National news and Bargaining updates

On the national front we really have a secretary of labor, not a secretary for CEOs.

In a public appearance sponsored by the AFL-CIO, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis vowed to fully enforce the laws that protect workers–unlike her predecessor who declared war on working people for eight years. Solis, who was one of the first supporters in Congress for the Employee Free Choice Act also said she would work to pass and then enforce the legislation if it becomes law. Both of Solis’ parents were Union members.

Saying “there’s a new sheriff in town,” Solis told 700 union and community activists that one of the Obama administration’s top priorities is to provide protection for workers in the workplace. Solis added that she would work with employers to help workers get family-supporting jobs.

American workers know how to work and they know how to work hard and smart. If your employee is taking care of your company you should be taking care of your employees. While productivity by the American worker has continued to rise wages have not kept up with profits or productivity.

Introducing the new labor secretary, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney praised Solis as the “only labor secretary in recent memory from a working family, union background.”

Bargaining for the Executive Branch Continues.

During bargaining we got the news that the legislature was holding hearings on State Employee health care. It is not looking like there is going to be any good answers. They don't want to cut health care, they want to hurt State Employees and take the credit. No one at the negotiations table can bargain health care the legislature has it all. If you have any feelings on the subject call the Union and tell them what you want, what you think would work, but do it quick.

The State team had to cancel today, March 4 due to being dragged into the legislature for hearing. We have a lot of dates set up and we have looked at hundreds of proposal forms sent in by members. I have spent hours on the phone calling members and asking about their ideas to get every thing straight. Many of the team members for all units have done the same, hours at the table, more hours on the phone and email at home, your teams will do the best they can.There are more meetings scheduled in March and then the pace gets hectic with April being nearly one long round of bargaining.

04/07, 04/08, 04/14, 04/15, 04/27, 04/28, 04/29, 04/30, 05/01

We are scheduled to have nearly two days every week and a solid week at the end of April. Whether we are supposed to think the State wants to wrap it up or wear us down doesn't matter. We are there for as long as it takes. At some point in April solid proposals will start to go back and forth. The bargaining rules the teams agreed on don't let us list the proposals until we reach a tentative agreement but remember, you have the final vote. We will try to get you something worth voting on.

What do you want? What are the most important things you need to make your job better? Money, security, training, tools, or just a little respect. If you know a team member, email or give them a call of support. We all volunteered but it is not an easy job knowing how much anything we do, or don't do could affect ten thousand employees. At the same time some of the injustices we have seen against a single employee have left me grateful I am not doing those jobs.

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