AFSCME Local 2960

Stop Wisconsin-Style Attacks on Arizona Workers

Frank Piccioli — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:11 +0000

http://act.aflcio.org/

Taking a page out of the playbooks of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s, Gov. Brewer and extreme right-wing Arizona lawmakers are pushing a series of bills attacking firefighters, teachers, nurses and other public service workers who work hard to keep our communities safe and strong.

These bills would take away all collective bargaining rights for public service workers, leading to larger class sizes in our schools, more dangerous working conditions for firefighters and police officers and making our communities less safe.

As in Wisconsin and Ohio, these measures are not about balancing Arizona’s budget and are not about jobs. They are about the destructive political agenda right-wing politicians and their corporate funders are pushing across the country to consolidate their power.

Please take a moment to visit the site and sign the petition. It only takes 2 minutes.

Stand up for YOUR Rights! We all need to be 1 VOICE!

Dennis Martinez — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:33:37 +0000

Date: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012
Where: State Senate Lawn
Arizona State Capitol Building
17th Ave. between Washington/Jefferson
Time: 12:00 p.m.

Jan Brewer’s Latest Outrage – Please Sign Petition

Dennis Martinez — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:20:35 +0000

http://signon.org/sign/attacks-on-az-workers

By Rebekah Friend, Arizona AFL-CIO

To be delivered to: The Arizona State House, The Arizona State Senate, and Governor Jan Brewer

We urge all Arizona lawmakers to stop the attacks on firefighters, teachers, police officers and other hard-working public service workers. Vote NO on SB 1484, 1485, 1486 and 1487.

Taking a page out of the playbooks of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Gov. Jan Brewer and extreme right-wing Arizona lawmakers are pushing a series of bills attacking firefighters, teachers, nurses and other public service workers who work hard to keep our communities safe and strong.

As in Wisconsin and Ohio, these measures are not about balancing Arizona’s budget and are not about jobs. They are about the destructive political agenda right-wing politicians and their corporate funders are pushing across the country to consolidate their power.

Sign This Petition To FIGHT Back Against The Muzzling Of Our Voices

Dennis Martinez — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:38:45 +0000

Petition: http://davidschapira.nationbuilder.com/stand_up_for_the_middle_class

The right of workers to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions is a fundamental American right that ought to be protected, not vilified. Arizona’s Tea Party Republicans should stop attacking workers and join us in focusing on real solutions to our economy.

We should be working to strengthen our dwindling middle class, not engaging in transparent attempts to tear it down.

Please add your voice to the petition, and I (David Schapira) will personally deliver our message to the Tea Party Republican leadership.

If you are in a union, please indicate which in the comment box of the petition.

AZ Lawmakers Eye Ban On Public Union Bargaining

Dennis Martinez — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:20:33 +0000

From: http://www.azfamily.com/

By AP

Video report by Frank Camacho

Posted on February 1, 2012 at 5:42 PM

PHOENIX — An Arizona Senate committee on Wednesday voted along party lines for a Republican bill to ban collective bargaining with public employee unions and to impose other restrictions on labor groups for government employees.

Arizona’s state government does not engage in collective bargaining with its employees, so the impact of the proposed ban would fall on political subdivisions such as school districts and municipalities that use the negotiating methods. They include both formal contracts and informal advisory negotiations.

The legislation was proposed in the wake of similar efforts by Republican lawmakers and governors in states including Wisconsin, where political tumult arising from a near-elimination of collective bargaining for public employees prompted a recall drive against Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

The collective bargaining ban proposed for Arizona was among four union-related bills approved by the Government Reform Committee.

Other bills approved by the committee would bar withholding money from a public employee’s pay for union dues, prohibit a public employer from paying an employee for union activities and prohibit deductions from public employees’ paychecks for outside groups without annual authorizations.

During the committee hearing, Republican legislators and representatives of the Goldwater Institute, a conservative advocacy group, said the bills would save taxpayer dollars while protecting the rights of individual public workers.

“This is about power and control of the public purse,” Goldwater Institute attorney Nick Dranias said of the collective bargaining ban. “This is not about attacking workers. This is not even about attacking unions.”

But Democratic legislators and union representatives said the bills were politically motivated attacks on public employee unions.

“At the end of the day,” said Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, “this bill is about union-busting.”

The opponents also said the bills would stifle the collective voice of firefighters, teachers and other workers.

“You and I know this is a political agenda. This is politics. You’re not trying to save taxpayer money,” said Frank Piccioli, head of a union representing 911 operators and other Phoenix city employees. “You don’t like who unions support.”

