Posted by Lou on June 28, 2010
As we well know, cutbacks, specifically coerced reductions in the state workforce, have dire consequences. WRNI’s Scott McKay writes an excellent piece with this very message. Read the article and leave a comment thanking Scott for his support.
In other news, the AFSCME International Convention is going on this week in Boston. The convention page at AFSCME.org has highlights and photos. I was there this morning, and the delegation was fired up by International President Gerald McEntee and thankful for the long service of Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy. Mr. Lucy is retiring after 38 years of service to AFSCME. Keep up to date with the convention RSS feed
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Posted by Lou on June 12, 2010
This Thursday, June 18, our general membership meeting will be held in the 3rd floor cafeteria of 235 Promenade St. There is no major news on the agenda as of right now. If you have something you would like to discuss, feel free to contact us.
Following up on something Ken DeLorenzo and I have mentioned, the Council is working on creating a Next Wave committee to cater to the interests of younger members. To that end, I have created a Facebook page for the Council 94 Next Wave group. You can also stay connected with the Council via the Council 94 Facebook page. If you would like more information about AFSCME’s Next Wave movement, see the AFSCME Next Wave website.
If you are interested in being part of the Next Wave movement, please contact me for more information. Whether you are interested or not, if you under 35 years old, and a member of Local 2881, please fill out this survey and return it to me. I’d consider it a personal favor, and probably even buy you a beer for your trouble!
Posted by Lou on May 28, 2010
There are a couple articles in the Projo that you should be aware of:
Two weeks ago, the budget deficit was deemed to be less than expected.
Yesterday, the House Finance Committee voted to send their budget proposal to the full house by a 13-to-1 margin. This budget proposal includes the previously accepted proposal of cutting state employee pension COLAs to the lesser of the CPI or 3% on first $35,000 on pension benefit.
You know what this means, folks. It means it’s time to contact your representation and explain to them that cutting your pension benefit constitutes a breach of contract and takes money out of the RI economy in the future. Tell them that our pension is not the financial windfall that they and the public think it is. Ask them if pension cuts are so necessary, why are state troopers and legislators exempted from the cuts. Ask them to force all legislators, judges and state troopers to pay 8.75% towards their pension benefit and a 20% co-chare of their health insurance. But most of all, tell them that you refuse to support politicians who refuse to support you.
Posted by Lou on April 28, 2010
…is not the windfall that our critics think it is.
At RIFuture.org, Pat Crowley writes:
A new report written by the non-partisan Center for State and Local Government Excellence and the National Institute on Retirement Security reveals that despite the rhetoric, public sector workers take an economic hit in order to engage in public service. It is time for the hits they take from the media and politicians to stop.
View the full report here.
View the full article by Mr. Crowley here.
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Posted by Lou on April 19, 2010
As Ken mentioned at our last meeting, Council 94 is working on engaging younger members to participate in union leadership. This movement is called the Next Wave program. Mike McDonald (of Local 528) and I have started the process of organizing a Next Wave committee that would report to the Council 94 executive board. Our first step is to establish a database of names and contact information of Council 94 members who are 35 years of age and younger.
If you are 35 and younger, or would like to help promote labor issues to out younger members, please leave your name in a comment to this post. We will contact you in the future, once the ball starts rolling.
