New member wants others to know the value of membership
Corvallis behavior specialist says the union has his ‘back’
Armando Arriaga Muñoz, a Corvallis middle school behavior specialist, once thought there was just one union and it was for everybody.
“I used to watch the movie ‘Hoffa’ and that’s what I thought the union was like,” he said. But he found out there are many unions, even one that represents classified employees like him.
Arriaga Muñoz signed up as a member of OSEA during the Corvallis membership drive held March 12 and 13. “I didn’t know I had to sign up,” he said. “I was ignorant about it.”
Arriaga Muñoz now has voting rights in his union to go along with the voting rights he got when he became a U.S. citizen on July 11, 2017.
Arriaga Muñoz came to the United States from Mexico more than 20 years ago. He worked labor-intensive jobs for most of his life, but decided to get a GED to earn more money.
After he got his GED, Arriaga Muñoz went to Chemeketa Community College for his associate degree and then to Western Oregon University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies. Arriaga Muñoz spent a year with the Woodburn Americorps program helping youth apply for college. He credits getting the job he has now to his experience in Americorps and his ability to speak two languages.
Arriaga Muñoz learned how union membership can benefit employees when he got sick and missed work for an extended period of time. “You pretty much have an angel on your back that really protects you in case someone makes a bad judgment about you,” Arriaga Muñoz said.
He thinks the protection one gets as a union member is a great value for the cost. “You get so many benefits that it should be like $150 or more a month,” he said half-jokingly.
Arriaga Muñoz likes the idea there is a process that has to be followed when there is a disagreement between members and their employers. “The union says, ‘Let’s do things little by little, let’s make sure it is done by the book, because this person has a lot of rights and has representation,’” he said.
Arriaga Muñoz wants to make sure new hires realize how important union membership is. “There should be a reminder to make sure he knows he has the benefit, which is an amazing benefit.” Arriaga Muñoz said. “If I could work (anywhere), I’m gonna work for a union.
“They have ethics, morals, principles; they have my back.”
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