Greetings! There are a number of things to get to in this copy of the newsletter: Union news, events, and information. There isn't one long article this time but please note that there is an important vote tomorrow and then the membership meeting is on Wednesday. Take a look below and see what else might be of interest.

Tomorrow: First chance to vote

Primary for Supreme Court Justice is Tuesday, 2/20

As noted in the last newsletter, a Supreme Court Primary election is happening on Tuesday, February 20th. That's TOMORROW. This is a great opportunity to start shifting the balance of the Wisconsin Supreme court back to something resembling fairness. The two top vote-getters in tomorrow's primary will move on to the general election. Tim Burns and Rebecca Dallet are our best choices. The other candidate not only has the backing of the NRA but he helped defend Governor Walker's Act 10 against lawsuits when that union-busting law went into effect. This is a GREAT opportunity to make sure that you: Are registered to vote Have acceptable ID Know where to vote

PS - Membership Meeting Wednesday The Union succeeds through everyone's efforts. Please Join us THIS Wednesday, February 21 at 5:30PM. We are finalizing the merger with ’95 and we need members to attend. This merger affects all of us and we need everyone's input. Come as well, if you have questions on the recent grievance filed with CUNA Mutual Group regarding the phones.

Are you coming to the Membership meeting? LOCATION Union Offices, 701 Watson Ave, Madison WI 53713 DATE AND TIME 02/21/18 5:30pm - 02/21/18 6:30pm I'll be there! Maybe I can't make it

What's up -- or down -- with the Stock Market?

The stock market has been volatile in the last few weeks, dropping more than a thousand points on more than one occasion. What does it mean? Where will it go next? And the biggest question, why? "Concern about inflation was most glaring on Friday, when stocks tanked after the January jobs report revealed the strongest wage gains since 2009" reported CNN Money. Really? Workers finally starting to get ahead is somehow a bad thing? "Anybody outside the financial system would immediately see wages going up as a good thing," says The Intercept in a fascinating and informative article that suggests the intentional "cooling down" of the economy is designed to raise unemployment so that companies don't have to raise wages. But if the Fed cools things off too much, won't that lead to a recession?

And if a recession comes?

There was talk of recession before the Dow even stabilized. It seems inevitable that there will be another recession: " It’s highly likely the next recession will occur in the coming three years," writes the Huffington Post. Even a "market correction" could increase unemployment rates. "A recession starts after economic activity has reached its peak. Right when things are better than ever is when they’re about to get worse." The government -- state and federal -- can play a huge role in just how hard the hit from the next recession will be. In the last recession, Democrats in Congress led the way to higher unemployment benefits, better funding for SNAP and other aid agencies, all towards helping people out until economic stimulus got the economy going again. This time around, "Congress has quietly allowed those benefits to expire while statehouse Republicans ― aghast that Barack Obama gave their constituents up to 99 weeks of combined state and federal unemployment insurance ― have hacked away at their own unemployment programs." If another recession comes -- whether as a result of the deficit-financing of the GOP tax giveaway to corporations or because workers might finally start seeing wages increase, who is leading the state and federal governments will mean all the difference to those who lose their jobs. Did you know that the first election of the 2018 season is tomorrow?

What does a company owe its community?

Do companies have a responsibility to the community beyond making as much profit as possible? Yes Select No Select Tax breaks and Layoffs There is news of more layoffs from one of our largest bargaining units. Even as the company gets a huge tax break from the bill signed by President Trump, more jobs are being lost and more work is being outsourced. It raises the question: what does a company owe to the community in which it operates? Right-wing economist Milton Friedman once wrote an article entitled: "The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits." Companies in our Local seem to be following that advice. It's all part of the same pattern already noted: outsource work, layoff workers, make workers desperate to keep wages suppressed. One strategy is to use more and more H-1B visa holders. The top H-1B employers "are all IT offshore outsourcing firms..." according to the Economic Policy Institute. The damage done to communities when companies lay off and outsource is hard to measure. The damage done to individuals when the company chooses profit over people is a lot easier to see.

The Reviews are In

Great Job! We would like to congratulate all of CUNA Mutual members for an outstanding performance review year for 2017. Over the last few years, we've told members to ask their manager how they are trending throughout the year and it seems to have paid off.   We have less than 1% of our members that received an Improvement Expected ranking, this is down from 3% in 2016. We have also seen a 5% increase in Leading Performers   Great Job!

South Central Federation of Labor 2018 Scholarship

The South Central Federation of Labor again is offering four $1000 scholarships. There is an additional scholarship for the Dodge County chapter. The scholarship applicant can't have won a scholarship previously and must not have earned their post-secondary degree at the time of application. For full rules and the Application form, click on the big purple button!

SCFL Scholarship Application

Upcoming Membership Meetings Membership meetings are held the third Wednesday of the second month of the quarter, at 5:30PM at the Union Office. February 21, 2018 May 16, 2018 August 15, 2018 November 15, 2018 This is your Union. Your participation gives us the strength to face the continued opposition of both politicians and companies.

Know Your Weingarten Rights!

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the National Labor Relations Act gives workers the right to request union representation during investigatory interviews by supervisors, security personal, and other managerial staff. These are called Weingarten Rights. An investigatory interview occurs if 1) management questions you to obtain information; and 2) you have reasonable apprehension that your answers could be used as a basis for discipline or other adverse action. You must ask for union representation either before or during an investigatory interview. Management does not have to remind you of this right. If your request is refused and Management continues asking questions, you may refuse to answer. Your employer is guilty of an unfair labor practice and charges may be filed. If you are questioned in a situation where Weingarten may apply, read or present this statement: "If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative, officer, or steward be present at this meeting. Until my representative arrives, I choose not to participate in this discussion."

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