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Union Leader: Nutter Drove City Workers Into Poverty

A Story From the Philadelphia Public Record (http://www.phillyrecord.com/2013/05/union-leader-nutter-drove-city-workers-into-poverty/)

BY PETE MATTHEWS, President, AFSCME District Council 33/ Mayor Michael Nutter’s stubborn and vindictive refusal to settle fair contracts with AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47 is driving city workers ever deeper into poverty and negatively impacting the City’s ability to deliver vital services.

Many Philadelphia neighborhoods are facing cuts in City services due to the policy decisions of Mayor Nutter. It is not the members of AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47 who decide to brown out firehouses, close libraries and recreation centers and diminish the quality of service delivery due to chronic understaffing.

These are the policies of an Administration whose guiding principle is making due with less while cutting the tax burden of the richest 1%. That policy direction results in a demoralized, overworked and underpaid workforce unable to deliver services ordinary taxpayers expect. We now have proof to support that assertion.

A recent study written by Michael Bognanno, PhD, an associate professor of economics at Temple University, entitled “Poverty Thresholds and Rates of Poverty Within AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47”, contains valuable information that the citizens of Philadelphia need to know.

This study shows almost 42% of the employees represented by both District Councils 33 and 47 earn less than the US Dept. of Health & Human Services Poverty Guideline of $35,310.00 for a sole wage-earner in a family of four in Philadelphia.

Even more alarming, the study shows fully 58% of District Council 33 members are working below the poverty line.

In 2007, the last time members of District Councils 33 and 47 received a raise, the portion of DC 33 and 47 members beneath the poverty guideline at that time was 21%, so that the number of members of both Councils living in poverty has doubled over the last six years.

Under the scale used by the US Census Bureau, a more accurate barometer of the proportion of our population living in poverty, the portion of District Council 33 and 47 members living in poverty is 54.2% for those who have no mortgage and are the sole wage earner in a four-person household. This figure rises to 75.8% for renters and 76.7% for homeowners with a mortgage.

The Women, Infants & Children program insures proper nutrition for poor mothers and their children, and 69% of city employees represented by District Councils 33 and 47 earn less than the Pennsylvania WIC cutoff of $42,643.

These figures dramatically show the horrible effects the Mayor’s imposed contract would have on a large proportion of our members who are increasingly becoming poverty-stricken.

They prove that up to three-quarters of our members now live beneath the accepted definitions of the “poverty level” in Philadelphia – and Mayor Nutter has accelerated that trend.

If the Pennsylvania Supreme Court allows the Mayor to impose his version of a contract, this will force all of our members to contribute much more of their falling income than they already do to obtain decent health-care insurance coverage, to be subject to an increased contribution rate for an inferior pensions, to earn salary increases that amount to about less than two-thirds of one percent per year (far below the rate of inflation) over the life of the proposed contract and, to top it off, to lose at least an additional 6% salary reduction when they are furloughed.

Mayor Nutter is again trying to balance the City’s budget on the backs of our members, who are falling farther and farther behind the cost of living even as more are becoming poverty-stricken.
To force this on a workforce that is predominantly poverty-stricken is inhumane. It is a badge of shame that a significant portion of city workers are forced to work under these conditions while withstanding the rigors of poverty that increasingly claim them and their families as victims.

To continue to deny these hardworking members of our city community a fair and reasonable contract is an embarrassment that can only result in the continued deterioration of city services.

Unions and community groups to protest today and tomorrow at National Conference of Mayors meeting hosted by Mayor Nutter

– 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

Today is Election Day, Vote like Your Union Livelihood Depends On It, Because It Does

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

Reminder: This Tue, May 21, 2013 is Election Day. Make Your Voice Heard and Your Vote Count!

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).

Grinding To A Halt: Take Action! To Let The NLRB Do Its Job

– 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