|
10/07/03
E
Messenger
The
Electronic Newsletter of the
Florida
AFL-CIO
New
Members according to the AFL-CIO Work in Progress
This week's WIP: 2,984
Year to date: 117,767
STATE
POLITICS
State
workers, teachers investing in privatization?
Yep!
The
controversy over Jeb’s most recent corporate bailout using
Florida
’s
retirement fund continues. The
state seems determined to use YOUR money to bail out one of the leading
forces behind school privatization, if it wasn’t for Jeb this company
would, in all likelihood just “go away.”
Keep an eye out for more Legislative
Alerts on this issue.
This
school investment isn t so sound
(10/06/2003 © Tallahassee
Democrat)
When it looked
like Florida voters were going to mandate caps on class size in public
schools last year, Gov. Jeb Bush joked that he had some 'devious plans' -
which turned out to be simply asking voters to repeal the costly
constitutional amendment. Bill McBride and the teachers unions that had
...
(From
Mark Pudlow, FEA)
EDISON
- The charm offensive selling the
Edison
deal is in full force. In an article in The Orlando Business Journal,
Coleman Stipanovich does an about face and now
says he did "consider the political ramifications" but that
Edison
's
academic performance justifies the risk. What academic performance? You
must have read
Edison
's
press releases. Andy Ford, Cindy Hall and Nancy Van Meter from the AFT are
quoted in the story, as was your correspondent. And speaking of press
releases, the State Board of Administration issued one with a long
statement from Stipanovich attempting to
defend the decision to buy
Edison
.
Stipanovich also had a commentary in The
Bradenton Herald. Though it wasn't posted to the newspaper website, the
commentary closely mirrors what is said in the press release, which you'll
find in the second link.
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2003/10/06/story2.html
http://www.fsba.state.fl.us/pdf/news/Edison%20press%20statement.pdf
Hey
State Workers, privatization is good for you!
(sure)
Government
work force decreasing
(10/06/2003 © Tallahassee
Democrat)
Gov. Jeb Bush's
four-year campaign of privatization and personnel reorganization gave him
a much smaller government work force as he started his second term, but
employees who survived the tumult had better salaries and bonuses to show
for it. The Annual Workforce Report, a massive collection of
...
Downsized
(10/07/2003 © Tallahassee
Democrat)
In a region with
so many state workers, Gov. Jeb Bush's drive toward smaller government has
sent ripples of uncertainty and trepidation throughout the community. But
though the state government workforce is undoubtedly shrinking, the news
isn't as dire as it might seem for
Leon
County
. Between
...
Education
Schools
Bulging From Over Enrollment
(
10/07/2003
© Capitol
News Service)
Florida
schools are bulging at
the seams. At the university level, 52 hundred enrolled above estimates.
Students say the numbers are making it hard sign up for classes in some
areas of study. FSU senior Mike Miller says 'If you have a really crazy
schedule, and it makes it where you can't take the c...
Gov.
Bush: Race won t be a factor in admissions
(10/07/2003 © Gainesville
Sun)
This summer, when
high school students were enjoying their needed summer vacation, the U.S.
Supreme Court was crafting pivotal decisions that would determine the fate
of their college admissions. On June 23, the Supreme Court heard two
controversial cases, both dealing with affirmative action in
...
Schools
Request Special Session
(10/07/2003 © Tampa
Tribune)
TAMPA - When the
final numbers are in later this month, Florida schools and colleges may
have at least 33,000 more students than the state budgeted for, the head
of the Florida School Boards Association said Monday. Wayne Blanton, the
association's executive director, said he is drafting a letter with
university and community college officials this week, asking Gov. Jeb Bush
to consider a spe
Council
survey a threat to state s Sunshine Law
(10/06/2003 © Florida
Today)
Whenever
someone starts talking about possible changes to the state's Sunshine Law,
first we get angry and then we get worried. So should every citizen of
Florida
. The law guarantees
open government at all levels, such as public access to meetings and
records. It is part of the state Constitutio...
Make
diplomas count
(
10/06/2003
© Palm
Beach Post)
Florida
's Board of Governors
seems finally to be doing its job. In this case, that means standing up to
the Legislature and for the state's high school students. This year, as
one of many tricks to avoid complying with the class-size amendment, the
Legislature approved a plan under which stud...
Voucher
misadventures
(10/06/2003 © St.
Petersburg Times)
The law that
sets up a dubious experiment in online elementary education was written
narrowly, in part because some senators were skeptical about whether
Florida would be underwriting home-schooling. So the $4.8-million in
virtual vouchers this fall were to go only to 'students who were enrolled
and...
Schools
Bulging From Over Enrollment
(
10/07/2003
© Capitol
News Service)
Florida
schools are bulging at
the seams. At the university level, 52 hundred enrolled above estimates.
