Thank you for
responding to the Tri-Counties Central Labor Council’s 2004 questionnaire.
More
than 2 million working men and women have a voice on the job through 1,300
AFL-CIO unions in
Please
be candid, complete and forthright in your responses, and prompt in returning
the completed questionnaire. Completed questionnaires should be returned to:
TRI-COUNTIES CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL by
Name Bill Winter Office
Sought: Mayor of
Home Address:
Home Phone: 805-486-9415
Occupation: Journalist Employer: Self
Work Address:
Work Phone: 805-276-3629
Campaign office address:
Political Consultant:
Alejandro Rivera
Campaign ID Number:
Pending Political
Party: Republican
Which public offices have you held? (Include dates of
service)
Please describe your work with union members on any
previous positions.
Have you failed to vote in any national, state,
legislative general elections or statewide ballot proposition elections in the
past five years? No Why?
Briefly describe your work background. Mainly
Federal Government Employment
Briefly describe your educational background. BA in
Radio/TV Communications
Are you a union member? No To which unions have
you belonged?
What was your level of participation (steward,
officer, member of bargaining team, etc.)?
To what fraternal, professional, civic or social
organizations do you belong?
From what other groups are you seeking or have you
received endorsements?
Will you seek higher office? Potential - Yes
CANDIDATE PLEDGE –
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO CHOOSE A
Section 923
of California’s Labor Code states it is the public policy of this state that
”It is necessary that the individual workman have full freedom of association,
self-organization, and designation of representatives of his own choosing, to
negotiate the terms and conditions of his employment, and that he shall be free
from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their
agents, in the designation of such representatives....”
Employers
have the power to fire, promote, change work assignments and otherwise reward
and punish their workers. There are many
responsible employers who respect the rights of their workers and obey the
law. Unfortunately, many employers abuse
their power in the workplace to deny their workers the right to freely choose a
voice on the job by joining a union and bargaining contracts determining the
terms and conditions of their employment.
Each year
workers seeking to organize a union in their workplace are fired although the
law says this is illegal. After years of
litigation, employers are required to rehire these workers and pay back wages
minus any income the worker earned after being fired. Employers pay no other penalty. Workers receive no compensation for the harm
done to their lives and careers. And
unions receive no compensation for the impact of such illegal activities on
their organizing drives.
Even after
workers overcome employer interference and vote for a union many employers then
refuse to bargain a contract in good faith.
Tri-Counties
Central Labor Council asks you as a candidate and elected official to exert
moral leadership and to actively support public policies that protect the right
of workers to freely choose a voice on the job by participating in a union and
to bargaining with their employers.
As a candidate
and elected official I hereby pledge:
|
1. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage workers who are organizing a union with all
AFL-CIO union based affiliates. |
|
2. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage the position that workers should be able to
freely choose for themselves whether they want to gain a voice on the job by
unionizing without the intimidating effects of any employer
interference. This includes publicly
supporting and encouraging employers to remain neutral on the question of
unionization. |
|
3. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage the position that no taxpayer money should be
spent interfering with the right of workers to freely choose a union. |
|
4. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage a fair and fast process for determining worker
support for unionization including secret ballot election or card check
recognition. |
|
5. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage employers to negotiate an agreement with the
union within 90 days after the majority of workers express their choice in
favor of forming a union. |
|
6. |
To publicly
support and actively encourage employers to negotiate good faith collective
bargaining agreements with their workers and to abide by the terms of those
agreements. |
Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:_________
Print
Name:________________________________
WORKING
WITH UNION MEMBERS AND THEIR UNIONS
1. If elected, will you commit to the following actions to support workers
engaged in union activity such as bargaining and organizing:
A. Walk picket lines?
B. Mediate with employers?
C. Write letters of support?
D. Fight for proper endorsement of current
labor law?
E. Hold a press conference?
F. Speak at rallies?
YES TO ALL
2. If elected, will you commit to:
A. Call for and welcome all
AFL-CIO affiliates’ input on policy matters that affect the industries that our
members work in?
B. Attend SEIU, IAFF & OE leadership and worksite meetings?
C. Ensure direct access to you and your
staff?
D. Work to appoint
qualified union members to appropriate Boards and Commissions?
YES TO ALL
3. Briefly explain what actions you have taken as a public official or
private citizen that demonstrate your commitment to helping workers achieve a
voice on the job and in the political process.