The sponsor of the proposed collective bargaining ban, Sen. Rick Murphy, said taxpayers’ costs from public employee contracts negotiated by unions for pay and benefits are a burden on taxpayers.

Government workers who band together to extract more money from the public aren’t entitled to have the public support that process through payroll deductions, Murphy said. “You have the right to freedom of speech. You do not have a right to free speech.”

The panel’s approval of the bills on 4-2 votes sends them to the full Senate for consideration next week under a normal timetable, but Murphy said he was willing to first speak with opponents to hear more of their concerns. The legislation would move to the House if passed by the Senate.

Goldwater Institute economists say that 2010 statistics indicate that about 93,400 state or local government workers in Arizona, or about one of every four such workers, were represented in collective bargaining.

Rebecca Friend, Arizona AFL-CIO president, said at least 30,000 public employees belong to unions. She said that number may be low.

The legislation is being proposed in what appears to be a favorable political climate for Republicans, with Democrats who traditionally support unions lacking the votes to stop GOP-backed measures. Republicans hold two-thirds majorities in both legislative chambers, and Republican Gov. Jan Brewer in the past shut down a fledgling meet-and-confer process authorized by her predecessor, Democrat Janet Napolitano.

Separately, Brewer wants lawmakers to loosen the state government’s civil service system to make it easier to fire workers. She has proposed a 5 percent pay raise but said current workers should generally get it if they’re not covered by civil-service protections or if they voluntarily surrender that status.

The Wisconsin law that aimed a national spotlight on union powers does not allow negotiating with public employees’ unions over anything except pay increases no greater than the rate of inflation.

Arizona is among at least a dozen states with pending 2012 legislation to ban or restrict collective bargaining by public employees, according to a legislative database of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In New Hampshire lawmakers are considering similar anti-union measures, including a ban on collective bargaining and on deducting dues from public employees’ paychecks.

In Ohio, voters last November overturned a law backed by Republican Gov. John Kasich to strip most public employee unions of collective bargaining rights.

Senate Bills Pass Committee – Be Heard Before It’s Too Late!

Dennis Martinez — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:09:03 +0000

AZ Senate Bills 1484, 1485, 1486, & 1487 passed committee yesterday. Senators Klein, Murphy, Smith, and Burgess voted Aye with Senators Gallardo and Lujan voting No. We all must do our part and call to voice our displeasure with these bills!

http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp

ALERT: AZ POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, & DISPATCHERS UNDER ATTACK

Dennis Martinez — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:04:05 +0000

Friends and Neighbors:

The men and women who keep Arizona safe earn a middle class salary for risking their lives every day. These police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers – our neighbors and our friends – have volunteered for pay cuts and benefit cuts for one reason…to better protect Arizona’s taxpayers.
…

Now, once again, our police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers are under attack.

A group of extremist bills introduced in the Arizona State Senate will gut the public safety community’s ability to have a voice in how they keep us safe. Police officers and firefighters will be muzzled on safety standards, equipment needs, training and tactics. Instead, the bureaucrats will be in control…the same folks who buy $400 hammers and have never stood on the front lines.

These extremist Senate bills will also destroy police and firefighter charitable efforts – efforts that have raised more than $10 million for scores of charities in the past 10 years. Worst of all, every street, every town and every city in Arizona, will be less safe if these bills pass.

We need your help.

Today, immediately, please email or call these key members of the Arizona State Senate. Tell them to kill SB1484, SB1485, SB1486 and SB1487.

• Sen. Frank Antenori – 602.926.5683 or fantenori@azleg.gov
• Sen. Judy Burges – 602.926.5861 or jburges@azleg.gov
• Sen. Lori Klein – 602.926.5284 or lklein@azleg.gov
• Sen. Rick Murphy – 602.926.4444 or rmurphy@azleg.gov
• Sen. Steve Smith – 602.926.5685 or stevesmith@azleg.gov
• Sen. Michele Reagan – 602.926.5828 or mreagan@azleg.gov
• Senate President Steve Pierce – 602.926.5584 or spierce@azleg.gov

Don’t let the Legislature gag our police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers. Don’t let them hurt charities and those in need of help. Don’t let the Legislature bring Washington-style big government and bitter partisan politics to our cities. Don’t let them destroy individual liberties and drastically reduce individual freedom.

Please Take Action Today!!!

President Frank Piccioli Debating AZ Senator On Channel 12 Tonight (1/31/12)

Dennis Martinez — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:35:21 +0000

Tune in to Channel 12 News at 6:00PM tonight to see President Frank Piccioli in a live debate with AZ District 9 Senator Rick Murphy about Union Rights and Collective Bargaining! We stand behind you President Piccioli!