Students say the numbers are making it hard sign up for classes in some
areas of study. FSU senior Mike Miller says 'If you have a really crazy
schedule, and it makes it where you can't take the c...
Follow
the money? Yeah right.
Editorial:
Change law to identify contributors
(
10/06/2003
© Ft.
Pierce Tribune)
Previous
Editorials Saturday, Oct 4 Friday, Oct 3 Thursday, Oct 2 Wednesday, Oct 1
Tuesday, Sep 30 Monday, Sep 29 Sunday, Sep 28 PRINT THIS STORY | E-MAIL
THIS STORY Editorial: Change law to identify contributors
October 6, 2003
In
1
Following
the money isn t easy
(10/06/2003 © Miami
Herald)
WEST PALM BEACH
- Somebody spent a ton of money last spring to convince Florida residents
that state lawmakers should postpone deadlines for cleaning the
Everglades. But don't bother asking who. Under state and federal law, it's
none of your business. Six months later, the public has no idea how much
money the sugar industry gave to the Everglades Forever Partnership, a
not-for-profit corp
Everglades
campaign money still a mystery
(
10/06/2003
© Palm
Beach Post)
Somebody
spent a ton of money last spring to convince
Florida
residents that state lawmakers should postpone deadlines for cleaning the
Everglades
. But
don't bother asking who. Under state and federal law, it's none of your
business. Six months later, the public has no idea how much m...
Conflicting
Laws Mask GOP Donors
LA Times
Everglades
deal under microscope
(
10/07/2003
© Orlando
Sentinel)
The
investigative arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior has begun an
inquiry into the Bush administration's $120 million buyout of oil rights
in the western
Everglades
. The deal was intended
to thwart a massive oil-drilling plan by the Collier family of southwest
Florida
, which held the mine...
Florida
Legislature
Critics:
Byrd using panels to boost self
(
10/07/2003
© Ft.
Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel)
TALLAHASSEE The
Florida House Judiciary Committee has scheduled hearings today on an issue
key to House Speaker Johnnie Byrd: a proposed constitutional amendment
that would require notification for parents if their underage daughters
seek abortions. Another Byrd panel, the Select Committee on Affordable
Health Care for Floridians, plans a public hearing later in the day. Byrd
also has formed
Democracts
seek redistricting ballot initiative
(10/07/2003 © Gainesville
Sun)
Democrats will try
to get an initiative on next year's ballot giving the power of redrawing
political districts to a bipartisan commission rather than the
Republican-dominated Legislature. State Rep. Tim Ryan,
D-Dania
Beach
, is chairman of the
Committee for Fair Representation, which proposes tha...
McBride
is home.
Keep
an eye out for excerpts from McBride’s inspiring speech at the Biennial
Convention in this month’s Solidarity
in the Sunshine.
Former
candidate home from hospital
(10/06/2003 © Ft.
Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel)
TALLAHASSEE --
Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride was home from the
hospital after treatment for heart problems and said he felt good enough
to do some chores Sunday. "I just cooked a huge breakfast for my
family," McBride said by telephone from his home in Thonotosassa,
outside of
Tampa
.
NO
TO FTAA, NO TO FTAA IN
MIAMI
!
Trade:
Miami s Move
(10/06/2003 © Florida
Trend)
The reputation
of Miami - and Florida - as the gateway to Latin America is riding on the
ability to land the headquarters for the Free Trade Area of the Americas. CONTENDERS
FOR THE SECRETARIAT Front-runners
Miami
.
The city has the best trade, transportation and communication credentials
of a...
Watch
the water!
Bearing
witness to the early days of a water war
(
10/06/2003
© St.
Petersburg Times)
Hey, here's a
nifty idea guaranteed to win the hearts of the average
Florida
citizen. Let's create
a group of politically connected and rich real estate developers and CEOs
of power companies, citrus conglomerates and big city newspapers and let
them decide the future of
Florida
's most populist
...
http://www.floridatrend.com/issue/default.asp?s=7
(
10/06/2003
© Florida
Trend)
The Council of
100's task force faces an uphill battle in its effort to change the
state's water policy. The dam burst this summer for the Florida Council of
100, after word leaked out that the governor's
elite business advisory group was preparing to recommend the creation of a
governing board t...
Water
grab
(
10/06/2003
© Orlando
Sentinel)
Our
position: Creating a state super water board is unnecessary and perilous.
Much of
Florida
is running out of
water. And a group of business chiefs who advise the governor want a
super-board of political appointees to decide who gets what's left. In a
recent report detailing the state's p...