While assigned to the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Ventura Field Office, management was placing unconditional and oppressive work
rules on non-management staff. I
contacted the local office of NAGE (National Association of Government
Employees). My union work in contacting
and monitoring the votes to gain a union marked me as an employee and
negatively impacted my association with this department of the federal
government. I am still seeking
resolution to this grievance.
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS
Project labor agreements assure labor peace, local
employment, and better quality construction in public works projects. PLAs join
contractors, subcontractors, builders and developers together with unions to
negotiate an agreement for the life of the project. Wage rates, work rules and
working conditions are specified under a PLA.
Over the past 60 years, PLA’s have brought projects like the
1. Do you
support the concept of project labor agreements? Would you work to ensure that
project labor agreements are commonly used for public construction projects in
Project labor agreements are an
important aspect of the building trades.
I would work with developers to use mainly local union guilds, but
realize that many developers may hire from outside the area. This is an area I would monitor and try to
assist the builders with finding ways to afford their projects and gain
affiliation with local unions and workforces.
2. Many project labor agreements cover
not only the initial construction of the project, but the ongoing maintenance
and operation of the completed facility. Such long-term agreements create labor
stability for the project long after its construction is completed. Would you
actively support such long-term project labor agreements? If not, why not?
I see the long-term and on-going
agreements, the better manner to obtain union presence on the job site and
continued promise of prevailing wage in this city.
PUBLIC SAFETY
1.
Describe the ways
you would be supportive of public safety during your term of office.
Unlike my challenger, I would not
support joining the Police and Fire Departments, which was one his pet-projects
when he was on the Council. I would seek
more community presence of police, re-implement the bike patrols in downtown,
and support sub-stations in the community.
For Fire, I would seek to increase the number of fire stations in the
city to 12 stations.
PUBLIC SERVICE REVENUES
Tax policy,
set both legislatively and through the initiative process, continues to have a
major negative impact on public services in the state. A series of initiatives, beginning with
Proposition 13 in 1978 and including Proposition 4 (1979), Proposition 62
(1986) and Proposition 218 (1996) have severely restricted the ability of state
and local government to raise revenues to improve and expand public services.
Throughout
the 1990's state legislators passed and Governors signed billions of dollars
worth of tax breaks and loopholes for business, further restricting public
revenues.
1.
I
do not advocate more taxes and fees, I
feel that creating environments where businesses can flourish and spending is
unbridled creates more income through taxes, use fees, and general commerce. As Mayor, I would look to see alternative
ways to earn money for the City by more co-operative giving versus involuntary
means such as fees, fines, and assessments.
I would look at how the City conducts it’s business, while I admire
private contracting, would seek more ways for in-house city workers to do the
jobs that some costly contractors are now providing by service for fees.
2. In
2000 voters approved Proposition 39, lowering the voter approval margin for
school bonds to 55% from two-thirds. Do
you support or oppose a similar standard to approve local government bond
measures, specific targeted local tax increases and parcel tax increases for
schools?
No. I feel 55% is too close and not fairly
provide decision makers the basis to act.
3. Commercial
property tax rates under Proposition 13 have lagged significantly behind those
for private homeowners. Do you support or oppose a change to Proposition 13 to
more fairly tax commercial property by reassessing on a regular basis rather
than the current change of ownership standard?
No. I believe that attrition and sales of
existing Prop 13 properties opens up the funding gap, true it is slower, but
more fair to owners who enjoy current Prop 13 benefits.
4. Please
describe briefly any actions you have taken as a public official or private
citizen that demonstrate your support for your positions on increasing public
service revenues.
I have submitted suggestions to the
Board of Education for means and methods to gain income from non-traditional
means that do not depend on standard government funding sources.
STATE
& LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES
The State of
1. Would you
support or oppose legislation requiring that these same standards be applied as
a minimum for cities, counties and special districts?
Highly
support, as long as contracting is not for services City employees are capable
of providing.
Contingent
and involuntary part-time workers are increasingly used in the public sector in
lieu of filling permanent positions.
These workers are typically denied access to health care and other
benefits. Public services suffer due to
the high turnover of workers.
2. Would you
support or oppose legislation to restrain state and local government from using
contingent workers in lieu of filling permanent positions?
I am hopeful
that our Congress will initiate a public health care program as health
insurance is the top benefit sought by part-time and low-pay service
workers. I would support legislation to
curtail contingent and on-call, part time workers with out better benefits and
compensation.
3. Please
describe any actions you have taken as a public official or private citizen
that demonstrate your support for quality public services.
As a Neighborhood
Chair, I have supported Police, Fire, Parks, Refuse, and Water Departments in
handling difficult issues and gaining satisfactory resolution of problems local
residents face.
4. Please describe any actions you have taken as a public
official or private citizen that demonstrate your opposition to contracting out
and privatization?
I have been
vocal on this issue in questionnaires for this election and at endorsement
interviews.
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT & PUBLIC INVESTMENT
Strong, well
directed, broadly inclusive economic growth is vital to the health of the
1. What
priorities would you set for economic development, and how you would seek to
ensure that economic strategies benefit workers in a community? (If you are currently or formerly an elected
official, explain how have you worked to ensure that working families benefits
from economic development programs in your community.)
Our Downtown
is currently double-taxed as an extra layer of tax is used to support what is
known as a Downtown Business District.
The taxes are given to a secondary private group of select Downtown
business owners who are using the monies to re-duplicate City services. I would seek to sunset this ‘partnership’ and
encourage a non-tax-base organization to conduct fund-raising and manage
Downtown beautification projects. As
Mayor, I would seek to offer tax benefits to small businesses to come in and
revitalize our Downtown, one shop at a time.
I would also partner with the local
Bringing in
new small business and new residents would have a positive economic ripple
effect to benefit the commercial climate in
2. Would you
make an active effort to put clear standards into law ensuring that public
funds for economic development and public contracts are directed to responsible
companies that pay at least a living wage, provide good benefits to workers,
obey all laws and agree to card check neutrality? If not, why not?
This looks
good on paper, but
3. Would you
support legislation that would increase penalties to companies that participate
in the underground economy by failing to pay required overtime, ignoring
minimum wage laws, or paying cash under the table? If not, why not?
I would
offer amnesty to companies conducting business in this manner, but again,
culturally, this would be difficult to enforce, and even harder to detect. After amnesty expired, I would cite some
larger offenders and seek public funds payment to deter other offenders from
continuing like practices.
4. Do you agree
that creation of community development strategies must include significant
input from labor, community interests and academics? If not, why not?
Yes, our
current community development and more specifically, our redevelopment is a
closed community of civic leaders who keep outside participation to a
minimum. Again, my work is cut out for
me as Mayor. My primary opponent would
conduct business as usual and allow things to remain the same.
5. Do you agree
that businesses that violate labor law should be ineligible for state and local
public contracts, tax abatements or public subsidies for job creation? If not, why not?
YES.
6. Do you agree
that companies with more than three OSHA health and safety violations, or one
willful serious violation should be barred from bidding on public contracts or
receiving public dollars until the violations are satisfactorily abated? If not, why not?
YES, as they
are a hazard.
7. Would you support a requirement that government
establish a reporting and hearing process for community input on large tax
incentive packages for attracting business?
If not, why not?
Yes, I would
hope the community would contribute their ideas at quarterly business forums.
PRIVATIZATION
AND CONTRACTING OUT
Some elected
officials – operating under the smokescreen of market efficiency – are pursuing
ill-conceived efforts to privatize public services. A growing body of research shows that experienced
public-sector workers provide greater efficiency, reliability and quality in
essential services. Privatization or
contracting out of public services must never be used as a means to undercut
wages and benefits, or undermine union contracts.
1. What is your position on privatization or contracting
out of public services? Under what
conditions would you support privatization?
I am against
privatization of government services.
2. How would you bring contracted out or privatized
services back into public administration?
By first
reviewing ALL contracts, surveying services that are needed, and opening up
position vacancies to hire new workers with benefits and opportunities to
affiliate with the
3. Would you support legislation requiring that privatization
be subject to public hearings, to provide full disclosure of cost comparisons,
and quality of services. If not, why
not?
No, I feel
the City Council, with agreement, can conduct the necessary review, however,
the end result of our findings and the processes of our decisions would be open
to public scrutiny and comment.
4. Would you support legislation requiring local
government, schools and local agencies to adopt contracting provisions similar
to those in the Government Code affecting state workers? These provisions restrict contracting out to
those urgent circumstances or special situations where public workers cannot do
the work. If not, why not?
YES, this is
exactly what I am seeking.
BUILDING
SERVICES
1. Would
you be willing to encourage building owners, who control the building services
economy, to provide livable wages and family health care benefits to the
janitors who clean their buildings?
