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Daily NewswireNational/PoliticalAFL-CIO notes progress on Senate health bill, but still sees flaws Though it represents progress, the health bill unveiled in the Senate on Wednesday still has major problems with its financing, a top labor union said Thursday. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka chided the Senate bill for having kept an excise tax on high-value health insurance plans (a.k.a. the "Cadillac tax"), and pledged to keep working to remove it. Related: AFSCME news release: Statement of AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee Regarding the Release of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act New York Times: From the Left, Modest Praise for Senate Bill Boston Globe Big labor happier with health bill Hotline on Call: Liberal Groups Wary Of Reid Bill Saturday night set for initial health care vote The Senate will hold its first vote on health care legislation on Saturday night and Democrats will need 60 votes to prevail. Majority Leader Harry Reid announced the schedule on the Senate floor, one day after unveiling a nearly $1 trillion bill to expand health coverage. Medicare Tax on High Earners And Other Levies Stir Debate ….. In a nod to union members, some of whom enjoy generous health benefits, Democrats limited the tax for workers in dangerous fields, such as firefighters and coal miners. The Communications Workers of America won a last-minute addition that would include workers repairing telephone and electric lines in that group. Health care's 'public option' would cover little of population A proposed government-run health insurance program, among the most divisive issues in the health care debate, would cover less than 1.5% of the population, new estimates show. The latest version of the "public option," included in the 10-year, $848 billion health care bill headed toward an initial Senate vote Saturday, would cover up to 4 million people, according to the Congressional Budget Office report released late Wednesday night. CBO: House Bill Cuts Deficit More Than Senate Version (no link) Score one for the House, perhaps. The Congressional Budget Office revised its estimate of the House health care bill Thursday, saying it would shrink the deficit by $139 billion in the first decade, $30 billion more than earlier estimates and $9 billion more than the Senate bill unveiled Wednesday by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The CBO said it erred in scoring a new insurance program for long-term care in the first decade and underestimated the level of premiums that would be paid into the system. The catch? The House’s version of the program cuts the deficit the most in the early years but would have larger expenses in future decades than the Senate’s because more people would be covered. House moves to protect doctors from Medicare cuts The Democratic-controlled House voted Thursday to add more than $200 billion to the deficit to prevent steep Medicare payment cuts to doctors, a move Republicans denounced as a political payoff. Labor group launches 'Twitter flash mob' against Chamber A leading labor group launched on Friday to target the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Twitter. American Rights at Work (ARAW), in an email to supporters, will ask backers to sign a petition and, if possible, post a tweet directed at the Chamber for the business group's opposition to health reform legislation in Congress. Related from National Journal: The Chamber Pile-On / Advocacy groups are pressing U.S. chamber members to break with the powerful organization. Stimulus-Jobs Tally in Doubt The White House stepped back Thursday from its tally of the number of jobs its economic-stimulus package has created or saved through September in the face of mounting criticism over errors in reports filed by recipients of stimulus money. The move came after a testy hearing Thursday of the House oversight committee in which Earl Devaney, chairman of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, which is responsible for monitoring the stimulus, said the number of jobs displayed on the official government stimulus Web site, recovery.gov, at 640,329 was possibly inaccurate. Fat Fees And Smoker Surcharges …… The Tar Heel State in particular has been criticized for using a big-stick approach. Starting in July, state workers who smoke will be moved from the plan that covers 80% of health care costs to one that pays 70%, an out-of-pocket difference of approximately $480 a year, unless they agree to enroll in a smoking-cessation program. …. Alabama, rather than adopting penalties, is offering discounts on state workers' $70 monthly premiums. To get $30 off for not using tobacco, participants have to sign a form under penalty of perjury. …. After Dec. 31, state employees in Alabama will be eligible for an additional $25 discount on their monthly premiums if screenings indicate that their blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and weight are in the normal range or if they see a doctor to address any risk factors. Fidelity Says 401(k) Accounts Recover From 2008 Drop Fidelity Investments said the average balance on customers’ 401(k) retirement accounts has returned to September 2008 levels on contributions and third- quarter investment gains. SEC Names Senior Officials to Investor Education and Advocacy Efforts The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the appointments of three senior officials to its Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) to help continue its increased focus on individual investors.