Florida
’s Constitution
No
recall vote in Florida, for now
(
10/06/2003
© Florida
Today)
TALLAHASSEE
-- Californians could
oust their governor from office this week, but any Floridians who dislike
Gov. Jeb Bush will have to live with him. Unlike
California
,
Florida
's constitution has no
provision to allow voters to recall the governor. At
least, not now. Changing the state const...
Raise
bar to protect document
(
10/06/2003
© Ft.
Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel)
In
recent years, the Florida Constitution was littered with amendments
forcing lawmakers to deal with complicated issues not put to the proper
tests. These mandates also diverted lawmakers' attention from other
priorities. The right to put a legitimate amendment before voters is an impo...
Florida
Election 2004
Quotes
from Democratic candidates on Graham s withdrawal
(
10/07/2003
© Gainesville
Sun)
Statements by
other Democratic presidential candidates on Sen. Bob Graham's withdrawal
from the race. 'Bob Graham is a gifted national leader and a model public
servant. While he'll be missed on the campaign trail, I know that his
thoughtful, intelligent voice will not be silent in the
U.S.
Senat...
Graham
says he will make decison on Senate
re-election campaign very soon
(10/07/2003 © Gainesville
Sun)
Florida Sen. Bob
Graham said Monday he would decide 'very soon' on whether to seek
re-election to his Senate seat, leaving a field of Democrats pondering
their future and an equally large number of Republicans gearing up to make
him their target. Graham announced he was abandoning his presidentia...
Winning
Campaigns Keep Local Contacts
(
10/06/2003
© Lakeland
Ledger)
Winning
Campaigns Keep Local Contacts Bob Graham's run for president is on the
ropes. Now, he could come back and score a knockout and he still has fight
in him, but right now he is pretty battered and it doesn't look good. The
senior senator from
Florida
is way short on his
fund-raising in his campaign for the Democratic nomination -- only about
$2 million in the last quarter. Two contra
Deutsch
digging up Penelas documents
(10/06/2003 © Miami
Herald)
In a sign that
a bitter rivalry between two U.S. Senate hopefuls could be kicked up a
notch, U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch has filed a public records request for
Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas' travel and
expense records. Deutsch has already accused Penelas
of raising money illegally and of failing to adequately support Democratic
presidential candidate Al Gore in the 2000 election and during the pro
Republicans
gird to minimize rifts
(10/06/2003 © St.
Petersburg Times)
Republicans
leaders who gathered last week in Tampa to kick off President Bush's
re-election campaign in Florida presented a formidable united front. Gov.
Jeb Bush, every member of the state Cabinet and prominent legislators
stood side by side promising to deliver the state's 27 electoral votes.
...
AFSCME
is looking to hire
AFSCME staff
vacancy in
Tampa
region
AFSCME Florida Council 79 has an opening in its
Region 3 (
Tampa
) office for a Staff
Representative II position. Staff representatives are the primary
servicing agents for members in the 90 local unions affiliated with AFSCME
Council 79. AFSCME Council 79 is the
Florida
council of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO. AFSCME Florida is the state's second-largest labor
union, representing more than 110,000 employees working for the state,
public universities, school boards, cities and counties, and private
nonprofit hospitals.
A successful candidate for Staff Representative II
must possess the following skills and experience:
- Plan
and develop internal and external organizing campaigns and political
action.
- Maintain
a standard of professionalism and diplomacy that promotes a positive
image of Council 79 and its membership, leadership and staff.
- Possess
general computer skills.
- Assist
local unions in the interpretation and implementation of collective
bargaining agreements.
- Handle
grievances at all levels by the “grievance protocol.”
- Prepare
and present arbitration cases or administrative hearings.
- Negotiate
collective bargaining agreements.
- Evaluate
and provide service and training needs for each local union.
- Must
be able to travel throughout the state of
Florida
and assigned area and to work long
hours as necessary.
- Must
have valid driver’s license, a reliable vehicle and be insurable at
the required level.
AFSCME is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities and women are
encouraged to apply. Salary is competitive and commensurate with
experience. AFSCME provides employees a generous package of health and
pension benefits.
Prospective candidates should contact Richard Thetonia
at (813) 376-6382 or Michael Temple at (813) 376-6380.
NATIONAL
NEWS
Freedom
Ride 2003 – A great success
HISTORIC
FREEDOM RIDE ENDS ON HIGH NOTE--The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride
finished with a huge, daylong Celebration of America's Immigrants in
New York
's
Flushing
Meadows
Park
Oct. 4. More
than 300,000 union and community supporters joined the nearly 1,000
immigrant workers who had crossed the country in an unprecedented effort
to put immigration issues squarely on the national political agenda for
2004 and mobilize national support for changes in immigration policies.
