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Daily NewswireNational/PoliticalKosmas to vote no on health care bill The international president of one of the country's larger unions and other local union leaders made some noise Thursday, urging Rep. Suzanne Kosmas to vote yes on the U.S. House health care reform bill Saturday. .. "Too many Florida families are facing financial ruin because of skyrocketing health care costs," said Gerald McEntee, leader of the 1.6-million member Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). .. Before McEntee's brief remarks, many among the two dozen who came to Kosmas' Port Orange office expressed surprise that Kosmas hadn't shown much support for the bill. .. "If you're going to vote against health care reform, what kind of Democrat are you?" Doug Martin, legislative director for AFSCME, asked Valerie Guenther, district director of Kosmas' office in Port Orange. Related from Orlando Sentinel: Orlando-area House Democrat Kosmas opposes health bill Jobless rate hits 10.2%, first time over 10% since '83 The unemployment rate hit 10.2% in October, surpassing 10% for the first time since 1983. .. Education and health services added 45,000 jobs, while government employment was flat. Let’s Make It Happen Now! The House of Representatives finally will vote on health care reform legislation as soon as Saturday. This is a truly historic and defining moment for our nation. Will we meet one of the most important challenges of our generation? With your help — yes we will.. AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee recorded a special video message for our members whose actions have helped us come this far. Michaud in Spotlight As Health Care Debate Shifts to House Since extending a series of health care listening sessions to Mainers on an invitation-only basis earlier this summer, Congressman Mike Michaud has been under mounting pressure to support a public option for health insurance that, theoretically, would co-exist alongside plans offered by private insurers. ... "We're very hopeful that he will find a way to get to a 'yes' vote on this because there are such overwhelming benefits to his district," says Marianne Von Nordeck of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. ISMS against current healthcare proposals; AFSCME for The Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) recently issued an open letter to Illinois patients denouncing the plan. .. In the meantime, the state's largest employee union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), is pressuring an Illinois Democratic delegation to vote for a House bill, which could be taken on Saturday. AFSCME, which represents about 100,000 active and retired members in Illinois, claims that 8,100 families within five congressional districts filed health-care related bankruptcies in 2008. Halvorson supporting Democrat's health care legislation Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson disclaims talk she doesn’t meet with constituents on issues like the pending historic health care insurance reform legislation. ... Halvorson praised Thursday’s endorsements of HB 3962 by the American Association of Retired Persons, the nation’s largest organization of senior citizens, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Health Bill Garners Endorsements House Democrats' health bill got a boost Thursday with endorsements by AARP and the American Medical Association, which President Barack Obama seized on to push for support with hours ticking down before a scheduled vote Saturday evening on the House floor. CMS score of House bill may not be finished before weekend vote Medicare's chief actuary told The Hill on Thursday that it is unclear if he will have a cost estimate of the House healthcare reform bill before a scheduled vote this weekend. Obama Faces His Anzio ... The parallel with current economic policy runs as follows: early this year, President Obama came into office with a strong mandate and proclaimed the need to take bold action on the economy. His actual actions, however, were cautious rather than bold. They were enough to pull the economy back from the brink, but not enough to bring unemployment down. Thus the stimulus bill fell far short of what many economists — including some in the administration itself — considered appropriate. Biden: Strong Unions Needed to Build Middle Class The nation cannot rebuild its middle class without strong unions, Vice President Joe Biden said today. Biden said he and President Obama believe it is impossible to grow the middle class without growing unions. Moody’s: Pension Strains Put Pressure on Ratings The fiscal strain of deteriorating pension funding levels on local and state governments could contribute to downgrades in the next several years, especially among those governments that entered the recession with poor funding ratios or have little flexibility in their funding requirements, a new report from Moody’s Investors Service warns. ... The level of legal and statutory flexibility in pension funding varies by state. Nine states have constitutional provisions guaranteeing pension rights. 20 states have explicit statutory guarantees, 18 have court-developed common law rights, and three approach the issues in other ways. Flu shots for workers hit sticking point Efforts to require flu shots for health workers in order to protect vulnerable patients are being abandoned by some major health systems because of legal challenges and vaccine shortages. .. Union officials say mandates are wrongheaded. "When you educate health care workers they will get the flu vaccine. The problem is it's not being done," said Bill Borwegen, SEIU's occupational health and safety director. Allstate Sells Municipals as Governments Run Deficits Allstate Corp., the largest publicly traded U.S. home and auto insurer, is paring its municipal-bond holdings because state and local governments are “not in great shape,” Chief Executive Officer Thomas Wilson said. .. Budget deficits totaling $16 billion have opened in 26 states since their fiscal years began on July 1, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. California had a record $26 billion deficit and New York faces a $3.2 billion budget gap this year, up 50 percent from three months ago. Companies, unions criticize waivers for ‘Buy American’ rules Federal agencies have granted more than two dozen exceptions to Buy American rules in the $787 billion economic stimulus package. The waivers have frustrated unions and manufacturers that lobbied for the rules, which were intended to ensure stimulus funds were spent on U.S. companies. Union leaders say the waivers keep the stimulus from creating jobs in an economy with unemployment headed toward 10 percent. Going Public: Schools Attract Government Clients Business schools are mainly known for grooming future financiers and corporate bosses, but many now count public-sector staff from military officers to local government managers among their students too. .. The economic downturn has also prompted a small but growing number of graduating M.B.A.s to consider government careers, a departure from their traditional preference for fields like finance and