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Want to help and voice your concerns
1. Call write, fax, and email your senators & delegates
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/districts/hd/hd.cfm provides links
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/districts/hd/hd.cfm to find you house delegates
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/districts/sd/sd.cfm to find senate delegate to email or call
The above sites have all the needed email links, phone numbers, and address.
Also there is a list at the WVEA site of all the delegates & senators with phone numbers, room numbers,& email address. Go to wvea.org & click on the legislative action center & the on Contact Legislature and the onto contact senators and delegates. It takes you to http://www.wvea.org/shared/content_objects/2009session//senate and house numbers and rooms 2009.pdf When you call if you don’t get the delegate or senator, you can explain you concerns to their aides who will share you concerns with them. Note you should email delegates from your region, but also all the others or at least those on the appropriate committees, such as Health & Human Resources, Seniors, Finance, Education, Banking & Insurance, Finance, & Judiciary committees. Don’t email more than about 5 to 8 at time as filters might block big mass mailings.
You can also send 34 copies in one envelope to the Clerk of the Senate & about 100 copies to the Clerk or the House with a note asking that they be distributed and they will be sent to their offices. This saves postage. Note I think to have your letter/handout put on the desks in the actual senate chambers you have to have a senator approve this. You can mail, email, fax & call Contact: House Clerk Gregory Gray Room 212M, Bldg. 1, State Capitol Complex , (304) 340-3200 or Senate Clerk, Darrell Holmes Room 211M, Bldg. 1, State Capitol Complex (304) 357-7800. ********
2. Write your newspapers, and call reporters .
However, A LETTER TO THE EDITOR IS EVEN BETTER. Most want 200 words or less, but some accept longer. You can also call or mail reporters and editors longer items for reference or to help them with their editorials about your concerns, and ask to have your concerns explored more fully.
Find Charleston Gazette at http://www.wvgazette.com/home/contact or call (800) 982-6397 the Charleston Daily Mail’s at http://dailymail.com/
It is best to write your local newspapers and the Charleston ones, but if you’re shy write ones farther away. You can even email you letters to many. And you can send the same letter to a number of papers. Don’t forget the Shoppers Guides.
To locate all newspapers and other media in the state easily go to these web addresses
Don’t forget the newspapers at you alma mater. Here are links to most of the papers in the state and 4 university/collage newspapers too -you can write your alma mater newspaper
http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/wvlinks.html#WVTV
for newspapers TV and radio.
http://www.wvpress.org/newspaperinfo.asp for about 55 newspapershttp://www.wvpress.org/newsonline.asp If signers agree send copies to newspapers too. Emails blanks to friends.
4. Form an ad hoc local Coalition to SAVE OUR PEIA BENEFITS in your town or county, discuss concerns, or form a special committee within your union that focuses on PEIA. Set up a site where members can discuss their concerns. Post free announcements in your local newspapers and Shopper’s Guide for first and subsequent meetings. As a Group Submit Press releases to local newspapers and other newspapers to express your concerns (Note these can be a lot longer than the usual.) Speak to TV and radio as a group. Invite reporters to your meetings hear you discuss your concerns. Keep in touch with groups in other counties and regions, email them you printed materials, letters to the editor, and petitions so that can share similar materials with their people and their local media.
5. 5. Organize phone lobby days, and email lobby days, when every phones as many as possible on the same day. If you need to save money call on your cell phone evenings or weekends, and leave a voice mail about your concerns, and also a call back number. Have email weekends, they’ll come in on Monday morning to a tons of emails.
6. Support you unions, and retiree groups such as PERSA. Call them and email them. Go to their web sites and learn their concerns. Some let you post comments and questions.
1. AFSCME Union for many other State Employees. 304-342-2114
http://www.afscmewv.org/ Can post comments at this site
Wvafscme (council77@aol.com); or (wvafscme7@aol.com)
2..AFSCME WV Retirees Ernest TerryChapter 77 (ernestterry@gmail.com); $12 per year, but the web site is available to all and they always appreciate support at their rallys, etc.
3. AFT-WV (info@aftwv.org); Teachers- Good links and talking points
http://www.aftwv.org/ Teachers 1-800-222-9838 or 304-344-2679 Also AFTWV retired
Teachers Union Teachers Union (info@wvft.org); See Judy Hale’s comments Has great news releases etc.
4. Association of Retired School Employees http://www.wvarse.org (info@wvarse.org);
5. Coalition of Retired Public Employees – CORPE tmmjfarmer@suddenlink.net
6. CWA Union CWA Union (president@cwa2001.org); Elaine Harris of this union in also on PEIA Board. She represents unions on the board 304 -342-2023 eharris@cwa-union.org,
7. State Troopers Union (wvtaoffice@aol.com);
8. WV Education Association http://wvea.org See Dale Lee Blog
1-800-642-8261 ext 117 dlee@wvea.org Site has summary of PEIA Changes
And talking points Best site. Great links Also see WVEA retired
9. West Virginia School Service Personnel Association info@wvsspa.org 1-800-642-9150
10. West Virgina Public Workers Union – 304-699- 4411
11. PERSA, the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System Association (304) 343-2650 or if you prefer you may contact us at wvpersa@wvpersa.orgOnly 12 a year to join
12. West Virginians for Affordable Health – http://www.wvahc.org/
6. What you can do anonymously **********
The Charleston Gazette and the Charleston Daily Mail even let you comment anonymously.
6. a. “Readers’ voice:
Make your voice heard. Express your opinion on any subject you wish. Volume of calls & space restrictions prevent publication of all comments. Call: 357-4451 E-mail: readersvo…@wvgazette.com
6. b. Ventline: DO YOU NEED TO VENT? Call the Daily Mail with your comments on almost any subject. We’ll run selected comments. Just keep it short or we’ll have to edit it. Call any time:357-4330”
6.c. Many newspapers are on the web, and let you post comments. TV stations and maybe some radio stations also have news online and let you post comments.
You can post comments on-line using a posting nickname, etc. on line after newspapers articles and TV reports. Correct mis-information wherever you see it. Give your views.
Form a group to monitor newspapers, and post comments. You can even save a list of your comments, and cut and paste into comment sections at web sites to save time.
7. Lastly, contact national senators and congressmen about laws to protect working people including state employees from having their pensions taken. Ask for stronger national laws, requiring employers to provide the actives and retirees all the benefits they the used to recruit and retain employees, and that they not use the unfunded liability as an excuse to cut benefits, but rather they have to fund the benefits promised.
One can contact one’s our own delegates and congressmen, and then those from other states on committees that work on these issues. Go to:
8. And finally, contact the democratic and republican parties about any elected officials who are not supportive of employee and retiree rights. Emphasize your donations or possible future donations to these political parties should not be used to help elect those who do not adequately represent you.
9. Ask for the legislature to take back control of the board. Ask that they assure those appointed to represent actives and retirees really do.
***** www.peiawatch.wordpress.com has links to articles etc. and will be adding many more in next couple of days. Has tips on how you can help and links to newspapers, unions, retiree groups, etc. ******
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