By Phil Gregory

– Hundreds of public employee union members rallied outside the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton to protest Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to cut the state’s contribution to the pension system.

The language in a law enacted in 2011 requires the payments to be made, said Hetty Rosenstein, New Jersey director of the Communications Workers of America.

“No responsible leader actually recommends reneging on a debt as if he is stiffing a buddy on a sports bet,” she said to clamorous cheers.

Last month, Christie called for cutting $2.5 billion in planned state pension contributions for public workers between now and June 2015 because of flagging tax revenues.

But costs of the scheduled payments could be covered by reinstating a tax surcharge on millionaires and getting rid of tax subsidies for corporations, said Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association.

“Just those two things would be more than enough to make both of the pension payments that he’s threatening to withhold,” Steinhauer said.

Analilia Mejia, executive director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, said the governor is breaking the law by not making a full payment into the pension system.

A judge has scheduled a hearing later this month on a lawsuit filed by 14 unions that challenges the pension-payment reductions.

Source: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/69167-hundreds-rally-againt-christie-plan-to-cut-nj-payments-to-pension-system?linktype=hp_topstory

BY TONY WEST/The Philly Public Record

– The sun is shining again on the Delaware River over a fleet of rising commerce scattered from Tioga in Port Richmond down to Wilmington. The Great Recession is over, at least at sea. And that’s good news for Philadelphia, which has always lived off the sea, Bob Palaima reports. Palaima’s company, Delaware River Stevedores, is the largest employer of unionized longshoremen in our ports. It operates Tioga Terminal which brings in an array of products, from perishables likes fruit, cocoa and cattle to steel and plywood, delicate machinery and equipment.But when international trade is down – as it was, sharply, during the recession – then port economies are down. That fact hit Philadelphia hard in 2008. But Palaima says our ports have recovered nicely from the recession and are ready to leap ahead.

“After the Great Recession, volumes were down. But this past winter, we’ve seen an uptick in key commodities,” commented Palaima. “We live on hope, keeping our noses to the grindstone.” DRS’ biggest hit this year has been Fibria Celulose. This huge Brazilian eucalyptus harvester can raise vast tropical tree plantations at a rate competitive with Northeastern USA’s traditional suppliers in Canada. It beats the market for low-cost paper. Remember the last time you applied paper to your body? It will not be replaced by the internet. It’s a global growth industry.
Fibria Celulose is now shipping into North America via Philadelphia, at DRS’ Tioga facility. And it looks like an early hit. Volume is up and DRS is retooling Tioga to handle it. Much of that facility is set up to handle fruit, which is seasonal. But wood pulp is steady year-round business. But port business doesn’t rely on home runs like Fibria Celulose. A rising tide lifts all boats, and Palaima says the tide of commerce is rising in Philadelphia. That’s a good sign – even before Panamax.

“Panamax” is shipping slang for the widening of the Panama Canal, not far from finished now, which is guaranteed to change the face of world commerce for a century. When the newer, wider and deeper canal is opened sometime in 2016, huge merchant vessels from the Orient will soon be prowling the Eastern Seaboard looking to discharge their cargo. If they can do it here, we’ll get the business. If they can’t, they’ll dock at New York, Baltimore or Norfolk instead – to our loss. It looks like they’ll be able to by 2016, says Palaima. The Panama Canal enlargement has fallen behind schedule. That’s bad news for world trade but good news for Philadelphia marketers, because it guarantees they will be able to deliver on 2014 promises 0ur port will be ready by then. Steel is popping, says Palaima. That means construction is popping in the eastern USA. It’s a leading sign of corporate investment and a good omen for the Delaware Valley’s economy.

“We are shaking off the doldrums of the recent past but we have now notched solid victories,” Palaima asserts. Ports, by their nature depend, on the global economy. Many Americans imagine our nation’s economic problems since 2008 are caused by local misfortunes. But a shipping pro like Palaima knows better: His industry is utterly dependent on international realities. What he needs from his local community and its elected officials is a hard-nosed, practical commitment to follow through on developing the Port, Pennsylvania’s greatest transportation asset.

Palaima is pleased with the bipartisan commitment that has delivered federal and state bucks to complete 60% of the channel-deepening project. The end is in sight. Although rival ports still try to divert funding from the Delaware occasionally, they probably can’t stop it now (a very-real prospect as late as 2011). “I’m optimistic about the money to finish the project,” Palaima said. “We have a good bipartisan relationship with our House and Senate delegations.” The Delaware River ports have six Senators, which helps. And Philadelphia has a flexible, versatile stevedore workforce that can quickly be brought up to speed on tomorrow’s novel cargos. That’s what a port needs to beat the competition. Palaima knows Philadelphia will be at the table when the Panamax buffet opens its doors. That’s good for us, very good.