…. Richard C. Ferlauto joins the SEC from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, where he has been Director, Corporate Governance and Public Pension Programs since 2002. Previously, he was Managing Director, Proxy Voter Services for Institutional Shareholder Services and Director of Policy for the Center for Policy Alternatives. Currently, Mr. Ferlauto is a member of the PCAOB Investor Advisory Committee and The Conference Board Taskforce on Executive Compensation. He has been named to the Directorship 100 as one of the most influential leaders in corporate governance for the past three years. Mr. Ferlauto is a graduate of Georgetown University. State/LocalUC Regents Approve 32% Fee Increase Amid Protests The governing board of the University of California approved a $2,500 student fee increase Thursday after two days of tense campus protests across the state. …. Hundreds of students and union members gathered at the arched doorways of the building, waving signs, pounding drums and chanting "We're fired up, can't take it no more" and "Shame on you." From the notebook: More from Monday's furlough hearing, part 3 …. At 1:15, Roesch calls Union of American Physicians and Dentists v. Schwarzenegger. Attorney Adam Zapala steps to the podium to speak for the union. Roesch asks him to avoid repeating arguments made earlier by the other attorneys. The cases have a lot of similarities, the judge says. Zapala agrees, then continues the special funds argument, this time focusing on state employees like those he's representing who are "paid entirely by federal money." BART considers stimulus funds to avoid layoffs The financial picture at BART is growing darker, as it is with many government agencies, but the transit district hopes it can stave off more layoffs - or service cuts and fare increases - by using some of its federal economic stimulus money to run trains. CalPERS board members endorse new lobbying rules Board members at California's huge state pension fund offered support Thursday for a plan to register as lobbyists the controversial middlemen hired by private investment funds to help get lucrative business from public pension plans. Not all state agencies plan furloughs Several state agencies not under Gov. Bill Richardson's control are making it clear they don't intend to furlough employees to save money. …… Arcy Baca, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 477, said many of those who will be furloughed are stressed. Layoffs Coming For Fulton County Workers As Fulton County commissioners grapple with the county’s budget crisis, it’s becoming clear that some of the people employed by the county soon will find themselves in the unemployment line. …. Greg Fann, president of the local chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said county workers are willing to make deep sacrifices in order to keep their jobs. “That’s what they’re saying. Whatever it takes to keep our jobs. Whatever it takes. If it means furlough days, if it means holidays, we will do it,” he said. Butt out: Health agency kicking smokers out in Tumwater Smokers for a long time have been unwelcome in or near the doors of public areas, including state agencies. But the new decree announced today (Wednesday) means that beginning in mid-May, visitors and state employees cannot use smokeless tobacco, cigarettes and other tobacco products at the state Department of Health's headquarters and campus in Tumwater. ….. It's not clear if workers would have grounds to object under union contracts. The issue of smoking bans has come up in bargaining the last two contract rounds with the Washington Federation of State Employees, and it was among the last issues dealt with both times. NY revives retirement buyout program to state agencies New York Gov. David Paterson's budget director has ordered state agencies to continue extending retirement buyouts to employees. The directive, dated Nov. 18, revives a retirement buyout program which expired earlier this month. The state faces a $3.2 billion budget deficit, and shrinking its work force is a key way to help save money, said state budget director Robert Megna. ….. The state is offering the buyouts to members of the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employees Federation, the two unions representing the bulk of state workers. State’s tour of prison still finds serious problems State inspectors in a recent report describe the Erie County penitentiary as a management-challenged prison where deputies abandon their posts, legitimate inmate grievances go nowhere, and would-be reforms move slowly. …… Corrections officers represented by the Civil Service Employees Association generally guard sentenced inmates, the largest number of inmates at the facility in Alden, which usually holds more than 900 people a day. CITY OF LOCKPORT: City aims to cut health costs by $700K The city is aiming to cut its health care costs by shifting retirees into less expensive health insurance plans. …. So far, only three unions have consented — the police union, the department heads union and AFSCME Local 822 — but together they represent more than half of all city employees, so Tucker has ordered all retirees’ health insurance plans be shifted in 2010. Union supports Steuben