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Precinct Caucus, Tuesday, February 7th. Some state legislators are trying to take away your rights and crush the middle class. But you can start fighting back. Support your union and Minnesota’s working families by participating in your local precinct caucus. AFSCME members who attend these neighborhood caucuses are urged to: Promote the priorities of AFSCME’s 2012 legislative agenda. Run as delegates to your district conventions, which take place later in the spring. Delegates gain a voice in endorsing candidates for the Legislature and for Congress. |
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All workers deserve decent wages, health care, and a secure retirement. That’s what AFSCME stands for, that’s what unions stand for, and that’s what the 99% stand for. AFSCME Council 5 is supplying locals with winter-proof lawn signs so you can demonstrate that those are values you stand for, too. To get a sign contact Jean Diederich, Local 34 Union President |
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world!" ~ Mohandas Karamachand Gandhi
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 From
the Desk of the President
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Last updated 1/18/2012 |
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ABC News has compiled a coast to coast list of products being made in America. |
The people of Wisconsin made their voices heard last week as their chants and boos drowned out Scott Walker's State of the State address. Walker faces a recall election this year after more than one million voters signed a petition to put an early end to his term in office. Meanwhile, the legal and ethical lapses that took place in the Milwaukee County Executive's office during Walker's reign continue to add up. Late last week, two more former Walker staffers were charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts for doing political work on the taxpayers' dime. This brings the total number of top-ranking former Walker staffers facing felony charges up to five. |
Obama’s State Of The Union Lays Out Vision To Create Jobs And Prosperity For All
AFL-CIO President Rich
Trumka says by laying out a vision of an America that can
create jobs and prosperity for all instead of wealth for the
few in his State of The Union speech, President Obama voiced
the aspirations and concerns of those who are too often
ignored. Trumka says the president made it clear he wants to
end the era of the one percent getting rich by looting the
economy rather than by creating jobs. The AFL-CIO says now
it’s time for Congress to stop standing in the way of
rebuilding our country and act.
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AFSCME LOCAL 34
2/2/2012
Protesters Swarm Super Bowl Village
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Mitt Romney for the 1%
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More
than 10,000 Indiana working people marched from the statehouse
to the site of this Sunday’s Super Bowl in Indianapolis,
telling lawmakers who passed a “right to work” for less
bill, “Remember November.” They vowed to take the state back
in a massive voter mobilization. Indiana is the first Rust Belt
state to enact the contentious right-to-work labor law
prohibiting labor contracts that require workers to pay union
representation fees. The Senate approved the measure following
weeks of discord that saw House Democrats boycott the
Legislature and thousands of protesters gather at the
Statehouse.
Demonstrators
who greeted Mitt Romney in Eagan Tuesday were good-natured. But
their message was serious – the Republican front-runner has no
core values and he is out of touch with regular Americans.
Before making his way to Minnesota this morning, Romney told
CNN:
| Chopping From The Top! A bill listed in the Senate introductions Wednesday would take a whack at the state’s agencies. Along with some smaller agencies, the Departments of Corrections, Employment and Economic Development, Health, Human Services, Labor and Industry, Management and Budget, Revenue, Transportation and Veterans Affairs would be gone. Although the measure was introduced this week, it may need some updating; it lists an effective date of July 1, 2011. |
| Collective Action Can Make a Difference! AFSCME members in South Dakota attended a town hall meeting last Saturday, helping to change the mind of one of the chief sponsors of a bill that would prohibit collective bargaining by public workers. Republican State Senator Stan Adelstein not only pulled his sponsorship of this anti-worker bill, but will actively oppose the legislation and urge his colleagues to do the same. About 75 AFSCME members, along with other public service workers including teachers and firefighters, attended the town hall meeting. |
| Partisan Fight Begins! This was to be the legislative session that would wipe away 2011's partisan gridlock that led to a 20-day government shutdown. Senate GOP's short, but tempestuous record so far this year: Balanced its budget by cutting the DFL Senate caucus budget but not its own. Republicans also voted to remove Ellen Anderson as head of the PUC. They questioned her ability to put aside her role as an environmentalist and clean-energy advocate and fairly judge energy issues that come before the PUC, even though of 221 votes before the five-member PUC since Anderson was appointed, 204 were unanimous and of the 17 divided votes, Anderson was in the minority only six times. |
