Solidarity Center: The AFL-CIO Solidarity Center has added a new look to its website that shows the breadth of the center’s efforts to help workers in 60 countries achieve a better life by forming independent trade unions. The site, www.solidaritycenter.org, offers a range of options to learn about the Solidarity Center’s programs, publications and other work. 

The site includes an interactive map showing regions of the world in which the center maintains field offices and linking to union news and program updates from each region.   

The site follows Solidarity Center’s work on issues such as the global economy, workers’ and human rights, safety and health, migration and human trafficking, organizing and bargaining, gender and equality. It puts a global perspective on news about workers and describes the union exchange programs that allow union members to interact with workers in foreign countries and learn firsthand about the conditions they face in the workplace. It’s also a source for videos of workers around the world struggling to join unions.

Unallotment is a little-used power that was put into law in 1939 that allows the governor to cut funding for state expenditures. It was originally designed to aid in fixing small, unanticipated budget deficits. The power has been used only six times in 70 years, with Pawlenty utilizing it three times. The governor's proposed $2.7 billion unallotment is larger than all five of the previous unallotments combined, and nearly 10 times more than the largest.

The Real Message is that Tim Pawlenty’s “solution” to the state’s budget shortfall could actually result in much bigger deficits for his successor - nearly $5.9 billion in fiscal years 2012-13, or $7.3 billion when inflation is added.

• Jobs lost through unallotments and vetoes - 3,000-11,000

• Projected property tax increases due to cuts to local units of government since 12/2008 - $230 million-plus.

• Total reductions in aid to local governments since 2003 - $1.3 billion.

• Local government aid to cities - down $887 million.

• County program aid - down $339 million.

• Market value homestead credits - down $100 million.

• As the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities report notes, 44 out of 50 states raised taxes in the early 1990s recession. In the recession that began in 2001, 30 states raised tax revenues. In the early 1980s recession, Republican Gov. Al Quie also raised taxes with a temporary surcharge on the income tax. As of now, of the 20 states with the worst budget problems, only Louisiana, Georgia and Minnesota have failed to raise revenues to meet their budget-balancing obligation.

• The Pawlenty administration acknowledges that his local government aid cuts will drive up property taxes. And that will increase state property tax refund payments and reduce state corporate individual income tax receipts due to larger deductions. The estimated extra cost to the state is $5.7 million.

Unallotment 2009

State Budget Articles

Legislator Questions Pawlenty’s Authority to Appropriate, Change Policy

Union Sends Budget Ideas to Pawlenty

Pawlenty Didn't Work With AFSCME

Union News Update

Furloughs in Other States

In Minnesota, AFSCME forced Governor Pawlenty to drop his proposal to furlough state employees for up to 48 days. Workers in other states weren’t so lucky. More than 728,500 state employees in at least 21 states have already or will be furloughed, and several other states are also considering furloughs for their workers, according to a nationwide tally of state furloughs by Stateline. While Gov. Pawlenty says he has the right to impose furloughs in the future, his failure to negotiate them with AFSCME would make it a violation of our contract. If he tries to impose furloughs on AFSCME members, our union will take it to court. AFSCME Council 5

Nominations for Achievement Awards

Do you know union members who deserve recognition for their outstanding work in political activism, organizing, and local union development? If so, nominate them for a Council 5 Achievement Award. The deadline for nominations is August 15. Awards will be presented at the AFSCME Council 5 Convention in Duluth this October. Full Story