3/8/2010

 

 

 

 

Guest Editorial

Failed GAMC Override is a Sad Chapter for State

I have lived in Minnesota since 1962, and until today I have been proud to be identified as a Minnesotan. I was proud of my state for its relatively clean politics and its tradition of compassion for the poor and vulnerable. No more. March 1, 2010, is a day that will be remembered as a turning point in the character of our state. It will be remembered as the day a group of Republican representatives chose political expediency and turned their backs on thousands of vulnerable Minnesotans by refusing to override the governor's veto of the General Assistance Medical Care bill. 

Their failure to serve the citizens of this state instead of a politically ambitious governor will immediately imperil thousands of our citizens. The rest of us are also at risk as our property taxes rise to pay for the increased use of hospital emergency rooms by the poor, increased health insurance premiums and a decrease in the quality of our hospitals as they struggle to stay afloat. The only solution to this tragedy is to elect a Democratic governor in November who will work with the Democratic Legislature to bring compassion and fiscal responsibility back to Minnesota. (Letter to Editor, Star Tribune, 3/3/2010) Cliff Robinson, AFSCME Local 34 

(Note: A GAMC compromise is reported to be close and could reach the House floor this week)

 

AFSCME Local 34 Elections: Final nominations for AFSCME Local 34 officers were taken at the March General Membership meeting. As there were no contested races, nominations were closed and the following members were declared elected. Officers will be sworn in at the May General Membership meeting.

 

Rally for Jobs: Wednesday, March 10, 1:00pm, State Capitol Steps, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Mn. 55155. The Building Jobs Coalition will highlight their legislative agenda regarding the Bonding Bill and Job Legislation.

 

House Passes Senate Jobs Bills: The House, by a vote of 217-201, approved a Senate-passed jobs bill (H.R.2847), the first in a series of jobs bills expected to clear Congress. The $15 billion bill provides payroll tax relief for businesses that hire new workers and extends the Highway Trust Fund, the Build America Bonds program, and expense deductions for small businesses. The House modified some of the tax provisions in the Senate-passed version, requiring the bill to be approved again by the Senate before it can go to President Obama for his signature.

 

Second Jobs Bill Under Senate Consideration: The Senate is currently considering its second jobs bill, the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act (H.R. 4213). The bill includes a six-month extension of the Recovery Act's increased federal Medicaid contribution (FMAP), an extension through the end of 2010 for unemployment insurance (UI) and unemployment health care benefits (COBRA), and a number of tax credits. AFSCME strongly supports the FMAP extension because it will help states, which are required by law to balance their budgets, avoid harmful cuts and prevent job losses. 

Please call your Senators now and say: "Vote YES on the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act (H.R. 4213) and make sure it includes additional investments in Medicaid." Call 1-202-224-3121.

 

Chavez-Thompson Wins Texas Democratic Primary: Congratulations to AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Emerita Linda Chavez-Thompson, who last week won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor of Texas. Chavez-Thompson won with 53 percent of the vote. Chavez-Thompson prevailed despite a three-way race, avoiding a run-off election. In January, the AFL-CIO Executive Council strongly endorsed Chavez-Thompson’s candidacy, saying she “is a tireless advocate for civil, human, women’s and worker rights.” Chavez-Thompson was a former member pof AFSCME.

 

Sisters in the Brotherhoods: Captain Brenda Berkman, a native Minnesotan, is on the cover of Jane LaTour’s “Sisters in the Brotherhoods.” A retired 25-year member of the New York Fire Department, she said as late as 2004 men wouldn’t sit next to her at union meetings. Her lawsuit broke the barrier for women. This is the 30th Anniversary of celebrating March as Women’s History Month. To honor the occasion, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Women’s Studies Department will host a presentation by author Jane LaTour. “Writing Trades Women into History,” will be given Tuesday, March 9, at 7 p.m. in Montague Hall 80 on the UMD campus (across the corridor from the Marshall Performing Arts Center). Full Story

 

Senate Logjam on Unemployment Benefits Finally Broken: The Senate finally ended an impasse, allowing for passage of  legislation continuing federal unemployment insurance benefits and COBRA subsidies for another 30 days. The 78-19 vote in favor of the legislation, which was immediately signed by President Obama, came after Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) finally dropped his objection to considering it. Although not the only Senate Republican to object to considering the unemployment benefits/COBRA extension during February, Sen. Bunning had held up the bill for four straight days, allowing these benefits to expire. As time passed even some Republicans began to distance themselves from Bunning's tactics. When it finally became apparent that a vote to end his delaying tactics would attract at least one Republican and possibly more, he finally backed down.

 

Midwest School for Women Workers: ‘Taking a stand in tough economic times’ - Addressing the challenges posed by the economic crisis will be the focus of the 2010 Midwest School for Women Workers hosted by the Labor Education Service at the University of Minnesota. The School, open to all working women, will be held July 28 to Aug. 1 on the university’s Minneapolis campus. The School is a four-day residential program that brings together participants from several states for general sessions, skills workshops and networking. This year’s theme is “Taking a stand in tough economic times.”

 

Workers Call on Legislators to Save Jobs, Public Services: Members of AFSCME Council 5 rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday (2/17) and met with legislators to help shape a state budget that will put Minnesota back to work. AFSCME Council 5 represents 43,000 public and non-profit workers across the state. The theme of this year’s Day-on-the-Hill was “For a Better Minnesota.” Nearly 800 union members participated, the union said. They packed the Capitol rotunda and filled the balconies to call on lawmakers to save jobs and preserve important public services. Full Story

 

Kitchen Table Talk! I just got back from AFSCME’s Day on the Hill. It was difficult for me to motivate myself to go this year, but I am very happy that I showed up. Our members who put it together with Council 5 staff, as always, came up with a very good message, “For a Better Minnesota”. How do we get there? That is the conundrum. We are into the biennium, and now we know that there is a $1.2 billion deficit for this year’s two year biennium, and a projected $5.4 billion deficit for the biennium beginning July 1, 2011. Full Story  

Pension Fix: AFSCME is reluctantly supporting benefit adjustments recommended by MSRS and PERA to ensure the retirement systems have sufficient funds to pay benefits for retirees, active employees and future hires. Legislative action would allow both systems to reduce the cost of living increase. Our Board originally asked the Legislature to wait until next year to take action. We had hoped that investment returns would be enough to make up for market losses over the past two years. Unfortunately, the slow economic recovery demands an immediate fix. Full Story

 

Union Wages and Benefits Didn't Cause the Deficit! by Eliot Seide, Director, AFSCME Council 5. Every day, more Minnesotans are losing their jobs, their homes and their health care. When these victims of the poor economy need help, it's unionized public workers who come to their rescue. We're their life preserver, not an anchor weighing them down, as Katherine Kersten suggests ("Public sector: An anchor as we sink," Feb. 14). We're the blue-collar workers who take care of South St. Paul while Gov. Tim Pawlenty cuts his hometown. We feed grandma while he forces her nursing home to close. We staff the emergency rooms while he cuts hospitals to the bone. We help minds soar while he crowds classrooms, hikes tuition and closes libraries. Full Story

 

 

 

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