Re: Another new question for Joe :)

[Guest guest]

I have no union knowledge or insight for you.

As for your 2nd question, this is just my opinion but here are the top

three fears as I have read between the lines over the years interacting

with employers. I should emphasize though that you will never get an

employer to go on the record to state any of these fears:

1) They can't do the job.

2) They will make my customers uncomfortable.

3) They will cost me money somehow.

Many of the strategies we use to address those fears are in our top ten

list here:

http://www.disabilityworks.org/default.asp?contentID=143

Joe Chiappetta, Managing Director CPLN

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

200 E. Randolph, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL 60601

312-494-6729

Fax 312-861-0660

TTY 312-494-6722 jchiappetta@...

www.chicagolandchamber.org www.disabilityworks.org

2006 US Dept. of Labor New Freedom Initiative Award Recipient

Another new question for Joe

I'm just full of the questions, this morning. This one is actually two:

1) Role of unions or receptiveness of unions in hiring people with DDs,

perhaps with a personal assistant who comes with the person. A lot of

us have attended presentations given by Joe and Marilyn Henn, whose

daughter in Ohio works with an attendant alongside her in a full-time

union/county office job. Their daughter uses her salary to help pay for

(or pay for) her assistant.

The daughter has pretty severe autism. Any experience with any union

companies or govt entities that have been receptive to this employment

strategy for a person with a disability?

2) What, in your experience, have been the top three (pick a number)

objections or fears on the part of employers in hiring a person with a

disability....and what strategies or facts/arguments do you present to

help overcome those fears or objections?

OK, I'm stopping for now. Thanks!!

L.

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long time, All

those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it is

good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

[Guest guest]

Cindi, my son with DS has worked for Jewel as a bagger for 7 years now. 

They have been great and so willing to work with us for days off and hours. 

Customers love him as he is the friendliest bagger there.  People go in his line

even if it is longer because he always has a friendly smile and asks you how you

are and tells you to have a nice day.  He also knows how to bag properly.  We

were really lucky for to get this job.

Shirley

From: Cindi Swanson <cbswanson@...>

Subject: Re: Another new question for Joe

IPADDUnite

Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:46 AM

the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long time, All

those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it is

good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

[Guest guest]

Shirley,

And do the baggers belong to a union?

Laurie

Re: Another new question for Joe

IPADDUnite

Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:46 AM

the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long time, All

those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it is

good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

[Guest guest]

My son had a manufacturing job, which was union.  Based on his experiences, and

what my father told me about the few years where HE had a union job, I'll answer

the little bit that I can:

The unions don't hire people; the employers do.  A person doesn't usually join

the union on day 1, but after a short period (30-90 days).  It is possible for

the employer to determine when the employees join the union. 

My son's union had him pay a new member fee, then dues every 3 months.  Union

dues in some industries vary based on the person's job description/skills. 

Whether or not someone has support personnel is not a decision for the union,

but for the employer.  My son's job coach turned up once a week, after he got

established.  The union never knew she was there, as far as I can tell.

Generally, health insurance is through the union, and how they work it can look

as weird as government bureaucracy.  My son's union required someone, after

joining and paying dues, to have worked so many hours during a three month

period to get into the insurance plan.  By the time he qualified, he'd already

been laid off. 

Although there's a perception that being in a union will safeguard one's

employment, there's a downside:  seniority.  When the new housing market

collapsed a year ago, my son's employer had to lay off people.  Union rules

meant that the newest ones went first, so my son was in the first wave of

layoffs.  Union rules also meant that for the first 3 months after layoff, if

the company rehired, it would be required to rehire those laid off in order of

seniority.  (It's a moot point in this case.  The employer has since had 2 more

rounds of layoffs, and I think all those folks are past the 3 months.)

In some unions, if you are laid off, you're required to appear at the union hall

every week or so, to look at the jobs they had posted from other union shops. 

