Pa. Liquor Privatization Opposition Tool Kit –  Help the UFCW Fight This Fight

Attention: Philadelphia Area Labor Community and Supporters:

Gov. Corbett’s proposal to privatize the Wine and Spirits stores will have serious negative social consequences for all communities in Pennsylvania and cause the loss of 5,000 decent, middle class, union jobs.

I am writing on behalf of UFCW Locals 1776 and 23 to ask that your union post information on your website to activate members and get them engaged in this battle with us.

We have created two versions of a Member Engagement Toolkit that you can use to educate and engage your members to oppose Gov. Corbett’s push to privatize Pennsylvania’s Wine and Spirits stores.

The online version of the PDF, which can be found here, can be downloaded and put on union websites and Facebook and/or Twitter pages. All of the links in the PDF are live. This PDF can also be attached to organizational and even personal email blasts.

If your space is limited, the “Take Action” button that you’ll find here can be “saved as a picture” on your computer. It can then be used on your website by adding a link to the image that will take you to the online version of the toolkit, which can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/UFCW-PA-toolkit.

The print version of the PDF, found here, can be downloaded and used in mailings or in printed newspapers sent out by your union. Because the links only work online, this version of the PDF has the URL printed on the bottom (which we have shortened, as shown above). This way, your members can type in the URL on their computers and have access to the online version and all of the links.

This toolkit was developed to make it easy for union members to get more information through active links to sources that are constantly refreshed. It will also make it easy for them to take action by contacting their PA State Representative or State Senator or Gov. Corbett to say they are opposed to the privatization of the PA Wine and Spirits stores.

You can help to stop Gov. Corbett’s move to privatize the PA Wine and Spirits stores by getting your members engaged and using this Toolkit.

Thank you for your support.
In Solidarity,

Bob Wolper
Strategic Communications Consultants Inc.
(cell) 215-896-2970

– While many articles will undoubtedly focus on last night’s State of the Union Address, it was the oddly predictable State of the Union response made by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla) that spoke the loudest about the state of Washington.

FACT: Sen. Marco Rubio’s State of the Union Response was 14 minutes 38 seconds long and began literally 13 minutes after the end of the President’s State of the Union Speech.

3 QUESTIONS:

Question #1  – Did Sen. Rubio get a copy of the president’s State of the union speech prior to the President making it?

Question #1a – If not, are we to believe that a carefully written 14:38 min response speech was objectively written in 13 minutes even with the availability of top speech writers?

Question #2 – If not, does this mean that Sen Rubio’s State of the Union response was written before the State of the Union?

Question 2a and 2b – If so, does this sound like an objective, bi-partisan manner in which to respond to a potentially historic state of the union speech or was it Washington Politics as usual demonstrating that no matter what the president had to say, Sen. Rubio already had his negative words prepared because that is just how gridlocked Washington has become?

Final Question – Although I do appreciate Sen. Rubio’s middle class roots and background, is he a legitimate example of new national GOP leadership that now represents the interests of the American middle class or is he just a smokescreen to make Americans believe that the national GOP leadership now represents the interests of the middle class?

My Response – Actions Speak louder than words and based on your actions and your predictable and likely premeditated words (not to mention the multiple water breaks), it’s non-partisan business as usual in Washington Sen. Rubio and your 14 minutes and 38 seconds are thankfully up!

– Sen. Paul Introduces (Anti-Union) National Right to Work Act – (If they Can Not Beat Unions, They Want to Get Rid Of Us)

– Feb 1, 2013 – In His Own Words From His Own Website at – – Go to: http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=692

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Rand Paul this week introduced the National Right to Work Act, S. 204, which seeks to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

“Every American worker deserves the right to freedom of association – and I am concerned that the 26 states that allow forced union membership and dues infringes on these workers’ rights,” Sen. Paul said. “Right to work laws ensure that all Americans are given the choice to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans support the principles and so I have introduced a national Right to Work Act that will require all states to give their workers the freedom to choose.”

Sen. Paul’s Right to Work Act does not add a single word to existing federal law, it simply deletes forced unionism provisions in federal law.

Due to six infringing and freedom-crushing provisions in the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act (RLA), there are currently 8 million working Americans who are required by law to pay union dues. These workers are not required to join a workers union but they are required to pay the dues; and if workers refuse to pay these union fees, they risk losing their jobs to Big Labor.

Below is text of Sen. Paul’s legislation:

S.204

A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ”National Right-to-Work Act”.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT.

(a) RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES.-Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 157) is amended by striking ”except to” and all that follows through ”authorized in section 8(a)(3)”.

(b) UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES.-Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 158) is amended-

(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ”: Provided, That” and all that follows through ”retaining membership”;

(2) in subsection (b)-

(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ”or to discriminate” and all that follows through ”retaining membership”; and

(B) in paragraph (5), by striking ”covered by an agreement authorized under subsection (a)(3) of this section”; and

(3) in subsection (f), by striking clause (2) and redesignating clauses (3) and (4) as clauses (2) and (3), respectively.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT.

Section 2 of the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 152) is amended by striking paragraph Eleven.

Mayor Nutter has filed a lawsuit in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court seeking a ruling allowing him to impose the City’s last contract proposal on AFSCME District Council 33.

In response AFSCME District Councils 33 President Pete Matthews and District Council 33’s Counsel Samuel Spear will hold a press conference to respond to Mayor Nutter’s lawsuit today

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

At 5:00 pm

at AFSCME District Council 33

3001 Walnut Street, 5th floor.

All media are invited to attend.

Dateline: Philadelphia, PA
Wednesday, February 6, 2013, 8:30 am

Contact: Kevin Hanes, 412-330-9930
Bob Wolper, 215-896-2970

Sources: AFSCME District Council 33

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Representatives from most every union where in attendance at this Years Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO Leadership Conference in Atlantic City, NJ participating in discussions and seminars with topics ranging from organizing and politics to public schools and public services to How Labor, Community and Non-partisanship saved the refineries.

Phillylabor was proud to be a part of such an outstanding conference!