Meet our Trustee Candidates

NINA KAMMERER

Hello, I’m Nina Kammerer of the Higher Education Chapter and I’m running for Trustee. The Trustees are responsible for safeguarding our Union’s funds and helping the Treasurer and President. To these important tasks I’d bring experience as a long-time steward, president and vice president of my chapter, and member of the Joint Executive Board, COPE, and 509’s Climate and Environmental Justice Committee, as well as experience managing large public health research budgets, an editor’s attention to detail, and integrity. I’d also bring love for our Union, commitment to labor movement values—organizing, bargaining, testifying for 509-endorsed bills, walking picket lines—and, in these troubled times, conviction that labor activism is an essential pillar of civil society in defense of workers’ rights and quality of life, social justice values expressed in 509’s Solidarity Principles, and our democratic system of government.

I’m ready to undertake the solidarity action of serving on 509’s team of Trustees and of working closely with our President and Treasurer. With respect, I ask you to vote for me for Trustee, Dave Foley for President, Griselda Tomaino for Treasurer, Samantha Clark for Recording Secretary, Mike Grunko for Trustee, and other United We Win/¡Unidos Venceremos! candidates.

Michael Grunko

I have been a loyal and vocal member of SEIU Local 509 for many years. Thank you for electing me Trustee 3 years ago. I have worked hard to increase transparency in the business affairs of Local 509. I have served as Treasurer and President. I know, firsthand, how the finances of our union work. I know that every dollar of Local 509 money comes from the wages of thousands of members. I know that we must spend that money in ways that benefit our members and their families. I have made it my mission as Trustee to help the Executive Board understand the financial condition of our union. I have also insisted that the new auditor that we hire will communicate directly with the Trustees, not through our staff.

I promise that I will fulfill my duties, as I have for many years. I also promise to support efforts to increase the participation of members in the life of Local 509, to mentor new and diverse leaders, as I did when I was Treasurer and President.