Draft Minutes, 7/14/11

WFSE Council 28 Green Caucus 
Meeting
July 14, 2011, 6:00 PM

Meeting Minutes:

There is one correction regarding the WFSE policy on deciding governance.  Liz Larsen will make corrections to Web blog copy of minutes.

Convention Committee Reports:

• Podium Time at Convention:  Time is pretty limited at this late stage in planning.  Carol offered to find us 10 minutes on the last day of the conference.  Dan Petruso and others pointed out that we can use “Good of the Order” time during floor sessions to promote the Green Caucus.
  
• Welcome Table:  Green Caucus will have a Welcome Table at the convention.
  
• Workshops:  Current plans call for one session with a guest presenter on sustainability and the union; and another session that will function as a working session on legislative priorities of the Green Caucus.

• Logistics: 
• Hotels: Debbie Haigh reported that several area hotels will agree to some sustainability policies and actions during the convention to send the right message to all conventioneers, even those not staying at the host hotel.
• Bottled Water:  It’s out, pitchers are in.
• Information Table:  Green Caucus will stock a display table at the convention with green actions/programs literature.
• Tours:  Jim Wavada offered to organize a green building tour for the Friday afternoon portion of the convention schedule (after formal sessions and before receptions).
• Buttons:  Caucus will buy 300 Green Caucus buttons to distribute at the convention.
• Incentives/Tokens:  It was recommended that the Green Caucus give away a limited number of State Parks Discover Passes to parties who join the Caucus at the convention and at the proposed face-to-face planning meeting.  This idea met with widespread approval.  They could also be distributed with Green Caucus buttons to new Green Caucus members at the Convention and elsewhere.

Green Caucus Governance: 

Carol Dotlitch asked the group to remember that they are first and foremost a union organization.  She listed several jobs-related challenges that could fit inside the mission of WFSE and the charge of the Green Caucus.  She reminded the Caucus that at this critical time in the history of organized labor, we are under attack as never before and that includes natural resource jobs that are critical to protecting and enhancing our environment.  We should never forget that union jobs are attached to these environmental priorities.  Carol also encouraged the Caucus to focus like a laser on the challenge of getting the rest of the union to recognize and participate in the work of the Caucus.

External Outreach Committee Report: 

• Issues Agenda Development:  Kerry Graber asked Carol Dotlitch and Liz Larsen for funding to put together a face-to-face meeting of the Caucus specifically focused on developing issue papers.  Wavada suggested the agenda be expanded slightly to include strategies for outreach to sympathetic organization within and outside of organized labor.  Sept. 17th was set as the tentative meeting date at the usual location in Federal Way (Doubletree Hotel).
  
• Marysville Coal Port Project – Michelle __________ reported that Pacific _______ Commodities is proposing a coal shipping port at Cherry Point.  This could develop into a good-paying-jobs versus the environment conundrum.  It’s something the Caucus should study and develop a policy position around.
  
• R.W. Grace Asbestos Contaminated site – Morton Alexander, will keep track of developments around a proposal to develop a former W.R. Grace vermiculite (asbestos containing mineral used as insulation) plant in Spokane adjacent to his office, which is full of represented workers. Disturbing the soil at this site could friate asbestos fibers that members would have to breath coming and going from their office.
  
• Outreach Efforts – Jim Wavada reported on recent efforts to get Local 1221 to join the Spokane Alliance, a progressive community group composed mostly of unions and church congregations in the Spokane Community.  The Alliance is a national organization with chapters in the Puget Sound and Yakima/Tri-Cities areas as well.  Wavada is heading a Local 1221 subcommittee to explore the notion of the Local joining the Alliance.
  
  
• Wavada also presented his written recommendation on an outreach strategy for the Caucus, which will also be posted to the Caucus blog.  He volunteered to lead the Outreach group and to flesh out the outreach strategy with data about specific organizations and a plan/schedule for approaching them to explore shared interests.

Internal Committee Report: 

John Miller noted that we have to look inward at our own practices before we look outward for changes in business practices that will help the environment.  Debbie Haigh of Spokane Labor and Industries presented a detailed Green Building Guide she located that would take Council 28 step-by-step through the process of greening their building and office practices.  She will get this to Kerry Graber for placement on the blog site.

• Next meeting, Aug. 11th at 6:00 PM.

ADJOURNED.