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January 29, 2010National/PoliticalLabor's Lost Love / Union chiefs weigh primary challenges to Democratic senators cool to their agenda. It's not one big happy family for the Democrats when it comes to some of the brothers and sisters in the house of labor. Frustrations are so great that union chiefs on the AFL-CIO's executive committee have discussed backing primary election challenges to Democratic senators cool to their agenda. The idea was kicked around at the executive committee's January 25 meeting in Washington, even though just over a year ago labor pulled out all the stops to put a Democrat in the White House and expand the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. "Some people clearly supported" the challenges, said Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, who participated in the meeting by speakerphone. McEntee said that no specific proposal was advanced for mounting primary fights against Democrats whom the leaders view as less than loyal to labor's cause. Rather, "it was a matter of discussion. When you're in the condition we're in, legislatively, you're looking around like a blinded doe; you're looking for means to pay back and make things better." .. And McEntee skewered the administration's proposed freeze on discretionary domestic spending. "In my judgment, the cuts are going to be made in order to appease what they see as the [party's] right [flank]," he said. "It sounds so Jimmy Carteresque." Related
Wild West On K Street? The Supreme Court has unleashed corporations and unions to spend freely on political advertising. ... Fear about such corporate spending means that unions will have to raise and pay out more money, too, if their voice on the Employee Free Choice Act and trade policies is to be heard, said Gerald McEntee, the president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. "Corporations will be able to bang around politicians [who] are opposed to them within the last 90 days before the elections," he said, adding, "Democrats are dropping by the wayside all over the place. We've got to raise and spend more money -- at least 25 percent more." Economy grows at 5.7% pace, fastest since 2003 The U.S. economy grew for a second straight quarter from October through December, posting a 5.7% annual growth rate, the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2003. The Commerce Department report Friday is the strongest evidence to date that the worst recession since the 1930s ended last year, though an academic panel that dates recessions has yet to officially declare an end to it. Wages and benefits rise weak 1.5 percent in 2009 Wages and benefits paid to U.S. workers posted a modest gain in the fourth quarter, ending a year in which recession-battered workers saw their compensation rise by the smallest amount on records going back more than a quarter-century. .. The Labor Department said Friday that wages and benefits rose by 0.5 percent in the three months ending in December. For the entire year, wages and benefits were up 1.5 percent, the weakest showing on records that go back to 1982. AFL-CIO head: Obama 'finally gets it' President Barack Obama "finally gets it" when it comes to jobs and the economy, a top labor leader said on Thursday . AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka praised the president's State of the Union address, after a year that saw labor maintain an — at times — tense relationship with the administration over top domestic priorities. "I listened to the president and came away saying he finally gets it," Trumka said in a video to tens of thousands of AFL-CIO members and activists on Thursday. While Confident Health Care Will Pass This Year, Democrats Still Search for a Plan Democratic leaders in Congress voiced resolute optimism on Thursday that they would adopt major health care legislation this year, and they said that doing so was a crucial element of President Obama’s broader agenda to create jobs, revive the economy and reduce federal budget deficits. AFL-CIO Unveils 2010 State Jobs Agenda Last night in his State of the Union message, President Obama called on Congress to pass a jobs bill to help put millions of Americans back to work. But the U.S. Congress is not the only lawmaking body that can fuel job creation. State legislatures have important roles to play. The AFL -CIO has developed a State Jobs Agenda that union and community allies and working family lawmakers can use as a guideline in developing legislation and policies to protect and create jobs, address budget issues and protect the safety net. Labor needs a new survival plan Republican Scott Brown’s Senate victory last week deprived President Obama and the Democrats of their filibuster-proof super-majority in the Senate and made Obama’s health care plan a high-profile casualty. There was also collateral damage for already-frustrated union backers of the president. The White House staffers and congressional leaders who’ve been assuring them that labor law reform was next on Obama’s agenda now can’t prevent a filibuster of the Employee Free Choice Act. .. In this “EFCA-lite’’ version of the bill, employer recognition based on card check would remain voluntary. But the National Labor Relations Board - now one of the slowest moving federal agencies - would be directed to hold expedited elections, thereby reducing opportunities for unlawful tactics designed to thwart union representation. Labor reforms still needed, says Harkin President Barack Obama made several statements regarding job creation and trade agreements during his State of the Union Wednesday that were pleasing to organized labor, but not once mentioned the Employee Free Choice Act, better known as card check. The legislation would take direct aim at workplace union elections, which has been a key area of concern for organized labor. March of the Peacocks Last week, the Center for American Progress, a think tank with close ties to the Obama administration, published an acerbic essay about the difference between true deficit hawks and showy “deficit peacocks.” You can identify deficit peacocks, readers were told, by the way they pretend that our budget problems can be solved with gimmicks like a temporary freeze in nondefense discretionary spending. One week later, in the State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a temporary freeze in nondefense discretionary spending. Wait, it gets worse. Obama to unveil