SWEB & Staff Update July 9, 2010
1. The State Budget – Even though the state budget has now been passed into law, it is far from a done deal. We are facing up to 1000 layoffs (we have NOT received notification to date of any layoffs) with this current budget, but a significant portion of the budget remains uncertain, awaiting action from Congress. Without federal legislation that provides FMAP aid to states, Pennsylvania will have to make up more than $850 million in the current budget, leaving essential social service programs at risk of deep cuts later this year and up to 25,000 layoffs. PLEASE use this website to see how you can help at www.seiu668.org. So far, Congress has not said when, or if, it may vote on the additional medical assistance money (FMAP). House and Senate leaders have tried to bundle the medical assistance program with unemployment benefits and tax breaks, but the effort has not succeeded thus far. The House last month passed a pared-down bill that did not include medical assistance money, and the Senate leaders have failed to attract the required 60 votes to several different versions of the bill. When Congress returns from recess next week, Senate leaders are likely to revisit just an extension of unemployment benefits. That leaves the fate of the FMAP unclear, although Governor Rendell and other governors across the country have launched an aggressive lobbying campaign for it.
The unemployment situation is tragic. Almost 15 million of America’s working men and women are unemployed – 26 million counting the under-employed and nearly half of all the jobless have been out of work for more than 6 months. Did you know??????
· 1 in 5 Americans is unemployed, underemployed or out of work
· 1 in 9 families can’t make the minimum payment on their credit cards
· 1 in 8 mortgages is in default or foreclosure
· 1 in 8 Americans is on food stamps
Things don’t just “feel” bad, they ARE bad for working families. Yet, public service workers are being attacked as having Cadillac salaries, benefits, healthcare and pensions. Public servants did not crash the economy. More than a year after the financial crisis and bailout, working families are still reeling from the economy. Wall Street and the CEOs have returned to huge bonuses and payouts to the richest fraction of society. It is easy to blame the government and public servants but let’s focus the real blame on where it belongs – the unchecked greed of Wall Street CEOs who crashed our economy and required taxpayers to bail them out. BIG OIL, BIG TOBACCO AND BIG CORPORATIONS NEED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES and the loopholes that support them need to be closed tightly and forever. Without some types of recurring revenue, like taxing smokeless tobacco and cigars, closing the Delaware loophole and taxing Marcellus shale extraction, we face doing more with less for a VERY long time.
I have attached information from the United Way of Pa., the Pa. Department of Welfare and the Pa. Budget and Policy Center.
2. The Governor’s Race – 7 states have been identified by the Progressive Majority Committee of the SEIU International (I sit on this committee) as being top-tier races. They are Arizona, Massachusetts, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and Connecticut. These are considered priority races and will receive much national attention in the months to come.
3. Pa. State Contract – more information will be coming out soon on state contract negotiations. We are in the process of getting all the legal letters out to the commonwealth to begin bargaining and to get contract surveys out and select the negotiating team. The contract surveys will be short and sweet; to identify the top 3 issues and to note any article/ section of the contract that needs attention. We are gearing up for the battle! The negotiating team will begin to meet in early October.
4. The Human Services Campaign – Phase 3 – the Leadership Team is putting together the next phase of the HSC that will include the next budget, state contract negotiations, pensions, local unit negotiations and much more. Phase 3 will be launched at the Leadership Training September 10 -12. Registration ends August 2 so if you are not registered – do it today and be part of the action.
5. UNITE HERE Emails – the commonwealth believes they have found a way to block these emails to our members at state email addresses. PLEASE let me know if any member reports getting an email from UNITE HERE.
6. March on Washington, National Day of Action, 10 - 2 – 10 – you will also be hearing much more on the National Mobilization on Washington, D.C. October 2, 2010. Billed as 10- 2- 10 (ten –two –ten), speakers, cultural performances, celebrities, union members and community members and activists will gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to send a message about the size and strength of our movement to prioritize people and provide a secure life for Americans. Headed into the November elections, we want to hold politicians nationwide accountable to us, the people. While the BIG EVENT will be held in Washington, D.C. other events are planned in California, Florida, Arizona and other locations.
I will be on a much-needed and well-deserved vacation from Friday, July 16 – Tuesday, August 3, 2010. Please call Secretary-Treasurer Roni Hamiel and/or Kathy Stine with any issues. Thanks.