SWEB & Staff Update 6-29-09

TO:                 SWEB & STAFF

FROM:           KATHY JELLISON, PRESIDENT

DATE:            JUNE 29, 2009

SUBJECT:     BUDGET UPDATE

As we continue to look at this devastation, the economy is taking on other states: 

• New Hampshire wants to sell 27 state parks;
• Washington is laying off thousands of teachers; and,
• Hawaii has ordered state employees to take three furlough days per month over the next two years (the equivalent of a 14% pay cut per year).

Here in Pennsylvania, the legislature has added two days to its calendar - June 27th and 28th - a positive sign, but with no progress reported.

We do not expect a budget to be passed by July 1.

If the budget is not passed by the first part of July, many state employees will face payless paydays.  The first payday affected will be those state employees who will be paid on July 17, 2009.  Those employees will receive payment for seven days, and the employees whose payday falls on July 24 will receive payment for only two days.

YOU MUST REPORT TO WORK AS USUAL through the budget impasse.  Once the budget is passed, all monies owed for work performed will be paid as soon as possible.

SEIU has joined with AFSCME to appeal the Commonwealth Court decision of last year.  As of today, there has been no ruling from the Supreme Court.

Our Human Services Campaign was conceived at the direction of the Statewide Executive Board to face the challenge of not only this budget, but those that follow to educate the public and legislature on the need to fully fund public services, especially in hard economic times.

Please check the website at:  www.SEIU668.org for updates.

This message will be updated when new news becomes available.

Please call, write, email and visit your legislators.  Tell them we want a budget that fully funds public services and ask them to support stop gap legislation to continue to pay state employees.

KJ:lap

UEU Local #1