school project A union representing more than 1,500 employees in Steuben County and a group representing administrators in the Corning-Painted Post school district announced Thursday that they're endorsing the district's proposed $174.4 million facilities plan. Steuben County Local 851 of the CSEA, which represents county, town, village and school employees, said in a news release that the project "will improve every district school building and enhance our children's education." Gay Spouses Due Benefits in the State, Court Finds The state’s highest court on Thursday upheld policies giving some government benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married outside the state, but did not rule on whether gay marriage should be legal in New York, leaving that issue for the Legislature to decide. Union Up in Arms Over County Furloughs Earlier this week, the Milwaukee County Board passed a budget for 2010. Included in that budget, are 12 mandatory furlough days for many county employees. WUWM’s LaToya Dennis reports on what the furloughs could mean for county services and the workers themselves. ….. Among the workers who will have days off in exchange for a smaller paychecks are members of AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Rich Abelson is executive director of District Council 48. He says he’s not certain how much pay each worker will lose, but it will be noticeable. City Worker's Union Rejects Reading's Request For Concessions Two of Reading's unions are saying "no" to City Council's request for concessions. AFSCME, which represents public works and maintenance employees, rejected the concessions by a 123-to-30 vote Thursday night. The Reading Firefighters 1803 voted 98-to-21 against the concessions. Following the votes AFSCME and the city's fire and police unions spoke out about the concession requests on TV during the Municipal Access Channel's "In Your City" program. Guards will fight salary freeze / County won't honor arbitration award The union representing corrections officers at Lancaster County Prison said Thursday it is "prepared to fight back" against the county commissioners' decision to reject 7-percent raises awarded to the officers by an arbitration panel. Republican commissioners Dennis Stuckey and Scott Martin, who voted against the increased pay, "chose to ignore their legally binding obligation to the AFSCME represented men and women who work in the county's most dangerous work environment: the county prison," union director Mike Fox said in a statement. CENTRE CREST: Commissioners to look at contract seeking pay increases Unionized employees at the Centre County nursing home voted Wednesday for a contract, providing raises averaging 3 percent annually, that now awaits approval from county commissioners. …. Commissioner Steve Dershem said the county has a good relationship with the Centre Crest union, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees. He said he was confident they will continue to work together to solve the issues Centre Crest is facing. Senate ready for special session Senate leaders say they are ready to come back into session to halt next year's Furlough Fridays. ….. Sen. Brian Taniguchi (D, Moiliili-Manoa) discussed the furlough issue yesterday with Randy Perreira, Hawaii Government Employees Association executive director, who said the HGEA has some concerns about the Lingle furlough plan. Hawaii gives 7,174 state workers priority for swine flu vaccine More than 7,000 state workers identified as critical personnel have been offered priority access to the H1N1 vaccine to ensure that government operations continue running smoothly in the event of a worst-case flu scenario. University of Northern Iowa staff face potential furloughs Staff furloughs at the University of Northern Iowa are currently being considered in addition to faculty furloughs. UNI’s staff furloughs will likely be affected by the furloughs decided for state employees. Two unions, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the State Police Officers Council, have decided to work with Governor Chet Culver to minimize potential layoffs after the 10-percent budget cuts this fall. State budget gap widens$2.7 billion: Higher taxes being considered because cuts this deep would be ‘extremely ugly’ An additional $760 million in hoped-for state revenue evaporated in the latest economic forecast, and lawmakers began talking up the pros and cons of tax increases to help plug a budget shortfall now estimated at $2.7 billion. WSDOT worker killed by falling tree limb A Washington State Department of Transportation worker was killed Thursday by a falling tree limb while trying to clear a slide. … "This tragic event is a reminder of the danger many of our state workers are exposed to while doing their jobs and serving the people of our state. My heart goes out to his family, co-workers at DOT and friends during this most difficult time," said Gregoire. Rewarding the legislative champions of labor interests A SHIFT in the political strategies of organized labor here in Washington seems to have exposed the reality of The Times editorial board's corporate agenda: dominance over a subservient work force ["Washington state's labor leaders don't get it," editorial, Nov. 15]. The labor movement makes no apologies for our mission to help workers find their voice in the workplace. Previous Daily Newswires |
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