By James P. O’Toole

– Pittsburgh’s Labor Day Parade is a traditional display of union solidarity, but this year the politics of the governor’s race has opened some fissures among union leaders.

While Tom Wolf, the Democratic nominee, has attracted the lion’s share of labor support, the Republican incumbent has drawn endorsements from several union locals, particularly in the building trades and construction locals. Two of them, Boilermakers Local 154, and the Laborers District Council of Western Pennsylvania, showed their support by inviting Mr. Corbett to march in the annual Downtown parade. But when officials of the parade’s sponsor, the Allegheny County Labor Council, learned of the invitation, they put a roadblock in front of those plans.

“I told them he wasn’t invited,’’ said Jack Shea, the veteran Labor Council president. “You can’t be trying to do away with us for 364 days a year and then want to march with us.’’

Phil Ameris, president and business manager of the Laborers, said, “We did invite the governor, like we invite a lot of our political friends … we wanted him to march with us but we were told by Jack [Shea] that he wasn’t welcome.’’

Rather than force a confrontation on the issue, Mr. Ameris said his union and other Corbett supporters were planning to invite Mr. Corbett to some alternate show of support separate from the parade, on or close to the Labor Day celebration.

”We didn’t want to have labor against labor,’’ Mr. Ameris said.  “I know some of the unions are upset with the governor’s policies, but I was a little shocked that they wouldn’t have a sitting governor in the parade … Jack and I stand on the same team on a lot of issues, but not on this one.’’

Mr. Ameris noted that his union had not supported Mr. Corbett in his 2010 victory over former Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato.  But he said they had warmed to his administration over its approach to issues including a transportation bill that’s expected to expand building trades employment and support for the natural gas fracking industry.

”We’re 150 percent behind the governor,’’ he said.

Mr. Shea emphasized that the parade’s rebuff was not a reflexive Democratic versus Republican decision, noting that plenty of Republicans, such as U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, regularly march with participating unions on the annual trek through Downtown. Mr. Corbett, himself is among the many Republican who have marched in the parade in the past.   But Mr. Shea argued that as governor, Mr. Corbett had embraced anti-labor positions on a variety of issues.

Unions have been among the most vociferous critics of the administration’s education funding record.  Along with legislators of both parties, they have also resisted Mr. Corbett’s proposal to privatize the state’s liquor sales.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2014/08/22/Governor-told-to-stay-away-from-Pittsburgh-s-Labor-Day-Parade/stories/201408220076#ixzz3B81OuJkE

– Late last night a tentative agreement was reached with the City and DC 33 that included wage increases, a signing bonus and restoration of step and longevity. The City’s furlough days demand was removed and the City will withdraw its lawsuit seeking to impose contract terms. The agreement is subject to a ratification vote.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AFSCME-DISTRICT-COUNCIL-33/117526964951229

– President Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Snyder, on behalf of over 800,000 union workers in Pennsylvania, extend their congratulations to the workers at RailServe Inc. in Eddystone, Pennsylvania who organized their union this week with the United Steelworkers, Local 10-1.

Secretary-Treasurer Snyder, a former union organizer for the USW, fired up the crowd at a pre-election meeting in the union hall. He said, “Collective bargaining is how we create good jobs, improve our lives and create a brighter future for our children and all workers.”  Jim Savage, President, of USW Local 10-1 described the victory as “history making” and a good first step for the Local’s anticipated organizing efforts in the near future. President Bloomingdale thanked the workers on their successful campaign and in joining thousands of other workers across Pennsylvania who are organizing unions as their pathway to the middle class.

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Rally Vehicle provided staging and visual support outside the plant gate. President Savage, who is also a Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Vice President, also recognized the important work and dedication of the leader inside the facility for his work in heading up the effort.  He also expresses his thanks to the State Fed for all of their support. A good way to start off the Labor Day celebration.

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=4444

By Matthew Walberg

– For the third consecutive year, the private firm hired run the Illinois Lottery has failed to bring in the profits it promised to raise for the state, even as its parent companies continue to be paid more each year to provide games and services.

According to a Tribune review of preliminary year-end data, Northstar Lottery Group posted a net profit of $738 million – nearly a quarter billion less than it pledged to bring in for the 2014 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

The figure is less than the company raised for the state in the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years after it became the first private company in the nation to take over day-to-day operations of a state lottery.

After three years, Northstar is about $480 million behind what it committed to bring into the state’s coffers, prompting one of the company’s harshest critics to renew questions about why Gov. Pat Quinn has not fired the company.

“This is an epic fail by the governor,” said State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo. “He personally signed this contract, so this is all his baby…If he needs to clean house, that’s what he should do. That’s what other executives do in the real world.”

In 2010, Gov. Pat Quinn chose Northstar Lottery Group to manage the lottery in hopes that the firm would boost flagging lottery revenues, a major source of funding for education and infrastructure.

The company was formed by a consortium of two lottery industry giants: Scientific Games, headquartered in New York, and GTECH, a subsidiary of the Italy-based Lottomatica.

Quinn has said little about the performance of the private manager, even as one of the key architects of legislation that enabled the state to hire an outside firm to run the games has expressed his disappointment with Northstar.

In June, State Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, told the Tribune he was “extremely disappointed” by Northstar’s performance and urged Quinn “to hold the firm accountable and take whatever steps are necessary.”

On Monday, Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said the senator declined comment on the firm’s latest shortfall.

“He’s going let his previous statement and the numbers speak for themselves at this point,” Patterson said.

A spokeswoman for Quinn said that his administration expects Northstar to meet the revenue targets outlined in its winning bid.

“Protecting taxpayers is our foremost priority and our office continues to closely monitor the situation,” spokeswoman Katie Hickey said earlier this week. “Through the duration of the contract, we have expected Northstar to follow the private management agreement and meet the targets in its bid.”

Northstar spokeswoman Avis LaVelle said the company would not have any response until the 2014 results have been audited, something that has yet to be completed for the two prior years.

The company previously defended its performance, noting that it has brought in more money as private manager than the state was able to when it handled day-to-day operations. Company officials have also pointed out that the firm has paid the state $60 million in penalties for missing its previous revenue targets.

Meanwhile, records show Northstar paid GTECH and Scientific Games nearly $85 million collectively last year, up from about $84 million and $70 million in the previous two years.

“I met with the governor and his staff on this back in May,” Franks said. “They said, ‘We’re looking at it.’ It’s now August.”

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-firm-hired-to-run-illinois-lottery-has-failed-to-hit-profit-goals-for-3rd-straight-year-20140812-story.html

Brief PhillyLabor Editorial: Take Notice Governor Corbett. Privatization is not the answer!

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press

– Hours before hundreds of workers were to hold a prayer rally as three casinos are set to close, New Jersey officials issued a final closure order for another one.

The state Gaming Enforcement Division gave final approval to Revel’s shutdown on Sept. 1 and 2, signing the order on Tuesday night and releasing it on Wednesday.

Employees of Revel, the Showboat and Trump Plaza will attend a prayer service at a church near the casinos on Wednesday.

Showboat and Revel are due to close over Labor Day weekend, with Trump Plaza shutting down on Sept. 16.

The shutdowns are part of a rapid unraveling of Atlantic City’s gambling market, which began the year with 12 casinos, but will have eight before summer ends.

The Atlantic Club closed in January.

Source: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/71807-revel-shutdown-okd-as-prayer-service-nears-?linktype=hp_topstory