consulting. ... With public-private partnerships key to the delivery of many government services and big governmental departments now commonly containing business-like strategy units, she adds, "there's been much more of a mixing up of the kind of skills and knowledge needed within both the public and private sectors." State/LocalCulver's aides are mum on any state union talks Iowans may be kept in the dark about whether state officials are negotiating new contracts with any labor unions in an effort to avoid layoffs of prison and public safety workers. ... AFSCME spokesman Charlie Wishman said he could not talk about the bargaining committee's schedule. Olmsted Conservancy gets $360,000 grant ... Lawmakers on Thursday also approved a contract with the government’s blue-collar workers. The pact, negotiated by Collins and narrowly ratified by Local 1095, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, provides six annual raises of 3 percent each through 2015 in exchange for concessions on paid leave and employee contributions to employer-provided health insurance. Police investigate baby's death Police and Warren County officials are investigating the death of an 8-month-old baby in a Montcalm Street apartment, a death that happened weeks after the county Department of Social Services removed the baby from the home because of conditions there but then allowed him to return. A union official said Thursday that he believed "Social Services failed that baby," at least in part because of job cuts and an agency restructuring that occurred in recent months. The official, labor relations specialist Jon Premo of the Civil Service Employees Association, said Social Services employees had been expressing concern since the summer about being able to do their jobs amid budget cuts. Spare city workers, speakers urge aldermen ... George Williams, vice president of the Civil Service Employees Association, said state union leaders will not allow the local to open up new contract negotiations. About 20 members of the CSEA are expected to be laid off, including Department of Public Works employees. “The only hope we have is you,” Williams told lawmakers. Closing Maple Lane is a bad idea, report says A state consultant’s final report states that closing the Maple Lane youth prison at Grand Mound is a bad idea, but if state lawmakers must eliminate juvenile beds, it’s a better option than closing Green Hill at Chehalis. ... Tim Welch, a spokesman for the Washington Federation of State Employees, said Democratic Sen. Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam could block the closure of Naselle if that is offered as an option. Lawmakers still cool to session on schools House leaders again resisted calls for a special legislative session to deal with public schools, asking instead for a reopening of the state teachers' contract to restore classroom time being lost to furloughs. .. Additionally, terms would have to be renegotiated for school workers who are part of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, who agreed to a contract with similar furlough considerations. Judges immune from furloughs Although they took a mandated 5 percent pay cut this year, state judges cannot be furloughed under the Hawai‘i Constitution. This means their day off today is a paid day off. The state courthouse here is closed today for the state Judiciary’s first furlough day, with only five United Public Workers grounds and maintenance personnel expected on property. The UPW is negotiating a new contract with the governor and islands’ mayors, with member meetings scheduled later this month. No Detroit layoffs planned, despite wage-cut deadline Mayor Dave Bing may have backed down from his latest threat to terminate union contracts, impose concessions and lay off workers in his battle with organized labor over city finances. ... Catherine Phillips, the lead negotiator for AFSCME, the largest of the city's 50 unions with about 3,500 members, said she plans to keep working with the city to reach some sort of consensus. Senate GOP ponders ideas for filling state budget hole A 5 percent pay cut for all state workers, the elimination of the state property-tax break on future levies, and the placement of slots at racetracks were among the ideas floated yesterday by Senate Republicans looking for alternatives to Gov. Ted Strickland's income-tax plan. Task force divided on how to privatize Oklahoma's workers compensation insurer A legislative task force recommended Thursday that Oklahoma's workers' compensation agency be privatized, but it was divided on how to achieve that. State worker furloughs proposed At least one state senator thinks that furloughing state employees would be a better route to cutting the state budget than laying off those workers. This morning, State Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln introduced a resolution in the special session of the Nebraska Legislature that would have state agencies employ limited furloughs rather than layoffs to help solve the state's $334 million budget dilemma. ‘Smart Furlough’ bill hits Capitol A bill aimed at reducing monetary waste and aiding state employees was introduced and sent to an Assembly committee Thursday. The bill, dubbed the “Smart Furlough Bill,” is designed to modify the state’s current blanket furlough policy. The current system, which was introduced by Gov. Jim Doyle via executive order, requires most state employees to take 16 days of unpaid furlough over between now and July 2011, one of the many cuts initiated to balance the state’s historic budget deficit. Under ‘steps,’ some city workers will get raises All five Beloit city unions agreed to a wage delay in the upcoming year, but some of the members still will be receiving a pay raise in 2010, according to city officials. .. Members of the AFSCME #2537 union are awarded pay increases at six months, 12 months, 24 months and 10 years. .. Members of the AFSCME #643 union is awarded raises after 6 months, 12 months, 10 years and 15 years. ... The AFSCME #2537 also awards incentives for workers in water resources, custodial employees and lead inspectors. Legislature passes tougher child-care reforms Lawmakers unanimously approved a wide-reaching bill Thursday aimed at curbing fraud and keeping criminals out of the state's troubled taxpayer-supported child-care program. Gov. Jim Doyle has indicated he would sign it. Lawmakers consider cost of living differentials Bringing state employees' wages up to par could cost $35 million in wages and benefits and jack up unfunded retirement liabilities $50 million over the next 25 years. But the state isn't asking for action -- yet -- on a spring 2009 study of cost differentials ordered as part of a working group's effort to find ways to better attract and retain employees, Department of Administration Commissioner Annette Kreitzer told lawmakers on Thursday. Short of cash, Minn. delays business tax refunds Minnesota's precarious cash flow problem is prompting the Department of Revenue to delay corporate and sales tax refunds for the second time in six months, department officials disclosed Thursday. Previous Daily Newswires |
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