Philly AFL-CIO Endorses Kenny for Mayor

Philly AFL-CIO Endorses Kenny for Mayor

by | Feb 12, 2019 | Blog, DC Locals, Featured, Retirees

AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding had this to say “Four years ago our labor movement had a big decision to make. Our unions needed more cooperation, transparency and leadership from the next mayor. We met together, deliberated and ultimately held a vote to endorse Jim Kenney. Since that endorsement, Mayor Jim Kenney has been proud to wave our union banner and serves our city as an uncompromising champion for working people.”

Eiding continued, “From a $15.00 minimum wage for city employees and contractors to over 150 signed project labor agreements to taking local control of our public schools, the agenda of the labor movement has been the agenda of Mayor Jim Kenney.”

Countdown to Possible Shutdown

Countdown to Possible Shutdown

by | Feb 4, 2019 | Blog, DC Locals, Featured, Local 1723, Local 1739, Local 2186, Local 2187, Local 3397, Local 590, Local 752, Local 810, President's Message, Retirees

On January 25th Congress passed and the President signed a bill to end the government shutdown through February 15, giving Congress three more weeks to reach a deal on border security.  Bipartisan congressional opposition to the President’s demand for a physical border wall remains constant. Yet, despite signs of bipartisan progress in House and Senate negotiations on viable alternatives, President Trump has deemed these talks “a waste of time.”   

As a possible  alternative to a shutdown, the President now suggests the most extreme and constitutionally dubious step of declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border, allowing him to bypass the need for congressional approval to reallocate funds for his wall.  This unprecedented approach also faces strong congressional opposition, as well as serious legal challenges.  There is little doubt that a new government shutdown within the next two weeks remains a very real and serious threat.

Working with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), we have launched a new countdown website called www.shutdownticker.com where members and the public can contact members of Congress and tell them they do not want another government shutdown. I encourage you to share this website with your members, as well as the sharable social media graphics on the site.

If you have any questions about the potential shutdown, please do not hesitate to contact Scott Frey at sfrey@afscme.org. If you have questions about the website or social media campaign, please contact Blaine Rummel at brummel@afscme.org.

Lee A. Saunders, President, AFSCME

PA Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Bill

by | Jan 30, 2019 | Blog, DC Locals, Featured, Local 1723, Local 1739, Local 2186, Local 2187, Local 3397, Local 590, Local 752, Local 810, PEOPLE Updates, Retirees

State Senator John DiSanto will soon reintroduce SB113, legislation to strengthen the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act to require the forfeiture of pension benefits for public employees that are convicted or plead guilty or no contest to any job-related felony offense. 

This legislation closes a loophole that allowed convicted former state Sen. Robert Mellow to have his $245,000 a year pension restored despite a guilty plea and serving prison time on federal conspiracy charges–which currently is regarded as a non-pension forfeiture crime. This is just one of many examples of public officials betraying the citizens and forcing taxpayers to pick up the tab.