The
New York
celebration
followed a rally Oct. 3 hosted by New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey
(D) in
Liberty
State Park
. From Sept. 20
to Oct. 4, the immigrant workers traveled more than 20,000 miles and
stopped in more than 100 cities to promote justice and freedom for all
workers, just as the Freedom Riders of the 1960s focused national
attention on racial segregation in the
Deep South
. The riders
converged on
Washington
,
D.C.
, Oct. 1-2.
After a rousing and spirited welcome by union members and elected leaders
on Oct.1, the immigrant workers met with more than 120 members of
Congress. On the Hill, they pushed for a road to citizenship for all
immigrant workers, immigrant family reunification, full
civil rights for immigrants and protection of immigrants' workplace
rights. Meanwhile, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney praised an advisory
opinion by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that immigrant
workers, regardless of their status, are entitled to workplace rights,
protections and remedies accorded other workers. Although the court's
opinion is not binding in the
United States
, it does
counter the 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Hoffman Plastic Compound v.
NLRB, which limited remedies for undocumented workers unlawfully fired by
their employers, Sweeney said.
Immigrants
Rally in City, Seeking Rights
The
New York
Times
10/5/03
Immigrant
workers rally in NYC and demand changes
Boston
Globe
10/5/03
10,000
Rally for Immigrants Rights in NY
Associated Press
10/5/03
Immigrants'
tour ends in massive rally
Miami
Herald
10/5/03
Political
retribution for our overtime victory
POLITICAL
PAYBACK--Smarting after its scheme to slash overtime pay protections was
voted down, the Bush administration retaliated less than 24 hours later by
issuing new federal rules that could cost unions as much as $1 billion a
year. The action "is yet more evidence of the administration's blind
determination to weaken workers' organizations and is clearly political
payback for workers' overtime pay win," AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney said. The new rules, issued Oct. 3, are part of the Labor
Management Reporting and Disclosure Act and involve what is called the
LM-2 annual financial report that all unions currently file with the
Department of Labor. Unions already operate under far stricter financial
reporting rules than do corporations, and the new rules create an enormous
amount of expense and red tape for all unions. Anti-worker groups,
including the National Right to Work Committee, backed the new rules. For
more information, visit http://www.aflcio.org
Unions
See Politics in New Disclosure Rules
New York
Times
10/5/03
Union
Financial Disclosure
The
Washington
Post
10/5/03
The
California
Coup – last day!
Governor
Davis Struggles to Hold His Base
The
New York
Times
10/5/03
The
Governor: Davis Calls on Unions to Help Defeat Recall
The
New York
Times
10/6/03
Labor
goes all out to get vote out for Davis
San Francisco
Chronicle
10/4/03
103,412
Federal Jobs In Outsourcing Study
The
Washington
Post
10/4/03
Election
2004
NO
ENDORSEMENT FOR NOW--The AFL-CIO will not endorse a candidate for
president until later in the election cycle, AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney said Sept. 30. Sweeney said the decision came after
"extensive consultation with our affiliated unions" and noted a
federation endorsement requires the support of two-thirds of the AFL-CIO's
members. The AFL-CIO will revisit the question of a federation endorsement
in the future. "The union movement is united in defeating George W.
Bush and bringing working people's values back to the White House,"
he said. Sweeney noted there is broad union support for Rep. Richard
Gephardt (D-Mo.), which "represents the extraordinary appreciation of
all our unions for his outstanding leadership for working families for
many years."
GOP
unsure of Bush s chances for 2004 election
(10/06/2003 © Bradenton
Herald)
WASHINGTON - In
a sharp reversal, Republicans who just months ago daydreamed about a 2004
election landslide now worry that President Bush is losing control of
events at home and abroad and faces a real chance of leading the party to
defeat. At home, anxiety about the economy is escalating and re...
George
Bush’s
America
Rising
health costs take bite out of small biz More
companies forced to cut raises, job promotions
USA
Today
10/6/03
A Slave to Health Insurance
The
Washington
Post
10/4/03
Medicare
As
Medicare debate drags, outlook dims
(
10/07/2003
© Miami
Herald)
WASHINGTON
- The more lawmakers
work on changing Medicare, the less optimistic they are that anything will
get done. Congressional leaders have set an Oct. 17 deadline to agree on
changes to Medicare, a health program that affects 40 million seniors.
"I'm not sure we're going to get something passed by the end of the
year," said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard. At stake in the Medicare
debate
Wal-Mart
Watch
Wal-Mart's
containment strategy
The
Baltimore
Sun 10/6/03
SUPERMARKET
STRIKE The Wal-Mart wallop
St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
10/5/03
If you have
suggestions on how we may improve this online publication or have
information you would like to see posted please contact our communications
director at (850) 224 – 6926 or at rtemplin@flaflcio.org.
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Rich
Templin
Communications Director
Florida
AFL-CIO |
