Budget Update 7-30-09

The state budget crisis has reached a critical stage and the hard work and dedication of thousands of members of SEIU Local 668 is starting to pay off. Governor Rendell responded to the pressure being applied by our Union's membership through our Human Services Campaign by changing his tune when it comes to paying state workers.
After months of letter writing, legislative visits, phone calls, emails and faxes, breakouts in the field, demonstrations and rallys around the state as well as on the front steps of the Capitol itself, Governor Rendell announced that if the House and Senate Conference Committee doesn't make progress by next Monday he will ask the House to pass Senate Bill 850, the Republican Senate budget bill, so that he can blue line everything in it except those essential state programs and services that allow state emplyees to be paid.

It will take 7-10 days after the Governor signs the bridge budget to recieve back owed wages.

This is obviously not soon enough for all of us but it is a move in the right direction.

What it means is that SEIU Local 668, through the active participation of our membership, has forced the Governor and the Legislature to knuckle under to the political pressure we have been creating at the grassroots level all over Pennsylvania. Without our Human Services campaign this budget stalemate would still be happening and state workers would still be facing payless paydays. Now there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

But make no mistake, the budget battle is far from over and SEIU Local 668 will still be leading the charge in Harrisburg and in communities all over the state for full funding for vital human services for the Pennsylvanians we serve.

The SEIU Local 668 Human Services Campaign is on the verge of recording our first substantial victory by forcing an end to the insane policy of holding state employees hostage but we still have much work to do to fulfill our long term mission.

We can be proud of what we have accomplished so far but we cannot stop the momentum we have created. The campaign will continue. Stay tuned and stay active!