SAINT PAUL, MN: The staff of Jewish Community Action (JCA) won recognition for their newly formed union on Tuesday after the organization’s executive board agreed to authorize the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 12 as their representative for collective bargaining. The entire staff delivered a petition requesting voluntary recognition on Monday, June 8th.

The full petition for voluntary recognition can be read here.

The JCA staff organizing committee made the following statement:

“We are excited to announce that this week the Jewish Community Action (JCA) staff has formed a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 12.  We look forward to entering negotiations towards our first contract in early July. 

We repair the world as a “bnai brit--covenantal partners.” Forming a union binds us in covenantal relationship with one another and commits us to take responsibility for one another as fellow workers. It also allows us to make more explicit the implicit covenant that forms our relationship with JCA as an organization and with our members.

MINNEAPOLIS-OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) Local 12 calls for justice after police killing of George Floyd. President Terrie Bares of OPEIU Local 12 released the following statement:

“OPEIU Local 12 fights for social and economic justice for everyone-regardless of race, gender, creed or immigration status-so everyone can lead full, safe and rewarding lives. Systematic racism is denying full, safe and rewarding lives to far too many.”

"I was angry and sick watching the video of George Floyd being pinned to the ground and killed by a Minneapolis police officer when he was not resisting arrest and repeatedly saying "I can't breathe." This is entirely and absolutely unacceptable! OPEIU Local 12 demands immediate and just action by the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County."

"At times like these we must all stand together for justice. OPEIU Local 12 stands with George Floyd's family, community and all those fighting for justice."

We all hope you and your family are safe and healthy during these times. Even though the shelter-in-place order is lifted, Governor Walz still has safe-in-place recommendations about no gathering of more than 10 people.

With that said, this Thursday, we are having our May General Membership Meeting at 6pm via Zoom. No in-person meeting this month.

We have recently sent those emails out to members’ personal emails, please check your spam folder if you do not see it. If you have not received an registration invite to the zoom meeting to your personal email, please update your records by following this link or call the OPEIU Local 12 office at 651-639-1212 and talk with our bookkeeper or email her at Local12accounting@OPEIU12.org. Once updated, we will send you a link.

• Cover Letter
• Instructions and Application

President: Terrie L. Bares
Vice President: Kelsie Anderson
Health Sector Representatives: Amber Campbell & Susan Holger

Dear O.P.E.I.U. Local 12 Members:

The 2019 O.P.E.I.U. Local 12 election is underway. A secret ballot election for the offices of
President, Vice President and two (2) Executive Board seats is being conducted by mail. Ballots
for this election have been mailed to members in good standing on 2/21/2019. The ballots were
mailed to members’ most current home address O.P.E.I.U. Local 12 has on file on. If you do not
receive a ballot, please call the office at 651-639-1212 to make sure we have the most up to date
address for you.

If you are missing the instructions, a ballot, a return envelope, a secret ballot envelope or if you
spoil a ballot, you may request a new ballot by contacting Election Chairperson, Stefanie Olson,
at stefanie1213@hotmail.com. If you request and return another ballot, only the replacement ballot
will be counted.