new tax breaks to spur jobs growth, hike wages In an effort to spur job creation, President Obama plans Friday to unveil a $33 billion package of tax breaks aimed at encouraging businesses to hire workers and give employees raises. Weekly wrap: Govs seek to prop up budget reserve funds Governors are moving this year to create emergency reserve funds or shore up existing ones to help plug persistent budget gaps. Since legislatures began meeting this month, the governors of Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma said they would focus on rainy day funds as another way to wrestle with shortfalls. State/LocalState workers rally to air their concerns About 100 state workers held a boisterous rally at the Capitol Rotunda Thursday to highlight their concerns about pay, safety, health care benefits and other issues. “We're all state workers, and we're all experiencing stress right now,” Lula Duerson, a family support worker from Hopkinsville, told a cheering crowd organized by the American Federation of State, Federal, County and Municipal Employees. “But we're still doing our jobs, aren't we?” Yonts Proposes State-Run Food Services for Prisoners The state, not private contractors, would be responsible for feeding thousands of state prison inmates under legislation moving in the Kentucky General Assembly. Rep. Brent Yonts believes lousy food was the primary cause of last year’s riot at Northpoint Training Center near Danville. Yonts believes the state, not private vendors like Aramark, can do a better job of feeding thousands of state inmates. Governor Steve Beshear, Kentucky lawmakers spar over Northpoint Center riot report The controversy over the state's investigation of last year's riot at the Northpoint Training Center intensified Thursday when Gov. Steve Beshear chided lawmakers for “their continuing fixation with the menus for convicted criminals.'' At issue is the House Judiciary Committee's inquiry into the Aug. 21 riot that nearly destroyed the prison and whether poor food from a private vendor was a major factor — one that lawmakers believe the Beshear administration has tried to downplay. ... Corrections officers have told the committee that the food is skimpy, unappetizing, watered-down and contaminated with rocks, bugs or feces. They have said they believe it presents a security risk from inmates who are angry and hungry. Social Security commissioner says Ohio losing federal money by furloughing SSA workers Commissioner of Social Security Michael Astrue said Ohio is losing millions of dollars and contributing to the backlog of disability cases by furloughing state workers paid with federal funds. ... According to Asture, Ohio will lose $6.9 million in federal money by imposing a 20-day furlough to each of the 627 employees of the Ohio Bureau of Disability Determination over two years. Layoffs to save city $1.8 million this year The police department suffered the brunt of the city's layoffs. According to city officials and documents, the city laid off 16 employees at the Sandusky Police Department, including six full-time officers and four reserve officers. All layoffs are effective within the next two weeks. ... The city can't lay off any AFSCME workers until that time because of a deal orchestrated last June by then-city manager Matt Kline and then-city commissioner Bob Warner. AFSCME, one of the city's three unions, represents a majority of the workers at City Hall. Bloomberg Unveils a Grim Budget Declaring that the city’s finances were “between a rock and a hard place,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled a $63.6 billion budget proposal Thursday that would eliminate 20 fire companies, increase the cost of truck parking on Manhattan streets by 25 percent and close four swimming pools and a center for the homeless. ... The mayor, who gave many labor unions generous contracts during his first two terms, adopted a far tougher stance on union contracts and pension and health benefits. ... Unions, not surprisingly, reacted coolly to the plan. Auburn union declares impasse in talks with city Contract talks between Auburn and its largest labor union have broken down and are heading to mediation, the union announced today. The Civil Service Employees Association filed for impasse over a number of contractual issues and has asked the state Public Employment Relations Board to appoint a mediator to the bargaining talks, CSEA chief negotiator Will Streeter said. Rally whoops up support for Moriah Shock PORT HENRY — A support rally for the Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility drew hundreds of people and dozens of pledges to fight to keep the local shock camp open. .. Dale Johnson is a cook at Moriah Shock and president of the Civil Service Employees Association local chapter there. ... Where are the union’s big guns from Albany? Where’s the CSEA field rep? Where are the local CSEA officials who had so much to say during the election campaign two years ago? Citizens: ‘Pay fair share’ / Group tells ‘big business’ to accept losing tax breaks to save budget Citizens gathered at the Capitol yesterday to demand that “big business” pay “your fair share” and not fight Gov. Bill Ritter’s budget-balancing proposal that would suspend or eliminate several tax exemptions enjoyed by business. ... “We have already seen cuts of $2.1 billion, which have drastically affected core services and state employees,” said Pattie Johnston, a nurse from the State Veterans Nursing Home in Florence and president of Colorado WINS, the union that represents state employees. Carcieri backs off on plan for major change in taxes Governor Carcieri has shelved a plan that would have made sweeping changes to the state’s tax system, saying it was too complex and the timing was not right. The plan would have created a new tax on business — a net receipts tax — and reduced or eliminated some existing state taxes, such as the personal income tax. Kulongoski wants 'kicker' reform in wake of tax increases View full sizeGov. Ted Kulongoski says it's time to change Oregon's "kicker" law. .. Rather than rebating higher-than-expected tax revenue back to taxpayers, he says, the money should first go into a state savings account as a hedge against the withering effects that future recessions would have on public schools and state services. Brown Deer reins in pension contributions Brown Deer - The village has approved an employee contract that, for the first time, limits the amount of tax money