6.15.11
Local630
Update
As you know Local 630 has held a mail out ballot election to vote for our delegates to the 2011 Laborers’ International Convention. The Convention will be take place in Las Vegas in October. This was a close race and all of the candidates should be proud of themselves, but in the end Beau Worsham and AJ Smith won the two elected delegate spots. The results were as follows:
Candidate Votes %
William “Beau” Worsham 48 32.76%
Sam Aiken 30 14.85%
Phyllis Littlejohn 26 12.87%
Kip Hamilton 31 15.35%
Cherlyn Brown 22 10.89%
AJ Smith 45 22.28%
We would also like to thank our Judges of Elections (James Barkoski, Robert Cleland, and Barney Roberts), they did a great job.
5.09.11
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Now that this years Legislative Session has finally come to an end we would like to update you on the outcome of the Bills we were most concerned with. Please click on the “Legislative Brief 2011″ link below to see how we did. Please remember not to get comfortable; the Bills that we fought off will most likely return next session.
Legislative Brief 2011
Stop The Attack on Florida Voters
Republican leaders in the Florida Legislature have launched an unprecedented attack on the voting rights of Floridians. Per our friends at Progress Florida, CS/HB 1355 does the following:
- Reducing early voting from 13 days to just 5, ensuring massively long wait times to cast a vote in Florida’s more urban and populous counties;
- Encouraging voter suppression by forcing many voters to vote by provisional ballots which often are not counted;
- Disenfranchising voters by removing the longstanding rule allowing them to update address and name changes at the polling place;
- Discouraging voter registration drives by creating cumbersome new regulations for groups that register new voters;
- Undermining successful election protection efforts by severely restricting non-partisan programs from providing legal assistance and other services to voters at the polls; and
- Making grassroots ballot initiative campaigns virtually impossible for anyone but wealthy special interests.
Help us stop this unacceptable voter suppression bill and sign this letter to the Florida Senate.
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To All Local 630 Bargaining Unit Employees:
I am writing to let you know that the Florida Legislature is joining the nationwide attack on public employees in our State. As early as July 1, 2011, House Bill 1023 will revoke your right to negotiate a contract with your employer. If you would please take a moment to read House Bill 1023 and I think you will agree that we must act NOW! If your bargaining unit is under 50% membership and enough additional employees fail to join the Union before June 30, 2011 your Union will be decertified. This means your right to collectively bargain the terms and conditions of employment will be lost. The City will have the right to reduce or eliminate your benefits at their discretion. This means many of your current benefits will be in jeopardy, such as your pension, grievance procedure, pay scales, and insurance benefits. Effectively your contract will disappear.
Don’t let the greedy politicians in Tallahassee take away your rights!
If you are a dues paying member of Local 630, please ask a non-member that you work with to fill-out a membership card and give it to a Union Steward. If you are not currently a dues paying member of Local 630, please complete a membership application and give it to a Union Steward. Union Dues are $36 per month.
The time to fight back is NOW; the time for action is NOW.
Fraternally yours,
Andy Bemis
Business Manager, LiUNA Local 630
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Below are three documents.
The first is House Bill 1023, it is an attempt to decertify all bargaining units with membership less than 50%.
The Second is Senate Bill 830, this bill is an attempt to prevent public employee unions from collecting dues via payroll deduction.
The third bill is a pension bill for the City of Jacksonville sponsored by Councilman Bishop, it is an attempt to severly reduce pension benifits for the City of Jacksonville general pension fund.
PLEASE READ THESE BILLS and call the appropriate City and State officials to express your dissatisfaction with his proposed legislation.
