How to Stop Wal-Mart from Draining Our
State
vote Yes on 72
Employment policies at Wal-Mart cost California taxpayers nearly $86 million a year in public assistance to company workers, according to a study by the Labor Center at UC Berkeley, released August 2.
The study indicates that Wal-Mart workers in California rely on the state for about $32 million annually in health-related services, and '$54 million a year in other assistance .
Last year, California's unions fought to pass the Health Insurance Act. It requires large businesses to provide health insurance for their workers, and protects union members from steep increases in premiums and out-of- pocket costs. The legislature passed the law, and the governor signed it.
Now, giant corporations like McDonald's, Macy's and Wal-Mart are opposing it and spending millions to kill it with a ballot measure, Prop. 72. If big business kills this law, our health insurance costs will continue to go through the roof, and management will be able to use rising costs as a hammer at the negotiating table.
It's time that Wal-Mart and McDonald's pay their
fair share of the social burden created when they don't provide fair wages and
health care to their workers.
Our unions are good at
fighting against bad employers at the bargaining table. This November, it's time
to fight them at the ballot box, too. Don't let the big companies steal our
health care.
Vote YES ON 72 to save our health insurance.
Labor Federation Convention Kicks-Off November Campaign Race
The 486
delegates attending the Biennial Convention in San Diego this July participated
in strategy sessions or winning the November election and voted on resolutions,
policy statements and political endorsements for the Federation. The unions
gathered there agreed on a progressive and cutting-edge agenda for labor in
California, on issues ranging from the war in
Iraq
to raising the minimum wage for workers in the state. To view these convention
documents and a gallery of photos, go to www.calaborfed.org.
Tom Rankin Retires Outgoing Labor Federation President Tom Rankin delivered a moving address to the delegates gathered in San Diego that powerfully summed up the feelings of the body on the upcoming election.
"It's not just our health care, our jobs and our civil and union rights that are at stake in this election, but the core values of our democratic system itself”, Rankin said.
Rankin acknowledged the many thanks he had received on the eve of his retirement and added that the best measure of appreciation delegates could give him would be to "do everything you can between now and November 2nd to pass Prop. 72 and elect John Kerry."
New Officers Elected Stepping into the big shoes of retiring President Rankin at the Convention was UFCW local 1428 President Connie Leyva. Leyva, along with Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski and a slate of Executive Council members, was elected with a unanimous vote.
Sweeney
Encourages Health Care Fight
Union delegates were
also addressed
by
AFL-CIO
President John Sweeney. President Sweeney encouraged union members to give
their all to the fight to elect Kerry and pass Prop. 72, noting that
California
was leading the way in the fight for health care reform. Sweeney pledged the
support of
the
AFL-CIO
in the fight,
stating,
"Our entire labor
Movement is standing with you. We will fight together, we will mobilize
together, and we will win together."
Labor Protections Survive Budget Deal
Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders finally negotiated a $105.3 billion budget package last month which was signed into law on July 31,2004. In order to get acceptance for the major spending cuts in the budget, the Governor made deals with local governments and other entities by promising that the state would return more money to them in the future.
Labor Laws Attacked In the final weeks of negotiations, Republicans held up the budget process by cynically dragging two key labor bills into negotiations, SB 1419 (Alarcon) limiting subcontracting of school district jobs and SB 796 (Dunn) allowing workers to sue for labor law enforcement. Republicans legislators and the Governor tried to use the budget process to overturn these two important protections for workers.
Ultimately, they were not successful -- the legislation limiting contracting out remained untouched and the law on labor law enforcement was changed only for less serious violations, allowing employers time to correct problems before a suit can be filed. Nonetheless, the use of the budget process to.try and rollback protective laws that corporations don't like is shameful behavior and sets a dangerous precedent.
Labor Research Funding Restored A clear victory for organized labor was the restoration of 3.8 million dollars to the Institute for labor and Employment. The Governor initially slashed the program's funding in mid-December and later proposed eliminating the Institute entirely.
Advocates in the field and in Sacramento worked hard to ensure that the legislature restored the monies. Assemblymember Simitian, Senator Scott, and Speaker Nunez should be thanked for their key leadership roles in ensuring that the funding was restored and the Institute is able to continue its critical research functions for working people.
The California Performance Review
Governor Schwarzenegger presented a "California Performance Review" report this month which proposes to restructure state government in an attempt to centralize decision-making power with the Administration and bypass the Legislature.
This restructuring disrupts the checks and balances upon which our government is based. Contrary to the claim that the recommendations constitute a new way of thinking about government, in fact it simply uses an old, one-size-fits-all structure that is geared to place corporate interests above the interests of the people of California.
Proposed changes include the elimination of the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation and the Contractors' State licensing Board. Other entities targeted for elimination include the Unemployment Insurance Appeals and Workers Compensation Appeals Boards, though the Review maintains that its functions will be maintained under the Department of Labor and Economic Development.
The Department of labor and Economic Development would also have a new corporate-driven mission driven by the consolidation of many labor- related departments, commissions, and boards with employers organizations. As in the rest of the California Performance Review, labor protections and rights would be subservient to the desires and needs of employers.
For more info go to www.calaborfed.org.
Pushing for Affordable Prescription Drugs Despite the lobbying efforts of the biggest drug companies, nearly all of the bills supported by the OURx Bill of Rights Campaign (a coalition of labor,consumer and retiree organizations fighting for more affordable prescription drugs in California) are alive and well and moving forward through the Legislature. Most bills face appropriations committee votes next week, and then head to floor votes in the Senate and the Assembly in mid-August.
If the bills pass the Senate and Assembly floors they head next to the Governor's desk. The OURx Bill of Rights campaign has launched a postcard campaign calling on the Governor to sign these bills and support affordable prescription drugs.
The California Alliance for Retired Americans has played a major role in the OURx Bill of Right campaign and is actively collecting postcards from retirees and union members across California.
If
your union is interested in collecting
postcards for this campaign. please contact Liz Doyle at the
California Labor
Federation at (510) 663-4033.
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