Publications

April 15, 2004

Power in numbers

Nearly 100 service and maintenance workers at Clarkson University, a private institution in Potsdam, N.Y., selected CSEA/Local 1000 to represent them in collective bargaining. The tally was 53 to 44.

Check this out

Seven employees of the Jefferson County (Wis.) library voted 6 to 1 to join Council 40. They unite with eight city hall workers and EMTs who opted for AFSCME in January.

Oklahoma two-step

This right-to-work state has approved collective bargaining for 12 municipalities with more than 35,000 people. The bill, signed Tuesday by Governor Henry (D), becomes effective on Nov. 1 and applies to Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Edmond, Broken Arrow, Lawton, Norman, Midwest City, Stillwater, Enid, Muskogee, Moore and Bartlesville. Some cities' officials are expected to challenge the measure.

In addition, the House of Representatives has approved a bill that would give pay raises — amounting to $2,100 over the next two fiscal years — to more than 35,000 state employees. The Senate takes up the measure next.

Minnesota times two

A two-year contract has been approved for 89 clericals, bookkeepers and data processors employed by the Robbinsdale School District in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis. The workers, members of Local 499 (Council 14) will receive a wage increase of .75 of 1 percent, retroactive to July 1, 2003, and a 1.25 percent raise starting this July. There was no change in health insurance contributions. In the City of Lauderdale, 87 city employees — members of Local 2725 (Council 14) — reached a tentative, three-year agreement that includes for 2004 a 2.5-percent wage increase and a 2-percent merit raise; then wage increases will be 2 percent while merit raises will equal the Consumer Price Index.

Victory in DE

Delaware has passed legislation giving nearly all state employees a one-time bonus: $1,000 for those earning less than $20,000 annually and $600 for those earning $25,000 or more. Part-time workers will receive $400. The deal, worth $25.5 million, applies only to workers on the payroll as of Dec. 16, the day Governor Minner (D) lifted the hiring freeze she had imposed during the state's 2002 fiscal crisis. Minner said the money should reach workers by May.

... But not in FL

The Republican-controlled House has stuck it to the state workers: requiring all agencies to cut salaries by an average of 10 percent over the next year. The measure is so tough that even Gov. Jeb Bush, the anti-public-employee governor, is said to oppose it. Nevertheless, Bush could not change the bill except by vetoing it.

Pay raise in trouble

Hawaii Governor Lingle (R) wants state lawmakers to reject an arbitration panel's decision to award raises to 23,000 members of HGEA/AFSCME Local 152. The governor claims the state can't afford it, but leaders of the Democratic-controlled Legislature who met with Lingle indicated that they'll refuse her request. The HGEA contends the governor is violating collective bargaining law by even suggesting that lawmakers reject an agreement reached by binding arbitration. The award provides a 5-percent, across-the-board increase starting next Jan. 1 and includes "step" advances that could boost the total increase to 9 percent.

No justice at Justice

After utilizing 31 longtime workers as temporary secretaries, the U.S. Department of Justice has arbitrarily decided to replace them with lower-paid and less-experienced employees. All 31 — members of Local 3719 (Council 26) — work for DOJ's Anti-Trust Division; some were hired with the clear understanding that their jobs were permanent. In the past three months, they have signed petitions, met with their supervisors and sent out more than 300 e-mails to DOJ management. The secretaries and their supporters, including AFSCME members in Washingt, D.C., also plan to stage a demonstration on April 20.

Say no to privatizing

Iowa Council 61 is fighting a proposal that could privatize the jobs of 31 laundry service workers -- members of Local 12 (Council 61) -- who are employed at the University of Iowa/Oakdale. The university, which spends $3.2 million annually on laundry, will decide whether to outsource the work. But the workers' union plans to present the Board of Regents with a petition containing at least 1,000 signatures against the scheme. Although a university official said the employees would be reassigned to similar work, union representatives are not buying. They say there is no guarantee the workers would be able to keep their jobs.

Outsourcing begins at home

It wasn't long ago that President George W. Bush's chief economist, Gregory Mankiw, was forced to apologize for endorsing the long-term benefits of outsourcing at a time when the U.S. economy is shedding jobs. Now comes a new report that another Bush team player, Treasury Secretary John Snow, added fuel to the fire, telling reporters: "You can outsource a lot of activities and get them done just as well at a lower cost." Maybe we should start with Snow's job.


 

 

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