Video: http://www.azcentral.com

PLEA Responds to Councilman’s E-mail Rants

Dennis Martinez — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:53:34 +0000

Councilman DiCiccio – We Need Your Help

by

Will Buividas, PLEA Treasurer/Chief Negotiator

Mr. DiCiccio, your email blasts across the Valley have made it clear that you’re concerned about “services to libraries, seniors, children and parks” and how budget restraints have negatively impacted them. Like you, Unit 4 members (the police officers the City has a contract with) and their Association have made a commitment to our community partners. This commitment was the reason Citizens for Phoenix partnered with PLEA, and at the direction of Phoenix Police Officers, PLEA agreed to 3.2% in wage concessions and supported a temporary 2% food tax. We, like you, thought it was vital to come to the aid of the vulnerable in our community during difficult economic times.

Mr. Diciccio, you have supported Phoenix Police officers on a variety of non – economic issues over the years to include support on controversial use of force incidents, some legislative issues and more equipment i.e. patrol rifles. Still, you are quite comfortable bashing public safety because, in your world view, those who risk it all everyday have too many benefits and get paid too much. Mr. Diciccio you seem to forget that 10 years ago those in the private sector were riding high on the hog and government workers were at the bottom of the heap. Did you bash the private sector because they had too many benefits? Were you railing against private corporations because they were making double or triple what those in government service were making? No….the silence was deafening. It’s only when the tables are turned and people in the private sector are on hard times that government workers become easy political targets.

Even with concessions and temporary taxes, the phone is still answered when people dial 911. The same concessions and temporary taxes haven’t stopped the vacancy rate in the Phoenix Police Department from approaching 600. Within the past three months two Phoenix Police Officers have been shot in the line of duty. If you need the details surrounding our injured officers, ask Mayor Elect Greg Stanton – he and his wife visited with them and their families in the hospital emergency rooms. This dangerous “at home” reality sheds a unique light on a national problem. The following news item was released today:

“According to preliminary data released today by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 173 officers have been killed during 2011 — up 13 percent from 153 line-of-duty deaths in 2010. For the first time in 14 years, firearms deaths outnumber traffic-related fatalities…”

The report continues by saying: “Especially troubling, 68 officers were shot and killed during the past year, an increase of 15 percent over the 59 killed by gunfire in 2010. A majority of these fatalities occurred as police officers were attempting an arrest, responding to domestic disturbance calls, or investigating suspicious persons or circumstances ‘Drastic budget cuts affecting law enforcement agencies across the country have put our officers at grave risk,’ declared NLEOMF Chairman Craig W. Floyd.” Perhaps there’s a good reason wages, rights, and benefits are important to front-line first-responders.

It seems, prior to and outside of negotiations, you’ve made your mind up as to the value of Phoenix Police Officers – no raises. One wonders if the Goldwater Institute considers this “bad faith bargaining.” In assisting with pension and illegal immigration issues, Goldwater Institute reporters had no problem utilizing PLEA’s expertise while at the PLEA office. You also seemed comfortable when you visited us in an effort to garner our support and input. In case you or the Goldwater Institute have forgotten, you’re more than welcome back to the PLEA office to see the photos of the 36 dead police officers you passed by when you walked in. You know, those officers who gave their lives in pursuit of the rule of law.

With all this said, when the next Phoenix Police Officer is killed or injured in the line of duty, would you please consider and be willing to help us at the hospital, the morgue, or the funeral in telling the widow and other families members that their loved ones get paid too much money and, in addition, should never have been allowed to ride on a City bus for free? Also, in looking at the line-of-duty death graph, please let us know what you believe is an acceptable casualty rate as it relates to pay raises. One more thing – why not take the time to come out and ride with first-responders to get a slightly different perspective a City Hall office or the Goldwater Institute just can’t provide. Things look a little different at three in the morning in a dark alley at 24^th Ave. and Van Buren St. And Mr. DiCiccio, just so you know, if you, like police officers, leave the safety of your home and go to dark and dangerous streets of Phoenix, you too could get hurt. Bad guys don’t care how much money you make. But that’s OK isn’t it? Don’t we pay City Council Members taxpayer money to risk their lives also?

Copied From: http://azplea.com

Fire Steward Election Results

Dennis Martinez — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:59:06 +0000

Congratulations to George Freund & Steve Petrie who were elected today as Fire Chief Steward and Fire Prevention Site Steward respectively! Today’s Fire Dispatch Site Steward election resulted in a tie between Joe Witt & Dennis Martinez. Information regarding a runoff election will be forthcoming.