org/ today to find your senator and call and email to urge them to vote no on the health care bill.
OPEIU is pleased to introduce the newest union benefit for all OPEIU members – the OPEIU Free College Benefit. Just as the name implies, OPEIU members and their families can now earn an associate degree completely free of charge. With all the expenses working families have to deal with these days, it’s good to know that meeting the costs of rising tuition and textbooks doesn’t have to be one of them. If you have children graduating from high school and planning to attend college or you are looking for a way to advance your own career, the OPEIU Free College Benefit is here to help. Beginning this summer, every member or retired member, as well as spouses, children, grandchildren and dependents of OPEIU members, can earn a two-year degree online for free. You read that right – free college just for being an OPEIU member in good standing.
On behalf of the 1,000 OPEIU Local 32-represented employees at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, OPEIU strongly opposes S-4 that seeks to impose restructuring requirements forcing the company to become an “insurer of last resort,” a move that would have devastating financial repercussions for the company and translate to exploding premiums and fewer services for its 3.8 million subscribers.
This onerous and politically motivated move by Gov. Chris Christie and the state senate will also hurt the innocent employees of Horizon who will as a result face certain layoffs and deep cuts at the bargaining table. Forcing Horizon into a quasi-charitable role that only it has to bear would put it at a serious disadvantage to other insurers in the state. More importantly, its employees and premium holders would be the ones absorbing the cost of caring for non-policy holders.
Late last week, JCAU Council and CWA 1036 jointly filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge as well as a petition for immediate restraints with the Public Employment Relations Commission to challenge the Judiciary’s recently announced vaccine and testing policy. While the immediate restraints were denied, the underlying ULP is moving forward. The ULP is based on the near-immediate imposition of the policy without impact negotiations with the Unions. The Unfair Practice process is underway and procedural steps are scheduled over the next 2-3 weeks. We will keep members updated on any developments.
To All OPEIU Local Unions:
It's a very busy time in Washington with several key pieces of legislation pending that will significantly impact working families, including the PRO Act and the For the People Act of 2021 (voting rights).
To ensure consistent messaging and combat anti-worker efforts, OPEIU has put together messaging points on both pieces of legislation, along with some graphics that all local unions are encouraged to use in any publications, websites, social media postings or other communication methods. They are included below, and graphics are attached. We've also included an AFL-CIO statement, “Senate Rules Cannot be Used to Block a Workers First Agenda," which we hope you’ll find helpful. The Executive Council’s full statement is available here.
OPEIU Local 32, in collaboration with the other unions which comprise the Judiciary Council of Affiliated Unions, has reached a tentative agreement with the State of New Jersey for our court employees. Links here are for the summary of all the changes and the actual Memorandum of Agreement reached at the bargaining table. The 3-page summary is included for your convenience, but members will actually vote to accept or reject the complete MOA.
State Health Benefits Program School Employees' Health Benefits Program
PERCENTAGE OF PREMIUM CALCULATORS FOR PLAN YEAR 2013 Health Benefit Contribution Requirements under Chapter 78, P.L. 2011
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