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May 2, 2008National/PoliticalEditorial: Even Less Help in Hard Times The troubled economy could soon create a major fiscal crisis for the state-run Medicaid and children’s health programs that would only be exacerbated by the Bush administration’s efforts to cut these programs back. Congress must provide temporary aid to the most beleaguered states and find a permanent way to protect Medicaid and children’s health programs from wrenching cuts every time a recession hits. The problem was laid bare in a report this week from the Urban Institute, funded by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Researchers estimated that each percentage-point rise in the unemployment rate would increase Medicaid and children’s health enrollments by one million people as more families fall into poverty. … This is a terrible time to reduce funding for safety-net programs. Organized labor divided on Clinton, Obama Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have aggressively courted organized labor, but unions are divided between the Democratic candidates. … Clinton has the support of many public sector unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union, the American Federation of Teachers and the United Farm Workers. … The AFL-CIO, the umbrella group for many major unions, has not endorsed a candidate, but the group has launched an aggressive attack against McCain. The $53 million effort, called "McCain Revealed," aims to educate voters on the Arizona Republican senator's record, which the labor group says has been consistently anti-working families. State hiring curbs may chill hot market for government staff As U.S. states struggle with about $39 billion in total budget shortfalls, at least 10 have announced hiring curbs and others may follow - chilling one of the few parts of the economy that had been adding jobs. … In the last quarter, as most industries have shed jobs, government has been the rare bright spot, adding about 18,000 jobs between February and March for a total of 22.39 million workers at the federal, state and local levels, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of the month's increase came at the federal level, while state and local government employment stayed steady. Government employment expanded as growing states and cities hired teachers, police and firefighters, said Bob Ward, deputy director of the State University of New York's Rockefeller Institute of Government. Employers cut fewer jobs in April, jobless rate falls Employers cut far fewer jobs in April than in recent months and the unemployment rate dropped to 5 percent, a better-than-expected showing that nonetheless still revealed strains in the nation's crucial labor market. … On the jobs front, construction companies slashed 61,000 positions in April. Manufacturers cut 46,000 and retailers got rid of 27,000. Those losses were eclipsed by job gains in education and health care, professional and business services, the government and elsewhere. Editorial: Experience makes Clinton better choice in primary In this extraordinary election year, Indiana's Democratic voters have been presented with an extraordinary opportunity: Choose for their party's presidential nominee between a gifted senator from Illinois who has enthused millions of new voters and an equally talented senator from New York with years of high-level experience. … On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is the better choice, based on her experience and grasp of major issues, to confront those challenges. She earns The Star's endorsement in Tuesday's primary. Obama Struggling to Win Support Among Working Class Whites In a new national Pew Research Center poll conducted April 23-27, Hillary Rodham Clinton led Obama among white voters in April 54 percent to 38 percent, compared to a 44 percent tie with Obama in March. Among whites with educations of high school or less, she led Obama 65 percent to 25 percent, a gain of 15 points over March. Among whites earning less than $50,000 a year, she led 58 percent to 34 percent, a jump of 11 points compared to a month earlier. … A Quinnipiac University poll conducted April 23-29 said Clinton ran better than Obama in general election-match-ups against John McCain in those states thanks to her stronger base of support among white working class voters: Related article from Bloomberg: Clinton Bests Obama Against McCain in Swing States, Poll Says When Blue Collars Are a Tight Fit Hillary Rodham Clinton has outpolled Barack Obama among white voters without a college degree in 26 of 29 states. … Centered on blue-collar whites, Latinos, and seniors, Clinton's coalition resembles those of previous "beer track" candidates such as Walter Mondale and her husband, Bill Clinton. Obama's coalition of young voters, independents, and well-educated whites resembles the following of earlier "wine track" candidates such as Gary Hart and Bill Bradley, with one key difference. While previous "wine track" candidates struggled with African-Americans, Obama is dominating among black voters. The Trouble With McCain's Health Plan Employer-based insurance not only neuters the forces that would otherwise press down on costs, it also locks workers into jobs that they otherwise might not want. Medicare chief awaits unhappy anniversary Saturday marks an anniversary of sorts for Kerry Weems, the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On May 3, 2007, President Bush delivered Weems’s nomination for the job to the Senate. But little has happened since, leaving Weems with neither the seal of approval nor the sense of full authority brought by confirmation. … The absence of a confirmed administrator certainly has not prevented the Bush administration from putting in place controversial policies regarding Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Those actions, however, make