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<p class=MsoNormal><a name="OLE_LINK10"></a><a name="OLE_LINK9"><span
class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'>Fellow CAGDUers,<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></a></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'>You’d be hard
pressed to find a group of people more dedicated and passionate about their
work than the training staff at Guide Dogs for the</span></font></span><font
size=3 color=black><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'> <span
class=apple-style-span>Blind. Together with the canine welfare technicians,
resident</span> <span class=apple-style-span>attendants, training class
specialist, and other members of the</span> <span class=apple-style-span>training
department, the instructors work tirelessly to build the guide dog</span> <span
class=apple-style-span>partnerships that have touched so many of us, in ways we
could never have imagined.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=apple-style-span>But they can’t do it alone; they need
partnerships of their own. That’s why</span> <span
class=apple-style-span>a majority of instructors and other training department
staff have</span> <span class=apple-style-span>joined together to partner with
a labor union – OPEIU Local 29. <o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'>Organizing into a union
will help instructors secure fair and safe working</span></font></span><font
size=3 color=black><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:black'> <span
class=apple-style-span>conditions, freeing these dedicated people up to focus their
energies on what they do best –</span> <span class=apple-style-span>training
guides and working with clients.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=apple-style-span>Unfortunately, the leadership of Guide Dogs for
the Blind is strongly</span> <span class=apple-style-span>resisting efforts of
instructors to organize into a union. That’s where you come</span> <span
class=apple-style-span>in. If you support the instructors and training staff
and their efforts</span> <span class=apple-style-span>to win safe, fair working
conditions, please call or email Nancy Gardner, President and CEO of Guide Dogs
for the Blind at 1-800-295-4050, or ngardner@guidedogs.com.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=apple-style-span>If you have further questions about the union,
please don’t hesitate</span> <span class=apple-style-span>to contact me
off-list for more information. Thank you for your</span> <span
class=apple-style-span>support!</span><br>
<br>
</span></font><font size=3 color=black><span style='font-size:11.5pt;
color:black'>Best-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.5pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.5pt;color:black'>Jonathan Lyens<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.5pt;color:black'><a href="mailto:jonathan@lyens.com">jonathan@lyens.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.5pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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