By Jack Tomczuk, Philadelphia Inquirer

– Thousands of union janitors marched through Center City Wednesday, hoping to preserve their benefits and earn what they call fair wages.

The rally on Chestnut Street included brief speeches by mayoral candidate Jim Kenney, City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr., and City Council President Darrell L. Clarke.

Members of SEIU 32BJ gathered outside a high-rise apartment building at 2116 Chestnut about 11:45 a.m. After exciting the crowd with chants and encouraging words, union leaders led a march to John F. Kennedy Plaza. The demonstrators shut down Market Street.

The union said in a news release that Greystar, the company that manages the building, was “illegally displacing union workers.” The Inquirer reported in August that Greystar let go of 13 union janitors in favor of nonunion workers.

“One company decides to change the paradigm,” Kenney said after speaking to the crowd. “I don’t think that’s fair.”

Greystar could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

In Philadelphia, SEIU 32BJ membership numbers 2,800, with 1,400 more in the suburbs and 800 in Delaware. The union’s contract with Business Operators Labor Relations (BOLR) of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Philadelphia expires Oct. 15.

Bob Martin, president of BOLR, which represents managers, owners, and contractors who handle building maintenance – mostly in Center City – said he is looking to keep costs at the same levels.

“We are looking for containment in health and welfare costs, containment in pension costs and maintain fill-in worker flexibility,” Martin said.

Negotiations have begun, but “it’s early,” said William Hall, a shop steward involved in the process. The sides are to meet for a third session Thursday. Martin said the parties typically are able to reach an agreement before the contract expires.

Hall, who works as a janitor at Three Logan Square and has been a member of 32BJ for 20 years, said his job has helped his two sons.

“Without a union job, I would not be able to send them to college,” he said.

For others, the negotiations are more dire.

“I’m fighting for my job,” Robert Tucker said. “I’m fighting for my health care.”

Tucker, who has been in the union for 12 years, is a janitor in Center City. And he’s not that fond of the building owners and managers.

“They’re trying to get rid of the middle class,” he said. “We want a fair share of the American dream, because we deserve it.”

At JFK Plaza, Juanita Acree, a member of the union for 29 years, warned property owners not to cut the janitors’ wages, health care benefits or pension plans.

“I want them to know there’s an army rising,” she said.

Source – http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20151001_Janitors_march_through_Center_City_for_their_jobs__benefits.html

By The Associated Press

– Auditor general says school districts have borrowed $346 million so far during stalemate

– Pennsylvania is still without a plan to pay for government operations after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a Republican-crafted short-term spending measure.

Wolf vetoed the three-bill package Tuesday, saying it would sell out the people of Pennsylvania to oil and gas companies and special interests, increase the state government’s deficit and harm its credit rating.

Wolf wants a multibillion-dollar tax increase to close a long-term budget deficit and boost aid to schools and human services.

On June 30, the governor vetoed a $30.2 billion budget package passed June 30 by Republicans who control both chambers of the Legislature. No Democratic lawmakers voted for the GOP’s budget bill or short-term spending measure.

Meanwhile, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says public school borrowing is in the hundreds of millions as officials search for ways to stay open through a three-month-old state government budget stalemate.

DePasquale said Tuesday that his office found that 17 school districts and two intermediate units have borrowed a total of about $346 million to make up for the stoppage in state payments. He says interest and fees on the loans could reach $11.2 million.

DePasquale’s office surveyed officials at nearly 300 of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts to reach those figures. DePasquale also notes that many districts are losing investment income because they are spending down their reserves. The biggest borrower is the Philadelphia School District at $275 million. The others each borrowed $10 million or less.

DePasquale says public school borrowing will surpass $500 million by Nov. 1 and $1 billion by Dec. 1, if the stalemate continues that long.

Source – http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/gov-tom-wolf-vetoes-republican-stopgap-budget/article_c5899222-66cc-11e5-8a1b-9753242e31ce.html

By Associated Press

– The deadline for registering to vote in Pennsylvania’s Nov. 3 election is one week away.

Secretary of State Pedro Cortes reminded residents Monday that they can register online for the first time. But those who do not have a PennDOT driver’s license or PennDOT identification card should apply before the Oct. 5 deadline if they use the new electronic system, Cortes said.

In addition to thousands of local school board, municipal and judicial races, voters will fill three open seats on the seven-member Pennsylvania Supreme Court. There also are two other state appellate court openings — one each in the Superior and Commonwealth courts.

Pennsylvanians also can still register by mail or in-person at many state and county offices.

Source – http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/86657-pennsylvanians-have-week-to-register-to-vote

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

– Gov. Tom Wolf and legislative leaders are meeting again on the Pennsylvania budget impasse, but the participants report no breakthroughs.

Leaders from both parties were tight-lipped Monday as they filed out of Wolf’s office after a one-hour meeting but said they’d meet again in late afternoon.

The Democratic governor wants a multibillion-dollar tax increase that would provide a significant funding increase for public schools and eliminate a budget deficit. Republicans want to privatize the sale of wine and liquor and revamp the state’s public pensions to reduce future costs.

Wolf is expected to veto a stopgap budget approved earlier this month by Republican majorities in the House and Senate. The $11 billion proposal would cover costs incurred between July and September by school districts and county-run social services.

Source – http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/86662-pa-legislative-leaders-meet-with-wolf-on-stalled-state-budget

By The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO

– The election on November 3rd presents an amazing opportunity for working people in our city and our commonwealth. In Philadelphia, we have a chance to elect Jim Kenney as mayor, and to elevate an entire slate of tremendous, pro-worker candidates to City Council and a number of other citywide offices. At the state level, the makeup of our Supreme Court is at stake. Will the Pennsylvania Supreme Court understand the needs of Pennsylvania’s working people? Will the Justices be of the highest quality?

The outcome of the election will come down to voter turnout. When enough voters, especially union voters, turn out in Philadelphia, working people win. And it’s our job to give voters the information and motivation they need to make sure that they vote on November 3rd.

Here’s the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO’s Labor 2015 fall door-to-door canvass schedule. Saturday canvasses will start at 9:30 AM. Sunday canvasses will start at 1:00 PM. Our confirmed location is Sprinkler Fitters Local 692, 14002 McNulty Rd, Philadelphia. We will add more locations as we recruit more volunteers to join us at the doors.

Contact Philadelphia AFL-CIO Campaign Manager Danny Bauder at 215-665-9800 or dbauder(at)philaflcio.org to volunteer or to find out more about the program.

Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO fall 2015 canvass schedule

Saturday 10/3/2015
Saturday 10/10/2015
Monday 10/12/2015 (Columbus Day)
Saturday 10/17/2015
Sunday 10/18/2015

GOTV begins Saturday 10/24/2015
Sunday 10/25/2015
Saturday 10/31/2015
Sunday 11/1/2015
ELECTION DAY 11/3/2015

Saturday canvasses begin at 9:30am
Sunday canvasses begin at 1:00pm

Source – http://www.pa.aflcio.org/philaflcio/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=306797CE-7C18-47CA-9A15-4C6E20BBCCBF