it more difficult for Weems to earn confirmation, a Senate aide said. The number of Americans ages 25 to 44 has dropped 1.5% since 2000, shrinking the pool of young workers in some states despite a 7% increase in the country's overall population, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Census data to be released today. … The gaps in the workforce have been exacerbated by more early retirements, prompting a push to retain older workers. Several states have launched campaigns to lure retirees back to work by offering flexible schedules and work sites. Senate panel curbs private security firms A Senate panel is seeking to rein in private security firms in Iraq and Afghanistan by prohibiting them from conducting military detainee interrogations and operations in combat areas. … The move follows high-profile scandals involving private contractors, particularly in Iraq, where the U.S. government has been employing them in record numbers. State/LocalCalifornia assembly nixes public-private infrastructure bill The California Assembly Business and Professions Committee voted down a measure (AB 2600) that would have allowed the state to enter into private-public partnerships for infrastructure development by a five to three vote on Tuesday. The proposal had been strongly endorsed by Governor (R) Arnold Schwarzenegger. ……. The California Conference of Carpenters, Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California, and Southern California Leadership Council (SCLC) have been in support, while the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), California School Employees Association, AFL-CIO and Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) have been among the opposition. UCSB Union Coalition Organizes Rally in Support of University Workers Demanding increased wages and better treatment, UCSB personnel united in the Arbor yesterday to carry on the message of May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day. …… Participants hoisted signs and sported green AFSCME Local 3299 union shirts, displaying the slogan “Taking back our university - We make things happen!” Related article from the Daily Californian: Student Groups, Workers Rally For Immigrant, Union Rights Amnesty Cash saves Cascadia until next payday, but problems remain The state's largest provider of mental health services opened its doors Thursday without the money or a plan to cover the paychecks of its more than 1,000 employees. But last-minute intervention by the state and Multnomah County allowed the workers to cash their checks and keep serving thousands of mentally ill people. ……… The news created panic inside the agency, said Ken Allen, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who has been leading efforts to unionize Cascadia's work force. "Some workers were told they wouldn't be paid, others were told to pack their belongings because the buildings might not be open," he said. Carcieri signs midyear budget Governor Carcieri last night signed into law a swath of budget cuts that target poor children, state workers, and cities and towns to help close the largest current-year deficit in nearly two decades. …… Several top labor union leaders watched the Senate vote from the public gallery above the chamber. Without success, they lobbied hard against a provision to reduce retiree health-care benefits for state employees who retire after Sept. 30. …… Labor unions continue to discuss a separate “furlough” plan with the governor’s office to save approximately $14.8 million. Carcieri proposed in January forcing all of the state’s 15,000 public workers to take off six unpaid days before July. Ulster County labor pact awaits approval Ulster County negotiators have reached a tentative agreement with the county's largest union that will provide a 10 percent salary increase, compounded over three years, for more than 1,700 employees. Officials estimate the financial impact of the Civil Service Employees Association contract at $1.7 million this year, retroactive to Jan. 1, and $6.8 million over the period ending Dec. 31, 2010. For state workers, a season of outrage after years of service There's a long list of people who should feel cheated by the revelation that some public entities have for years been handing out pension credits to private contractors. The investigation began by looking at lawyers who handled routine work for the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES cooperative and several downstate school districts, but it's expanding. In a grim season for reform, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli deserve credit for going after a practice that was as long-standing as it is egregious. … But there's another class of New Yorker that has an even more righteous claim to anger over this mess, and that's anyone paying into a legitimately earned government pension -- state workers, teachers, local government employees among them. No Pay Raises for State Employees State employees are getting a cold shoulder from Florida lawmakers for the second year in a row. No one, but state troopers are going to see a pay increase and that goose egg proposed for state employees has some lawmakers casting a "no" vote. County seeks concessions / Crouchman says union, like commissioners, should accept pay freeze In a bid to secure millions of dollars in concessions, county officials have stepped up their negotiations with the employee unions four months after most labor contracts expired. With both sides jockeying for position, some critics say the Board of Commissioners and top administrators should have stepped forward and set an example by accepting concessions in their own health care and pension benefits. … With the county facing a budget deficit of perhaps $12 million next year, securing several million dollars worth of concessions is a key component of the board's bid to balance the budget. … Though the