– For Immediate Release:

AFSCME Secretary Treasurer Laura Reyes, District Council 33 President Pete Matthews, District Council 47 President Cathy Scott, along with leaders of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades as well as religious and community supporters will kick off two days of protests at the National Conference of Mayors Innovation Summit being hosted by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in Philadelphia today, Wednesday May 22, 2013.

The purpose of the rallies will be to call attention to the failure of Mayor Nutter to settle contracts with City worker unions for the last five years.

Both rallies will be held at the Westin Philadelphia, 99 South 17th Street.

Wednesday’s rally will start at 2:00 pm. Thursday’s rally will start at 8:00 am and be followed by a march to City Council.

Tentative list of speakers:

Pat Eiding – President, Philadelphia AFL CIO

Liz McElroy, Sect-Treas, – Philadelphia AFL-CIO

Jerry Mondesire – NAACP

Pat Gillespie – Philadelphia Building Trades

Jerry Jordan – PFT Local 3

Cathy Scott – DC 47

Henry Nicolas – DC 1199C

Pete Matthews – DC 33

Laura Reyes – AFSCME International Sect-Treas

For Additional Information:

Contact: Bob Wolper, 215-896-2970

Kevin Hanes, 412-330-9930

Source: AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47

Yes, today, Tuesday, 5/21/13 is election day in Pa and specifically the Municipal Primary. Today’s Philadelphia based races include the election for Judges of the Municipal and Common Pleas Courts, DA, Traffic Court and City Controller.

As is historically the case, many predict a low turnout because today’s election does not feature races for higher political offices such as Mayor, Governor etc. What better time for the labor movement in the region to get our vote out and let our voice be heard while others are taking a break.

It is important for organized labor to gain political ground on every election day. Thus when you are on your way to or from work today, don’t forget to stop by your polling place to support the candidates that your union is supporting AND VOTE LIKE YOUR UNION LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON IT, BECAUSE IT DOES!

To Find Your Polling Place And get Addition Voting Information, Go To:

www.seventy.org

A message to union members and families throughout the Philadelphia region and everywhere:

In order to maintain the union standards and wages that we have fought so hard to obtain over many generations, it is vital that each and every union member along with your family members and supporters, go out on election day and vote for the candidates that support union standards.

Make no mistake about it, THE most effective way to ensure the future of the union movement and our livelihoods is to exercise one of the most important rights we enjoy as Americans, our right to vote. It is our duty as card carrying union members to make our votes count and our voices heard!

To find your polling place call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

– By The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

Anti-worker politicians in Washington and their corporate donors are striking at the rights of workers. Again.

They’re threatening to shut down the National Labor Relations Board, the independent agency that protects workers’ rights, by holding up President Barack Obama’s nominations to the Board.

If the NLRB nominees aren’t confirmed, thousands of workers—who are waiting for the Board’s decisions in key workplace cases—won’t get their cases decided.

To tell your senators to confirm President Obama’s NLRB nominations to make sure workers’ rights are protected:

Go To – http://go.aflcio.org/stop-the-power-grab

Extremist lawmakers have held multiple hearings attacking the NLRB for doing its job. In 2011 alone, they introduced 25 bills and amendments to defund the board, weaken workers’ rights to free and fair union elections, and undermine the board’s enforcement authority.

This attempt to score cheap political points with deep-pocketed special interests has real consequences for all of us. Working families have suffered enough, and this will kill one of the few protections they have left.

The NLRB has been critical in standing up for the rights of all working families. CEOs have too much power as it is. Let’s not let them grab any more.

Your senators need to hear from you. Tell them to confirm President Obama’s NLRB nominations and stop the corporate power grab.

To Read More, go to: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=1840

– By Victor Fiorillo 5/16/2013 –

It’s been a long, hard road for the Pestronk brothers’ (aka Post Brothers) development of the Goldtex site at 12th and Vine streets. There have been shoving matches, picket lines formed, slashed tires, and a host of other disturbances thanks to a labor dispute over the $38 million project.

But according to this invite that I just received, the Post brothers are ready to show off their latest apartment building. The accompanying email promises “Veuve Clicquot, catering from Ruth’s Chris Steak House, pearls, and plenty of other delightful surprises.”

And, perhaps, the Rat-Mobile?

Updated [12:40 p.m., 5/16/13]:

Pat Gillespie, business manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents over 50,000 construction workers, sent the following comment via email:

The Pestronk brothers enjoy self-promotion at the expense of the truth. That clap-trap apartment building is nowhere near ready for occupancy, that’s why they’ve only been showing the model apartment under the cover of darkness, so potential renters won’t see the true, unfinished condition of the building. They’re nine months to a year from completion. This sham “Preview Party” is a desperate attempt to lure suckers into putting deposits down because the company is having major cash flow problems. The Pestronks aren’t what they appear to be and neither are these chintzy, half-finished apartments.

Mike Pestronk, CEO of Post Brothers Apartments, responds to Gillespie as follows: “Pat Gillespie has long since proven to be completely un-credible. No further response needed.”

Updated [12:50 p.m., 5/16/13]:

And now, Gillespie responds to Pestronk’s response to Gillespie: “My word is credible, unlike the Pestronks, who have repeatedly gone back on their word. And, for the record, ‘un-credible’ isn’t a word. No wonder these two dopes are losing their shirts. They don’t know the language and they don’t know how to build.”

Updated [10:00 p.m., 5/16/13]:

According to union spokesman Frank Keel, tonight’s VIP party did not go as planned. Here is an email he sent this evening:

PHILADELPHIA DEPARTMENT OF LICENSES & INSPECTIONS SHUTS DOWN POST BROS. PLANNED ROOFTOP “VIP PARTY” AT ITS GOLDTEX APARTMENT COMPLEX AT 12TH & VINE; POST BROS. CITED FOR HAVING NO CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, NO FIRE ALARM, OTHER VIOLATIONS

PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Post Brothers LLC, the controversial, out-of-town development firm that has been at odds with the member unions of the Philadelphia Building Trades for nearly two years, had attempted to host a “VIP Party” tonight on the rooftop of its still-under-construction Goldtex Apartments site at 12th & Vine, the epicenter of union protests over Post Brother’s anti-union position and tactics. Then the Philadelphia Department of Licenses (L & I) showed up and shut it down.

L & I cited Post Brothers for havinf no Certificate of occupancy (required to allow persons into the building), having no fire alarm in place, and other violations. Far from being “ready to rent,” the Goldtex apartments are months away from completion. The Pestronk Brothers and their guests were forced to move the scaled-down party to the ground fllor courtyard. It continues tonight until 11 pm.

“The Pestronk brothers enjoy self-promotion at the expense of the truth,” said Building Trades Business Manager Pat Gillespie. “That clap-trap apartment building is nowhere near ready for occupancy, that’s why they’ve only been showing the model apartment under the cover of darkness, so potential renters won’t see the true, unfinished condition of the building. They’re nine months to a year from completion. Tonight’s sham ‘VIP Preview Party’ is a desperate attempt to lure suckers into putting deposits down because the company is having major cash flow problems. The Pestronks aren’t what they appear to be and neither are these chintzy, half-finished apartments.”

L & I officials and police officers remain on-site to ensure that the Pestronk brothers do not attempt to enter the building again.

Go to: http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2013/05/16/post-brothers-building-12th-vine-pearl-bikini-models/