Anti-Middle Class “Right to Work” Amendment Bad for Working Minnesotans, Bad for Business! In a seemingly unending stream of constitutional amendments, State Senator Dave Thompson & Representative Steve Drazkowski held a press conference to publicize an anti-middle class amendment that would force union workers to pay for their non-union co-workers’ representation. “This is yet another desperate attempt from Senator Thompson, Representative Drazkowski, and out of state special interests to publicize a bill that has bi-partisan opposition in the Legislature,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. “Minnesota consistently outperforms anti-middle class ‘Right to Work’ states like Mississippi and Alabama. Why would anyone want to enact something that is bad for working people and bad for business?” “Right to work for less is wrong for Minnesota. Minnesotans desperately need good jobs, not the right to work for $5,500 less," according to AFSCME Council 5 President, Eliot Seide. "We must stop this attack on everyday people who deserve a decent job, health care, and a secure retirement. Until we do that, big money bullies will never get enough. Our struggle for good jobs and economic equality continues. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so wisely cautioned in 1961: “In our glorious fight forcivil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, as ‘right to work.’ It provides no ‘rights’ and no ‘works.’ Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining….We demand this fraud be stopped.” Facts about Minnesota vs. Anti-Middle Class “Right to Work” States: Minnesota’s December unemployment rate was 5.7%, the average unemployment for states with anti-middle class “right to work” laws was 7.5%. Minnesotans earn more than people in anti-middle class “right to work” states. Median annual Minnesota personal income is $31,445. Personal income drops to $26,381 in anti-middle class “right to work” states. 9.6% of Minnesotans do not have health insurance. The uninsured rate shoots to 16.6% in anti-middle class “right to work” states. Minnesotans are more educated, with 91.6% of adults with a high school diploma and 31.5% with a college degree. In anti-middle class “right to work” states, 81.5% of the adult population has completed high school and 21.4% have a college degree. |
| Local
34 Elections:
LaQuita Williams has been appointed as Nominations Chair for
this year's elections. Nominations were taken at the February 1st meeting. Final
nominations will be taken at the March
7th General Membership meeting.
The following were nominated at the February 1st membership meeting.
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'Right to Work (for Less)' is Wrong: The next stealth attack by tea-party Republicans is their attempt to add a “right to work (for less)” amendment to the state constitution. This misleading proposal protects no rights, creates no jobs, drags down workers’ pay by $5,500 a year, destroys collective bargaining, and undermines unions. It is wrong for Minnesota. Tell your legislators to keep it off the ballot.
On January 26th, a think tank backed by corporate special interests released a study promoting anti-middle class legislation in Minnesota. The right-wing Center of the American Experiment’s report urges lawmakers to make Minnesota a low-wage, anti-middle class “Right to Work” state. “It should come as no surprise that corporate special interests, who are pushing similar anti-middle class legislation in Indiana and New Hampshire, are trying to impose their agenda on hardworking Minnesotans,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. “The fact remains that these laws exist so corporate CEOs can pay their workers less, cut worker benefits, and line their own pockets.” The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a national group backed by corporate special interests, has been pushing similar legislation across the country over the last two years. A recent report identified John Gibbs from Comcast as ALEC’s Corporate State Chairman. Gibbs also serves as Center of the American Experiment’s Vice President. Contrary to the think tank talking points, anti-middle class “Right to Work” laws actually hurt economic development: Wages for all workers are driven down. Both union and non-union workers in states with these laws make an average of $5,538 less per year than those living in states without the law. Jobs are lost. Not only do these laws fail to create jobs, but they actually cause local economies to lose them. According to the Economic Policy Institute, every $1 million in wage cuts, results in six jobs lost in the local economy. Benefits are reduced. Employers in anti-middle class right to work states are less likely to offer benefits and workers are currently losing health insurance coverage 70 percent faster than in free bargaining states. Workplace safety suffers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of workplace deaths is 50 percent higher in anti-middle class right to work states. Less investment in schools. These laws mean lower school funding, more layoffs and larger class sizes. For example, during the 2008 – 2009 school year, anti-middle class right to work states spent only $9,005 per student, compared to $10,966 in Minnesota. “We’ve seen the conflict these anti-middle class attacks are causing in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and many other states,” Knutson added. “Fortunately, there is bi-partisan opposition to this un-Minnesotan measure.” |