If your union had that available, and you didn't go check their lists, you

wouldn't get unemployment from the state.  (And yes, if you file for

unemployment, the state asks if you are union and if the union has this

arrangement.)

A union job does not mean that there is an extra layer of people to help someone

get or to keep a job.  At my son's job, there were guys assigned to interact

with the union rep when he turned up (maybe once a month).

-Gail

From: Laurie Jerue <jeruefamily@...>

Subject: Another new question for Joe

IPADDUnite

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008, 8:21 AM

I'm just full of the questions, this morning. This one is actually

two:

1) Role of unions or receptiveness of unions in hiring people with DDs,

perhaps with a personal assistant who comes with the person. A lot of

us have attended presentations given by Joe and Marilyn Henn, whose

daughter in Ohio works with an attendant alongside her in a full-time

union/county office job. Their daughter uses her salary to help pay

for (or pay for) her assistant.

The daughter has pretty severe autism. Any experience with any union

companies or govt entities that have been receptive to this employment

strategy for a person with a disability?

2) What, in your experience, have been the top three (pick a number)

objections or fears on the part of employers in hiring a person with a

disability.. ..and what strategies or facts/arguments do you present to

help overcome those fears or objections?

OK, I'm stopping for now. Thanks!!

L.

[Guest guest]

Yes they do belong to the Union.

From: Cindi Swanson <cbswansonjuno (DOT) com>

Subject: Re: Another new question for Joe

IPADDUnite@gro ups.com

Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:46 AM

the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long time, All

those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it is

good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

[Guest guest]

I worked for a union office for 32 years in southern Illinois and we

had baggers in our stores and yes they belonged and paid dues like

everyone else. Our baggers though in this part of the state were

through 'work programs' through the school or agencies. These type

of job situations are not permanent though. And when the period runs

out, you cannot apply on your own because the programs that already

participate do not want to loose their 'in'. The only way you

yourself can get one of these jobs or any other in our area is if you

know someone and have the contacts that will provide for your

son/daughter to work but these people do not share the benefit

because they are afraid their son/daughter may loose his/her job

because they are a special situation.

When my son was in high school he was built up to beleive he was

really learning 'skills' but when he graduated he lost the job that

was only a job when school was in session. I wanted to take him in

and apply on his own but was told no, that was only a 'school time'

job when he was 'in their program'. I went to agencies that were not

very helpful in our area because they have so many people needing

jobs it is pathetic. We applied to many places came up with ideas

that sounded very good and promising but the agencies were of no help

and basically said we needed to find the jobs ourselves.

The 'system' is very unfair and closed in our area. I finally

decided fine, I will have my own program for my son, he likes

art/photography and I am a struggling artist myself so he can just

be 'self employeed' and the hell with their programs.

I am a different situation that most on here, my son is higher

functioning and caught in the middle of all this political hype and

red tape. My son is traumatic brain injured because an idiot ran

into him with a pickup truck when he was 5. has come a long

way!! functions very well in the 'real world' IF given the

chance. We do not have to worry about any tantrums, any behavior

problems and for that I am very thankful but I feel sad for my son

because he knows what he wants in life and many things stand in his

way just because of his situation. I read all this and think how

lucky I am but am sad about the lack of opportunities in the

community.

Kathy, mother of

>

> From: Cindi Swanson <cbswansonjuno (DOT) com>

> Subject: Re: Another new question for Joe

> IPADDUnite@gro ups.com

> Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:46 AM

>

> the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

> supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long

time, All

> those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it

is

> good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing your story and this information, Kathy.

Sounds like your son has so much potential. I hope he (and you) are able to

find ways in which he can be productive...he has so much to give!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Re: Another new question for Joe

> IPADDUnite@gro ups.com

> Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:46 AM

>

> the interesting point regarding unions ...Jewel has been a big

> supporter/employer of people with disabilities for a very long

time, All

> those people are in the union. Jewel has apparently determined it

is

> good business,,and Jewel has been around for a long time.Cindi

>

>