SEIU LOCAL 199 GETS NEW OFFICES

 

BEFORE

The demolished dialer room of SEIU Local 199 just after the June floods.

SEIU Local 199 staff members as well as Iowa For Health Care staffers worked fast and furiously to save as much as they could in mid-June as it became clear that the union hall was right in the path of the cresting Iowa River and Clear Creek. Trucks and cars full of critical files, furniture and techology took these items to various locations, including storage lockers and the new SEIU Local 199 Government Affairs office on the eastside of Iowa City. The rest was put five- to six-feet off the ground on shelves and tables.

Unfortunately the office sat in seven feet of water for the better part of week. As you can imagine, nothing was salvageable.

As a result, our offices essentially had to be rebuilt  from the ground up. We had to repair our phones, information technology infrastructure, as well as replace desks and office supplies. Meanwhile, the sta

AFTER

Cathy Glasson, President, chats with Organizer Bradley Van Waus (not pictured)  in the new SEIU Local 199 Union Hall.

ff had to continue doing its day-to-day work with our members. It was a struggle, but we did it.  “I was extremely impressed with their ability to deal with the challenges,”  said Staff Director Jim Jacobson. “I am happy to report that we are up and running in our new home. We’re still finding things we need, but overall I think we are going to be ok,” said Jim. “If folks haven’t seen our new location at 415 10th Avenue in Coralville, I urge them to come by and say hello,” he added.

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SEIU Local 199 Assists 31 Members Affected by the Floods

 

SEIU Local 199 has helped 31 of its members weather the floods of 2008 with donations from our members and with donations from other SEIU members around the country.  Although it will take a lot more than what the local and brothers and sisters across the country could do to rebuild the lives of these people, many were really moved by the assistance of their union brothers and sisters.

SEIU Local President Cathy Glasson gives a check to Cedar Rapids Custodian Willie Jenkins, whose house was severely damaged by flooding earlier this summer.

 
Cedar Rapids Custodian Willie Jenkins lost appliances, car, and had his basement inundated with water. Yet,  he considers himself one of the lucky ones.  “Overall, we were prety blessed, but it’s been a pretty rough summer” he said. 

When he received the check from Local 199 President Cathy Glasson,  he didn’t even look at it until he got out to the parking lot. When he saw the amount of the donation,  he was very surprised. “Truthfully, I wasn’t really expecting anything from my union. I’m no crybaby, but when I saw the generosity, tears welled up in my eyes. All I can say is thanks, t

Larry Pahl, husband of member Faith Pahl, points to the water line on his house in Cedar Rapids. The Pahls are currently living in a FEMA trailer.

hanks, thanks.”

As we know all to well, the floods wreaked havoc with people’s lives.  Earlier this summer SEIU member Tammy Clark reported that she was “staying with my mother in her one-bedroom apartment with my three kids, my husband, and two cats. The hardest part is trying to explain to the kids why they can’t sleep in their own beds,” said Tammy, a Headstart member.

Other members affected and helped by Local 199 include: Diane Busch, Tina Butz, Gary and Renee Comstock, Carrie Connel, Judy Crawford, Julie Davis, Diane Franklin, Keith Gaster, Deanna Jencks, Willie Jenkins, Mark Jensen, Danielle Kunde, Devin Mehaffey, Terri Mengler, Kimberly Middlekauff, Ann Nevin, Faith Pahl, Cheryl Parnell, David Pitcher, Melissa and Tom Roth, Tina Rusbult, Diana Russell, Dee Wilson, Dorothy Dee, and Rob Kleppe.

 

 Click for more information about flood assistance/disater relief

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