By Francis Hilario

– Philadelphia has been named one of three finalists for the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

The Democratic National Committee has narrowed down its list of potential cities for the 2016 convention to three: Philadelphia, New York and Columbus, Ohio. Phoenix and Birmingham, Ala. are now out of contention.

“We’re thrilled to move to the next step of the selection process to determine where Democrats will come together to nominate the 45th President of the United States,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC chairwoman, said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have such a diverse and vibrant group of cities interested in hosting this special event and we thank Phoenix and Birmingham for showcasing their special communities. We look forward to working with Columbus, New York, and Philadelphia as we go forward.”

The weeks for the convention that are under consideration are July 18, July 25 or Aug. 22. The committee is expected to make its final decision in the next few months.

Choosing a host city is based on a number of factors, including the city’s transportation, hotels and the facility holding the convention, experts said in interviews last month. Other factors include the city’s political leadership and financial resources.

“The kind of factors that are probably the most important in terms of valuation of cities are the obvious ones: Hotels, the facility to hold the event in [and] logistics,” Alan Kessler, former finance vice chair of the DNC said in an earlier interview with the Philadelphia Business Journal. “The single most important is financial guarantee.”

Our panel of experts — including Gov. Ed Rendell — handicapped each city’s chance for the big score recently. Check it out at: http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/print-edition/2014/10/17/wooing-the-dnc-sizing-up-the-competition.html

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2014/11/24/philadelphia-one-of-three-finalists-for-2016-dnc.html

By Joel Mathis

– The Pennsylvania Legislature might hold a lame-duck session before Gov. Tom Corbett’s term expires in January — one last grab at passing GOP-favored legislation before Democrat Tom Wolf replaces Corbett.

PennLive reports:

New Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said Thursday that he’s not ruling out a lame-duck session during the final two weeks of Gov. Tom Corbett’s term so that lawmakers can push through bills before Gov.-elect Tom Wolf takes office.

“Tom Corbett is governor for four years, not three years and 10 months,” Corman, R-Centre, said in remarks taped for broadcast Sunday on WHP-TV’s “Face the State” program. “We get sworn into office on the first Tuesday [in January] and we might go to work.”

Corman said he’s “looking at the schedule” to determine if there’s enough time for lawmakers to pull off the long-shot legislative session. For the past several years, the Legislature has sworn-off holding lame-duck sessions.

Corman also said that Wolf’s 5 percent severance tax on natural gas drilling will be a “last result” as state government tries to get its fiscal house in order during the next session.

Source: http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/11/21/pa-legislature-might-hold-lame-duck-session/

– STAND WITH WALMART WORKERS THIS BLACK FRIDAY!

This Black Friday we need to send the Waltons a message. We can’t sit back while their workers go hungry any longer. And Walmart and the Waltons must stop taking illegal actions against Walmart workers who want to work hard and be able to provide for our families

To take action, you just need to go to your local Walmart with a sign saying that you support the workers fighting for fair pay and respect, get a picture of yourself, and tell the manager you support the workers’ cause. Walmart tracks all of these actions and they have a huge impact. There’s an example picture right below!

Call/Text: 470-223-2014 to see how you can get involved. Or email: support@changewalmart.org

Go To The Source at: http://www.blackfridayprotests.org/actions for additional detailed instructions on locations, times and information on the legalities.

– 11/19 – Today’s Featured Guests on Today In PhillyLabor Radio are Bob McDevitt, President, Unite Here Local 54 In Atlantic City, Jim Moran, Director Emeritus, PhilaPosh, Mike VanderPuttin, AT&T

Featured Topic – Casino Closure Situation and the Future of Atlantic City, Lessons in Labor Segment

Tune in to WWDB 860 AM (or Online at http://wwdbam.com/streamer/) on Today/Wednesday at Noon to See What All The Talk Is About!

By Laura Clawson

– Workers held two sit-ins at California Walmart stores on Thursday, with the second accompanied by a rally and leading to more than 20 arrests. Now the workers are looking ahead to Black Friday, which they say will feature the most striking Walmart workers to date.

Barbara Gertz, an employee from Denver, Colorado, said organizers are expecting to see protests in 1,600 stores. While they don’t yet have a headcount of how many workers will strike or in how many cities, she said they’ve gotten calls “every day” from employees who want to join in. Protests will hit Los Angeles and a number of other major metropolitan areas. Employees at more than 2,100 Walmart stores across the country have signed an online petition asking for higher wages and better working conditions.

Gertz explained why she’s planning to take part. “There have been many times my family can’t even afford the gas to get me back and forth to work, so my husband had to wait in the car to take me home after work,” she said on a call with the press. “Every time one of us speaks out for change, we take the risk that Walmart will fire us. That’s not right and that’s not legal. That’s why we’re going on strike.” The National Labor Relations Board has backed up some of the claims of retaliation against organizing workers.

Workers at Thursday’s sit-ins wore tape over their mouths to symbolize how they feel silenced and intimidated by Walmart, and carried signs urging Walmart to “stop the illegal threats.” The focus on Walmart’s intimidation of and retaliation against worker activists is both a way to invoke the legal protections of the National Labor Relations Act and a crucial organizing point: As long as Walmart gets away with intimidating workers and disciplining or firing activists, of course it will be incredibly difficult for the workers to organize. Even though retaliation against worker organizing is illegal, every Walmart worker who speaks up, let alone sits down or walks out, risks having their hours cut or losing their job. And given what Walmart pays, they don’t have a cushion. By the time the NLRB brings charges and holds hearings and Walmart has dragged the process out as long as possible, a fired worker could have been evicted, no matter how illegally they were fired.

That’s what makes the past two years of strikes by Walmart workers and fast food workers so remarkable—they are so vulnerable. Yet they are insisting on their rights nonetheless. Black Friday is the next big moment in that fight, and with 1,600 protests planned nationwide, there will be plenty of chances for allies to get out and support the workers.

Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/14/1344897/-Walmart-workers-plan-biggest-Black-Friday-strikes-and-protests-yet