I would go
further and annotate it as a City Code for janitorial services be specifically
covered under living wage rules and conditions.
OTHER
ISSUES
1. Did
you support or oppose the attempt to recall Governor Davis?
Recalls are
tricky, because they can back fire. I
must admit that I voted for the Recall, but voters did have a host of
candidates to choice from the selection process was fair and our Lt Governor
was in essence favoring the recall for his own promotion.
What public actions did you take to support your
position on the recall?
I hosted
articles and ads on my website:
www.oxnard-journal.com.
2. Did
you support or oppose Proposition 54 on the
Prop 54 was
racially-charged. I did not vote in
support of it.
3. Did
you support or oppose Proposition 53 on the
Prop 53 was
aimed to improve our infrastructure. I
voted in favor of the measure.
4. To
what extent do you believe that employment discrimination continues to deny
equal opportunity to minorities and women?
I feel that
equality is reaching a steady-state in employment and I hope that soon,
employment factors will be based on merit instead of heritage.
5. Reliable,
accessible, environmentally friendly transportation is a key issue for working
families. What will you do to improve
I would seek
to improve our bus and trolley system in
6. There
is a housing crisis in many areas of the state.
Many working families spend more than half of their income on
housing. What role do you believe the
state should play in providing affordable housing?
Affordable Housing can be handled on a state wide
basis by opening up remote state and federal lands for small community planning
and investment to handle some of the overflow currently experienced in the
coastal communities of
7. Do you
support SB2?
SB2 may
drive away businesses from
CANDIDATE
INTERESTS
1 Briefly
describe your top priorities and the policy areas that will be of most interest
to you as a legislator.
Address the
Housing Explosion in
2. What
qualifies or distinguishes you from other candidates for this office?
I have a
heart for the city and for the people of
3. Briefly
State why you are seeking Labor’s endorsement.
Labor’s endorsement is the “touch of Gold” – gold as
in the seal of quality, gold for benefits the candidate will reap from
association with labor, and gold for the purity of intention which is promised
by the candidate to the union to do as said, and hold to what the candidate
believes.
I know my candidacy is a long-shot, but I believe I
will bring a freshness and a new hope to the people of
I will hold to my promises made this day, when elected,
regardless of the outcome of your endorsement, but I do value it and will work
to make your endorsement worthy of the decision you make.
4. If
Tri-Counties Central Labor Council endorses you, will you carry the endorsement
on your materials?
I am holding
up on my printing in order to place the ‘bug’ on my literature.
5. What
actions have you taken as a private citizen or elected official to support
workers’ rights or freely join, participate in a union?
My
sacrifices within the Federal Government to gain union representation at the
Wildlife
Service office cost me dearly, but I would willing do it all again and again,
and again.
6. Is
there anything else you believe is important for the members of SEIU to know
about you and your campaign as they evaluate candidates for this office?
My intent for
Thank you
for completing this questionnaire.
Please sign below and return the questionnaire as indicated in the cover
letter.
Signed _______________________________________
Date___________________
----- Original Message -----
From: WINTER
To: marewol@aol.com
Cc: oxnardjo@gte.net ; OxnardJournal@gmx.co.uk
Sent:
Subject:
Tri Counties Meeting - 04 Aug
To: Marilyn Valenzuela
Executive
Secretary-Treasurer
Tri-Counties
Central Labor Council
Marilyn:
As discussed earlier last month, I indicated that I
would have a potential conflict with attending your monthly meeting and
chairing the Neighborhood Council meeting here in
After much thought, I feel my primary duties are to
the residents and neighborhood representatives and I will have to decline your
invitation to address the Labor Council.
I would love your endorsement and would hope that the
SEIU forwarded a good recommendation, but I face a tough challenger for the
seat of Mayor and I feel I can do more for my campaign by being visible
performing my duties on the Neighborhood Council Forum.
The Questionnaire I completed for the SEIU was
comprehensive and my answers should show my dedication to the Unions – I am
hopeful you have these responses also.
Again, I would highly value your endorsement, and
when elected promise to provide you the attention and promises made
in my answers to the SEIU questionnaire and the answers provided the SEIU panel
that interviewed me in July.
You may share this e-mail with the Council.
Thank you for the invitation. I hope you understand my desire to be
serving the people of
Best and Kindest Regards,
Bill Winter
Candidate for Mayor of