The Last Stand: Who really supports you and your family?

All state workers are urged to attend a Commitment Rally
June 11
East side of Legislative Hall (opposite the Mall)
Gathering at 3pm; speeches to begin at 5:00pm

Come cheer on the legislators who step up to pledge their support for NO PAY CUTS
Sponsored by the 13 state employee unions working in coalition as “State Workers United for a Better Delaware”

Dear DSEA Colleague:

It's time. It's time for our legislators to stand up and be counted.

Right now we’re asking all legislators to sign a commitment letter, pledging their commitment to stand with public employees in opposition to the proposed salary cut.

Here’s what the letter says:

“Our public employees work tirelessly every day to provide the vital services that make Delaware happen. In this economic climate, cutting public employees’ salaries will deepen the recession and negatively impact all state taxpayers. I pledge to work with state employee unions and my colleagues in the state legislature to find a solution to the budget crisis that does NOT cut employee salaries or disproportionately place the burden of the deficit on their backs.”

We need you one last time in Dover, to celebrate each of the legislators that comes up and signs a large replica of this commitment pledge. We need them to know just how much we appreciate their support at a difficult time. 

We know that many of you can’t get to Dover by 5pm, or have other commitments. But those of you who can come, please find a way. This is the last big call from our coalition, State Workers United for a Better Delaware, for a rally of as many state workers as possible at Legislative Hall.

Worried about parking? Parking is free and available at the Blue Hen Conference Center on Rte. 113, where Dawson busses will bring you over to Legislative Hall. Busses will run from 2:30pm to 6:30pm. They are being paid for by the Delaware State Troopers Association.
Need a restroom? The DSEA office building will be open. It's only one block away on E. Water St.  

Between now and then, in your correspondence to legislators, ask them if they have signed the State Workers Commitment pledge, and will they be joining state workers on June 11 to publicly pledge their support and commitment to economic solutions that help Delaware’s families and not hurt them. If they haven't, please take a moment to shoot an email to DSEA Lobbyist Tim Barchak.

Thank you for making our first two rallies so successful. All the coalition leaders report – following their conversations with legislators - that these rallies are working.

To see photos from both rallies as well as our Bell to Bell Week, check out DSEA’s Flickr page. 

For video from the rallies, go to www.youtube.com/dseavideo.

In case you missed it, here is Delaware Watch’s blog reporting on our first rally:
http://delawarewatch.blogspot.com/2009/05/delaware-state-worker-coalition-and.html  

For daily legislative updates from DSEA, check out One Fight More.

Howard Dean in Delaware to talk about progress with National Healthcare Reform 

Former Vt. Governor Howard Dean will be in Delaware this Friday to talk about reforming health care so that it works. At the invitation of SEIU, he will be at the Delaware Building and Trades union hall at 3:00pm, 911 New Road, Wilmington 19805.

We know most of you can’t make it but wanted you to know that Gov. Dean is campaigning across the country for healthcare reform that works. A strong public plan is central to any healthcare bill. "Healthcare reform legislation rises and falls on whether the American public is allowed to choose a universally available public option, like Medicare, or not." Governor Dean explains: "If we are allowed to choose a public option like Medicare, the bill will be real healthcare reform. If we're not, we could be back fighting about it for another 20 years before anybody tries again."
Questions? Call Jennifer Hill, state director for SEIU at Jennifer Hill mailto:jenannhill@gmail.com .