Welcome Back to Work!

By Brenda Shields, Chief Steward

We have just started the 2010-2011 school year, and we’re already right back at it. I hope you got some rest during the summer because we have some hard work ahead of us.

I am proud to report that we started this new year under a new Memorandum Of Understanding (“M.O.U”) in which we made gains and defended the gains of the previous agreement.

We have a lot of events coming up. Several members of our chapter are joining SEIU members from all over the state for the “One Nation” rally in Washington D.C. At last month’s meeting, members selected delegates to represent us at the Local’s convention in Nashville this November.

We are working hard to start and maintain a monthly newsletter so that you can stay informed as to what is going on, but it doesn’t just happen by itself. I want to take a second to thank all of the stewards and member activists who maintain this chapter. Those who do the work know who you are and we can never say enough good things about you, just know we the members are in your debt.

That being said, there is plenty of work to do and we would love to see new members show up and pitch in. Anyone who is interested in helping our union can call Matt Brown at 901-237-0047. I want to make sure you are all aware that the next monthly meeting has been moved to Saturday, Sept. 25 at 11 am at the hall, which is located at 3020 Sandbrook. We will have a special guest speaker—Brad Watkins, from the Mid South Peace and Justice Center—to talk with us about foreclosure and predatory lending in Memphis, and what we can do about it.

Finally I want to say we will miss our sister Crescent Bynum. We wish you the best of luck now and know you left us stronger than when you found us, and we are thankful for it.