that will be paid toward employee pensions. The contract with public works and some clerical employees is unusual in that most municipalities in southeastern Wisconsin pay all employee pension contributions and with no limit, Village Manager Russell Van Gompel said Thursday. The provision in the AFSCME union contract, approved this week by the Village Board, is a "foot in the door" toward controlling pension costs, Van Gompel said. Report: County must deal with pension, health care costs to fix finances Fixing Milwaukee County's threadbare finances starts with facing up to the county's enormous pension and health benefit costs, according to a report issued Wednesday by the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum. .. The county's fringe benefit bill won't disappear but can be tamed, the report says. Officials should consider further benefit reductions and merging the county pension system with the state's or switching to a 401(k)-style plan for new employees, the report says. A disparity in healthcare premium sharing among town employees While the town’s unionized employees contribute 7% to 17% of their healthcare premium costs, based on their union contracts, the 11 non-union town workers and elected officials pay nothing toward their medical insurance premiums. ... The police pay 11% of their premiums for an HSA (health savings account); members of Locals 1303 (AFSCME) and 818 (supervisors) pay 7%... Up to 77,000 state workers' personal info missing A state contractor has misplaced personal data for up to 77,000 former and current state employees who participated in the retirement systems in 2003 and 2004. PricewaterhouseCoopers was hired by the state as an expert in a lawsuit against Mercer over retirement system issues. The firm apparently misplaced the personal information - social security numbers, names and dates of birth - in December. No one seems to know for sure where the information is - whether it is lost, misplaced, or even stolen. Wash. House approves pay freeze for some workers OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The state House has approved a wage freeze for nonunion state workers, part of the Legislature's attempt at quickly cutting some state expenses amid a budget deficit. City of Phoenix details plan for drastic cutbacks Phoenix's budget troubles came into sharper focus Thursday as City Manager David Cavazos proposed shutting down senior centers, libraries and sports complexes, and laying off hundreds of police officers and firefighters for the first time in decades. .. Cavazos' proposal would eliminate 1,379 of the city's 16,000 positions, though a third of the targeted positions are vacant. Tax hikes, job cuts in Patrick budget / State spending would rise 3%; rivals pounce Deval Patrick unveiled yesterday a $28.2 billion budget proposal for the next fiscal year that would increase taxes on tobacco, candy, and soft drinks, trim tax incentives for the film industry, and eliminate hundreds of state jobs. .. In terms of job cuts, administration officials said it would be up to individual state agencies to decide how to reduce their workforce, but estimated the total number of positions eliminated to be in the hundreds. Patrick urged not to close Fernald Workers at the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center yesterday asked the governor to reconsider closing the institution, a move they say would have repercussions felt all the way in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. The state plans to close Fernald by July. About 85 percent of the some 650 members of Local 402 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) - mostly direct care workers at Fernald - are either from Haiti or are of Haitian descent. ... With the help of AFSCME International and Local 402's parent union in Boston, Conille said $35,000 or so has been raised so far for victims of the catastrophe. Culver offers mix of savings, cuts in budget plan Gov. Chet Culver proposed a budget for Iowa's next fiscal year that hinges on a massive and ongoing reorganization of state government and cuts in tax credits. .. Some of the ideas - such as offering state employees an early-retirement plan - are already working their way through the Legislature. The early-retirement bill would save an additional $59 million. Delaware government: No new taxes in Markell budget Gov. Jack Markell unveiled a budget Thursday that included no tax increases, a litany of cuts to state agencies and no restoration of the 2.5 percent pay cut state employees absorbed last year. .. McDowell said he was pleased the governor had no layoffs or additional pay cuts in his proposal but that because he didn't know what was in the bill, he was sure there would be something he doesn't like. State audit of Atlantic City finds $23 million of waste, mismanagement and inefficiency More than $23 million worth of waste, mismanagement and inefficiency in city government and millions more in uncalculated losses based on archaic and improper city policies were identified in a state audit released Wednesday. BART board OKs layoff notices to cut deficit BART directors decided Thursday not to join the parade of transportation agencies raising fares or cutting service to balance their budgets - at least just yet. Instead they chose to issue layoff notices but hope they won't have to further trim the staff. Open Government Measure Has Lawmaker Backing ... AFSCME, the state's largest union, discovered the immense power of the board of public works, to approve contracts and cut the state budget with little or no notice, Collins said. "As the result of the board of public works and its secrecy, we've seen a number of state employees, and higher education, bear the brunt of their actions without any warning at all," said AFSCME's director, Patrick Moran. AFSCME Wins Major Grievance Against Maryland School District Prince George’s County Public Schools can no longer use temporary and substitute employees to undermine its contract with the Association of Classified Employees (ACE)/AFSCME Local 2250, a grievance arbitrator has ruled. The union filed the grievance in July 2008 immediately after discovering, during contract negotiations, that Maryland’s second largest school system had employed all of its 2,240 temporary and substitute workers for more than 60 days. More than 400 began their latest assignment more than a year prior to the union’s discovery. |
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