nonunion employees didn't accept concessions first, the leader of county government's largest employee union said that the ongoing process allows the unions to set the pace. "I prefer to see the glass as half full," said Donna Cangemi, president of the 900-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Role of Flint's ward captains questioned Union officials representing city workers are complaining that the new "ward captains" are taking away jobs from laid-off employees. Sam Muma, president of AFSCME Local 1600, said the volunteer "ward captains" are doing the same jobs as the neighborhood enforcement officers. Six of the nine neighborhood enforcement officers were laid off earlier this year. Prison costs on agenda Policymakers say continued growth of Michigan's sprawling, $2-billion-a-year prison system is unsustainable when the state is struggling to pay for such priorities as education, health care and police. Some of the top thinkers regarding Corrections strategies are convening in the capital today to discuss reforms that could help the state get a handle on prison spending without compromising public safety. Sluggish economy hinders turnpike-leasing plan Turbulent financial markets have hampered prospective bidders for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, prompting the Rendell administration to extend the bidding period for several weeks. The field of potential bidders for the turnpike has shrunk from 14 teams to about five, Roy Kienitz, deputy chief of staff to Rendell, said yesterday. So far, none has submitted a bid. State Expects $67 Million Deficit, 'Do-Nothing' Budget As lawmakers scramble to rearrange the budget and find money for programs, three of the main groups seeking more funding are nursing homes, nonprofit organizations that provide state services, and cities and towns. The nursing homes and nonprofits were expecting to receive at least a 1 percent increase for the next fiscal year, but are now facing no increase at all if the legislature makes no changes in the budget. Cities and towns would collectively receive more than $100 million less in funding than they expected, and the mayors of Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport came to the Capitol this week to seek more funding and avoid cutbacks in their cities. Candidate plans to cut gas prices Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Schellinger made his second campaign trip to Richmond on Thursday to thank Laborers' International for their endorsement and explain his fuel cost relief plan. … His first visit was March 29, during which he spoke to about 50 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees at the Holiday Inn. TRENTON: Corzine to sign bill today guaranteeing paid leave for workers New Jersey is about to become the third state to allow workers to take paid leave from their jobs to care for a new child or sick relative. Gov. Jon S. Corzine is scheduled to sign a bill today letting New Jersey workers take up to six weeks off with pay. Labor raises $1.58 million / Money will fund ballot initiatives; right-to-work group raised $200,250 Labor unions have raised $1.58 million to push a pair of ballot initiatives that would hold executives criminally liable for company wrongdoings and require businesses to provide reasons for firing workers. The Service Employees International Union, the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters union and other labor groups provided nearly all of the money collected by Protect Colorado's Future, records filed Thursday with the secretary of state's office show. Women's wage gap to be seminar topic on Tuesday at UMass A program dealing with how to close the wage gap between women and men will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Woodland Commons at UMass Dartmouth. The Wage Gap: What It Means To You is sponsored by the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, the UMass Dartmouth Women's Resource Center, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. State employees group to meet State government workers in South Dakota want a greater say in the pay raises and benefits they get each year. Delegates of the State Employees Association plan to discuss their role in the process when they meet in Pierre today and tomorrow. Local government safety role to get a look / County, city officials also plan to explore ways to strengthen OSHA Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani and Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross, who heads the local building and construction trades council, said they are eager to know what role localities can play in overseeing construction safety, currently left to state government. Giunchigliani and Ross said they also want to explore steps the Nevada Legislature can take to strengthen the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the state agency that investigates workplace accidents. City computer contractor shuts down / Plan to help bridge the 'digital divide' fell short of expectations SimDesk Technologies, the company that provided online computer applications to Houston residents through a controversial contract with the city, has gone out of business. … At the behest of former Mayor Lee Brown, the city awarded SimDesk a $9.5 million contract in 2002 with the hopes that the service would help bridge the "digital divide."… The contract was controversial from the beginning, with accusations that J. Dennis Piper, the city's technology director at the time, had favored the company in the bidding process. … As part of the amended contract, the city stopped paying SimDesk in 2004, having paid only $2.5 million on the contract. SimDesk agreed to continue providing the service to 800,000 public users until 2010. But no more than 30,000 people ever used SimDesk through the city's contract, Lewis said. |
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