Goodwill
at Legislature Could Be Fragile:
Issues
like the Vikings stadium, bonding and certain government reform
initiatives might find some bipartisan support this year, but the
goodwill between the two parties could be fragile.  One
issue likely to divide the House along party lines this year is
legislation regarding a proposed constitutional amendment requiring
voters to show photo identification. Last year, a bill to require
photo ID passed the House and Senate largely along party lines, only
to be vetoed by Dayton. A bill for a constitutional amendment would
allow Republicans to circumvent the governor and put the issue
directly to the voters. On
February 9th, choose to protect the voice of the 99% in Minnesota.Other potential constitutional amendments include a proposal that tax increases be approved by a supermajority of lawmakers and that membership in unions become voluntary. “None of these constitutional amendments that have been proposed are going to put anybody back to work. None of them are going to improve our economy in any way, so it doesn’t make any sense from my perspective to spend any time on them at all." ~ DFL Representative Paul Thissen |
| Next Wave Meets February 25th: Council 5’s "Next Wave" – for members younger than 35 or so – will meet February 25th from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the South St. Paul office, 300 Hardman Ave. South. Lunch will be served. Reservations are required: Contact Amy Johnson by email or call her at 651-450-4990. The reservation deadline is February 21st. |
| Day on the Hill March 27th: Registration is now open for AFSCME Council 5’s Day on the Hill March 27th. Last year, a record 1,500 AFSCME members ignited a push that saved 5,000 jobs; stopped $1.5 billion more in budget cuts; and defeated attacks on our pay, pensions and health care. We expect the same attacks this year – plus a new one that threatens our very existence as a union. A proposed “right to work for less” amendment to the state constitution could cripple our union and hurt every middle-class family in Minnesota. It’s the same kind of anti-worker bill we’ve seen in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere. To fight back, we again need a huge turnout on March 27th. Details are available online. Local 34 elected delegates at the February 1st General Membership meeting. The local authorized expenditures for up to 50 people, however. If you may be interested in attending, contact Local 34 President, Jean Diederich as slots are still open. |
Minnesota State Pensions: Minnesota's systems are well-managed and are reasonably funded under the circumstances. In 2010, a pension reform bill was passed that saves the state and local governments $5.9 billion and has already had a dramatic positive impact on the three statewide systems - the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA), the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) and the Teachers Retirement Association (TRA). It is in Minnesota's best interest to let these reforms continue to work to improve the funds' financial status.The funded ratios for all three systems have increased significantly since 2009. PERA's general fund has improved from 53.8 percent in 2009 to 76 percent in 2011. MSRS has gone from 65.6 percent funded to 87 percent funded. And TRA has jumped from 59.8 percent funded to 78 percent. Cost-of-living adjustments for PERA and MSRS members have been lowered until the plans are 90 percent funded; at TRA, the adjustments were withheld for two years, then will also be lowered until the plan is 90 percent funded. In Minnesota, public employees have always contributed nearly half of the required funding. Within PERA, active members are required to contribute 6.25 of their pay; within the MSRS, 5 percent, and within the TRA, 6 percent (rising in 0.5 percent increments annually until the rate reaches 7.5 percent). Public retiree spending supports $4.5 billion in total economic output in Minnesota and supports 31,274 jobs that paid $1.8 billion in wages and salaries. Each dollar paid out in public pensions supports $1.43 in economic activity in Minnesota, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security's 2009 state-by-state "Pensionomics" analysis. There's a retirement crisis brewing in this country, and some would advocate a race to the bottom in which every worker is income-insecure in their older years. Rather than argue that public-sector workers - most of whom are paid less than their private-sector counterparts - don't deserve a pension, perhaps we should be asking this: "Don't private-sector workers deserve a secure retirement, too?" |
