– PA. AFL-CIO –
This administration in Harrisburg is pulling out all the stops right now. They are hoping that by attacking workers on several fronts that they can divide and conquer. They are cynically attempting to link unrelated pieces of legislation so as to create new rifts within the Labor Movement – by doing things like tying transportation funding to privatization of the Wine & Spirits Stores. Now more than ever we need to stand together as a united Labor Movement, and face all of these attacks head on.
Now is the time for all of us to get involved, as many of you have been for a long time. Please Take Action! on the legislative battles highlighted below – and then forward this email to your co-workers, family members, friends, and neighbors. Invite them to become active like you, and take a stand in defending working families in Pennsylvania!
Take Action: House Passes Reckless State Budget On Party Line Vote
On Wednesday, June 13, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a budget plan that fails to provide solutions that work for the challenges facing our state. The vote (108-92) was split down party lines, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed.
This budget lacks sufficient funding for our schools, which will force districts to cut more staff and programs, and to raise property taxes. This budget fails to take advantage of Federal funding for Medicaid expansion, which would inject $3 billion in economic activity into our State and support 35,000 good new jobs. This budget includes more giveaways for business on top of the hundreds of millions in cuts that the Governor has already delivered, and it does so on the backs of working Pennsylvanians. E-mail your legislators and tell them that Pennsylvania deserves better! READ MORE: Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=2070
Take Action: Senate To Vote On Wine & Spirits Privatization
Republicans in the Senate are currently working on a privatization bill that will probably be considered sometime within the next week. Governor Corbett is pressing the Senate to send him a liquor privatization bill as part of his administration’s right wing agenda. Liquor privatization would result in a loss of thousands of jobs and a large cut in revenue for the state. READ MORE AND E-MAIL YOUR LEGISLATORS, Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=2065
Take Action: Tell Your Legislators ‘No’ To 401(k)-Type Plans
On June 11th, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi was on PCN TV, and he revealed the next step in advancing the Governor’s destructive pension ‘reform’ package.
According to Senator Pileggi, next week the Senate Finance Committee will be moving a bill from committee that would end pensions for newly hired public employees. This bill would be a DISASTER for Pennsylvania workers, and for Pennsylvania taxpayers.
On that same day, an actuarial study of a proposed switch to 401(k)-type plans for new hires was released by Buck Consultants, who were commissioned by PSERS to study the question.
The bottom line is that this plan will:
Add $7.2 Billion in additional benefit costs for new hires to be on a 401(k)-type plan
Add $30.7 Billion in additional costs to the current pension system by closing it off to new hires
Those extra costs are in addition to the obvious consequences of such a reckless scheme: jeopardizing the retirement security of future workers and destabilizing the pension fund that current employees and retirees rely upon. READ MORE: Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=2077
Union Building Trades Apprentices Hold Lobby Day At State Capitol
Hundreds of PA Building and Construction Trades union apprentices, coordinators and instructors representing twenty different building trades crafts from every area of Pennsylvania filled the State Capitol Rotunda in an impressive display of the strength and the value of union-run apprenticeship programs to Pennsylvania’s building and construction industry.
During a press conference held by the President of the PA Building and Construction Trades Council, Frank Sirianni noted that over 130,000 union building and construction trades members comprise over 33 percent of the industry workforce and that over 8,100 active union building trades apprentices are being educated for tomorrow’s work force in Pennsylvania. That is over 80 percent of all apprentices in the construction industry in Pennsylvania.
READ MORE: Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=2053
Protect Our retirement Security: Pension Event Monday In Harrisburg
Join your union brothers and sisters for an important discussion about 401Ks and how we can prevent Governor Corbett from destroying our retirement security.
Frontline recently aired a documentary, The Retirement Gamble, that provides compelling information about why 401Ks are not an effective retirement plan. Governor Corbett is pushing legislation that would move school and state employees from defined benefit pensions to a 401K-type program. The documentary will be followed by a brief panel of experts to answer questions and help navigate through this important subject.
READ MORE: Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/?ai1ec_event=protect-our-retirement-security&instance_id=4802
SAVE THE DATES: Community Services Institute. July 17-20, 2013. Crowne Plaza-Pittsburgh South, Pittsburgh, PA. COPE Institute. August 23-25, 2013. Linden Hall, Dawson, PA. And let’s start dreaming about golf. COPE Golf, that is. Join us at our Annual COPE Golf Outing. September 19, 2013 at Club Madison, Yukon, PA.
Go To: http://www.paaflcio.org/
