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Q&A Sessions
SEIU Local 415
Candidates seeking the endorsement of SEIU Local 415 are required to complete the following questionnaire and sign the Pledge to Honor Organizing.
1. Are you willing to meet with union representatives during contract negotiations?
2. As an elected official, the Brown Act allows you to be accessible to workers and their representatives on work-related issues, including the negotiation process. What steps will you take to be accessible to workers and their representatives, and if need be, to act as a facilitator when negotiations reach an impasse?
I am prepared to meet with individual City workers or groups at any time with prior scheduling. As a Councilmember the last four years I have acted as a facilitator on more than one occasion and will happy to do so if the need should arise.
It’s probably fair to say, however, that this would be unusual since Councilmembers have not usually been a part of the City bargaining team. More typically, the head of the City bargaining team would meet with the Council in closed personnel session and obtain direction with which to return to the bargaining table. While this has not been done in recent memory, the full Council would decide if any particular Councilmember or group of Councilmembers would actually participate in negotiations.
3. Would you cross a union picket line?
Would you honor an AFL-CIO boycott?
4. Will you speak publicly and use your name in support of workers who are attempting to unionize if asked to do so by SEIU Local 415?
5. Have you ever been a member of a labor union?
If yes, which union?
- Greater Santa Cruz Federation of Teachers, during several different assignments with Santa Cruz City Schools since 1980.
- International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) when I was a technician with Lockheed in the early 70’s.
- AFT at Highland Park, Michigan, 18 months starting in 1967
6. As an elected official, will you be willing to meet with labor representatives on issues of concern to labor upon request?
7. Who are the top five (5*) contributors to your campaign?
| Name | Dollar Amount |
| Peter Beckmann | $100.00 |
| Jay & Mardi Brick | $100.00 |
| Jacquelyn Griffith | $100.00 |
| Teresa Pusser | $250.00 |
| Gordon Pusser | $250.00 |
| Celia Scott | $100.00 |
| Reed Searle | $200.00 |
| Gabrielle Stocker | $100.00 |
| Eleanor Wasson | $100.00 |
8. Who has endorsed your campaign?
For the most current list of endorsements, see http://www.edporter2004.com/endorser.html.
9. Have you previously held public office (either elected or appointed)?
If yes, which office(s)?
- Santa Cruz City Council during the past four years. (Elected)
- Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee (2 full terms) (Elected)
- Santa Cruz Planning Commission (Appointed)
- Santa Cruz Zoning Board (Appointed)
- Santa Cruz Public Works Commission (Appointed)
- Santa Cruz City Transportation Commission (Appointed)
- Santa Cruz 1990 General Plan revision task force (Appointed)
- Democratic 27th Assembly District Committee (2 terms, Elected at Democratic caucus)
- Ed's response: Yes
- Ed's response:
- Ed's response: Yes
- Ed's response:
- Ed's response:
- Ed's response: Yes
- Ed's response: Yes
- Ed's response:
- Ed's response:
- To publicly support and actively encourage workers who are organizing a union with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ed's response: ENDORSE
- Ed's response:
9. Will you vote to oppose the contracting out of services now performed by City workers?
Please explain the reasons for your position.
In general, the contracting out for services currently performed by City employees will result in lesser quality work by individuals who care far less about the City and its facilities than our current dedicated City Workers. Contracting out is most often an attempt to utilize workers at or near minimum wage and without benefits. This practice is bad for the City, bad for the workers, and bad for the overall community.
10. Do you support a fair cost of living increase for City workers?
Please explain the reasons for your position:
Failure to provide a cost of living increase to workers is a wage cut. It is unfair to expect workers to work for a decreasing wage.
11. Do you support a Joint Union/Management Parity Study to compare City workers’ salaries with classifications in comparable cities?
Yes, Such a study is the only scientific way to determine appropriate wages for particular worker classifications.
12. Do you support the right of public and private sector workers to strike?
The right to strike is the ultimate tool in bargaining. While this step should not be taken lightly, it is a necessary tool and often the threat of a strike is the only thing that motivates a fair settlement. From a personal point of view, I think every worker has the right to withhold his or her own work. That is an essential right established by the labor movement.
13. Should union members be involved in the City Budget process?
What steps will you take to ensure their meaningful participation?
I have met with many local residents, including union members, in the past at budget time to discuss budget issues. I plan to continue to do that.
14. Please describe your past actions and planned actions for creating affordable housing
I have been a leader in the creation of affordable housing for low and very low-income people. Two projects designed and built while I was on the Council included 40% affordable units. I played a key role in encouraging those developments and voted for their approval. Santa Cruz has build over 800 new units while I have been on the Council. Those are all tasteful and compatible projects and I am proud to have supported them.
Candidate Pledge to Honor Organizing
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OF WORKERS TO CHOOSE A UNION
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 other wise 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.
SEIU 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:
Please check which actions you would be willing to undertake:
YES is a check mark:
| YES | Speak at a public forum on the right to organize |
| YES | Sign a letter of support to workers and the public |
| YES | Speak to an employer about remaining neutral during an organizing drive |
| YES | Refuse to patronize an employer who conducts an antiunion campaign |
| YES | Hold town hall meeting to discuss issues important to workers |
| YES | Passing an ordinance supporting worker rights |
| YES | Support legislative action to prevent taxpayer funds from being used against workers during organizing campaigns |
| YES | Assist workers in obtaining a first contract |
Candidate Endorsement of the Health Insurance Act -- Proposition 72
Healthcare for Working People
Across California, millions of people are working harder and harder to pay their bills. Worst of all is the skyrocketing cost they pay for health care.
Many companies are forcing employees to pay more for health care through higher premiums or cuts in coverage. For employees, higher insurance costs compete with their mortgage or rent, food and transportation. Many employees are going without the medical care and prescription drugs their families need, creating a health care crisis in California.
It is simply wrong when employees can’t afford health insurance for themselves and their children. 72 makes sure that private health insurance remains within reach.
The Health Insurance Act requires that large (200 or more workers) and mid-sized employers (50 to 199 workers) must pay at least 80% of the cost of employees’ premiums for health insurance, it limits how much employees have to pay for health care, and it keeps employers from making big reductions in coverage. 72 Will Provide Health Insurance to 1.1 Million Working People and Children Currently Uninsured
1. Do you endorse or oppose the Health Insurance Act - Proposition 72?
2. What steps will you take to publicly support your position on the Health Insurance Act - Proposition 72?
I support the California Health Insurance Act (SB2) that was signed into law in October of 2003. I will vote YES on the referendum (Prop 72) to approve finally enacting SB2. I will contribute to that campaign and encourage everyone to vote YES on 72.
Save SB 2! Vote YES on Prop 72
Material on this site is copyright 2000,2004 Ed Porter unless otherwise attributed.