Source: http://www.phillyrecord.com/2014/06/port-tioga-terminal-operator-sees-boom-period-for-delaware-r/

By The PA. AFL-CIO

– Every year the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO offers scholarships to affiliated union members and their families. The criteria for entering are broken up into three categories with different topics for each surrounding an opportunity for students to learn more about the importance of Organized Labor in America. Within each category there are three scholarships awarded in the amounts of $2000, $1000 and $500. We received 52 essays this year and can only hope this continues to build as we offer our scholarships for a higher education to our members and their families. This year’s winners consisted of union members and other family members from the following affiliates: AFSCME, Sheet Metal Workers, USW, IBEW, IATSE and APWU. We are happy to announce the winners of the annual scholarship essay contest for 2014.

The first category was geared towards graduating high school seniors regarding what makes unions appealing to young workers. The winning essays belonged to Alyssa Rosencrance, Danielle Brenneman and Megan Bresser. The second category was for all post-secondary students regarding how the focus on Right to Work legislation affects the economy. Scholarships were awarded in this category to Brian Shields, Chelsey Bryant and Jacob Potts. Category three focused on how unions strengthen communities and was awarded to affiliated union members attending an accredited institution. The winner in this category was David Levine.

Congratulations on a job well done and good luck in your future endeavors to all winners of this years’ scholarship essay contest! Keep your eyes open for the upcoming 2015 brochure as you may have an opportunity yourself in winning next year!

Source – http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=4178&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

By Mary Wilson

– A plan to liberalize the sale of wine and beer in Pennsylvania is under serious consideration by the state Senate GOP, about a year after the chamber last tried advancing some kind of overhaul to how alcohol is sold.

A legislative amendment under discussion would expand wine and beer sales to more private stores and give greater flexibility to state wine and spirits stores.

Senate Democrats oppose the measure, saying it would drain revenue from the state liquor system by allowing more private competition.

But GOP Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi said some of the proposed changes could increase sales for the Liquor Control Board, which manages state stores.

“There is the potential for some lost volume, but that depends on how the LCB implements some of the modernization provisions that are included,” Pileggi said. “So that has the potential to increase sales — for example, with direct shipment and Sunday sales and more flexibility for the operation of the state-run retail operations.”

The House GOP passed a liquor privatization plan last year that would gradually phase out state liquor stores and privatize wine and liquor sales. The plan being discussed now in the Senate is a far cry from that.

But the issue is still a thorny one for the chamber to advance, largely due to the many competing interests vying to protect their niche of the alcohol market.

A scheduled Senate committee vote on the proposal was postponed Monday.

“It’s a work in progress,” Pileggi said. “We’ve had a number of variations of different amendments to (House Bill) 790. And still the goal is to find a combination of provisions that will gain the support of 26 members of the Senate.”

Given the Democrats’ opposition, Republicans will be on their own for votes. They control the Senate 27 to 23.

Source: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/69010-pa-senate-gop-looks-for-votes-of-

By The PA. AFL-CIO

– This is urgent, E-Mail Your State Senator Now, and then share this action page with all of your coworkers, friends, and family members.

Last spring, the State House passed HB 790, Rep. Turzai’s bill that would dismantle the State Wine & Spirits Stores and put 5,000 union members out of work and on the street. Because of your hard work and the pressure you brought, the bill stalled in the Senate last year, but now it has reared its head again.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to bring up this bill TODAY! They have the ability to send HB 790 to the full Senate to be voted on, and it could potentially see Governor Corbett’s desk this week. If it reaches his desk, he has said that he will sign it – in fact, he has made this a signature issue of his election campaign.

This is a matter of protecting the jobs of 5,000 of our union brothers and sisters, but it’s more than that as well. If HB 790 passes, there will be thousands fewer active employees paying into the State pension system, and public safety will suffer as it becomes easier for underage or visibly intoxicated customers to purchase alcohol.

And don’t forget, we are currently three weeks away from the budget deadline, with a shortfall that is forcing difficult decisions on how to fund programs that impact all of us. It is deeply disturbing that the Senate is now considering a bill that would eliminate a strong and growing annual revenue source. If HB 790 becomes law, the lost revenue will mean more difficult decisions in the future that could take revenue from education, infrastructure, and human services.

Let’s stop this nonsense before it goes any further!

To Find and Contact Your State Senator on This Urgent Issue, Go To: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address

Source – http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=4168&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook