Staying Informed
By Maxine Knisley – Membership Chair
It is essential that we, as Educators & Retirees, continue to stay aware of the actions of our Legislators. This vigilance includes monitoring Legislators both in Florida & New York as well as in Washington.
Click here to view: Senate Majority Leader of State Legislature offers alternative view of New Mexico.
Sen. Michael Sanchez expresses his concerns regarding the Governor's 2013 legislative proposals to give even more public tax revenues to special private interests, as well as the richest 2-percent of New Mexicans and corporations.
AFT Healthcare-Maryland reports that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget includes a significant increase in the state’s Healthcare costs. The governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2014, which begins July 1 of this year, includes $10.4 billion for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene—an increase of 4 percent or $397.6 million more than that provided in F.Y. 2013.
MPEC is encouraging Unit G members to familiarize themselves with Article 14 of the current contract (Memorandum of Understanding). That article specifically addresses job classifications. Unit G members who have questions about recent changes to a job classification, grade, or pay level, or who believed they should be reclassified, should contact an MPEC representative at 410/764-3030.
The 2013 Session of the North Dakota Legislature is off and running at a furious pace, here in Bismarck. And, in the midst of all of it, Stuart Savelkoul, the Executive Director of North Dakota Public Employees Association, checks in with an update of what our organization is doing to represent the thoughts and concerns of our members in the halls of the Capitol.
On November 6th, America witnessed an historic occurence. The re-election of President Barack Obama both shocked and elated not only America's voters, but people around the world. Prominent members of the Republican Party had announced that their first priority was to prevent the president from being re-elected.
In fact, it now has been revealed that certain governors and election officials consciously and deliberately conspired to suppress the Democratic turnout to prevent the president's victory. Right wing pundits confidently predicted the president's fall.
from AFT-Maryland's Insider newsletter:
As the Baltimore County government was closing during Hurricane Sandy, the public health nurses were ensuring that safe shelter was available for the couty residents by manning a Weather Shelter at the county's Eastern Technical School. The shelter remained open until safe weather conditions prevailed.
AFT-Maryland President Marietta English convened members of the AFT-Maryland leadership and staff for a special training retreat in October, at the Mount Washington Conference Center in Baltimore. The retreat was devoted to a review and analysis of the federation's operations, and the identification of specific strategies and practices capable of increasing the federation's efficiency and effectiveness.
The retreat placed special emphasis on four key areas: legislative and political power; organizing and mobilization, communications, and community engagement.
Update: The hearing for a new trial has been rescheduled and will be held on Monday, March 4, in Baton Rouge's 19th Judicial District Court.
(Baton Rouge – January 24, 2013) A Baton Rouge district judge has agreed to rehear arguments that one of Governor Bobby Jindal’s signature education acts violates a constitutional prohibition on bundling multiple objectives in one piece of legislation.
Act 1 tied virtually every aspect of a teacher’s professional life, from salaries to tenure to termination, to a new evaluation system. But it also changed several sections of law dealing with the powers of school boards and superintendents.
Hello all and Happy New Year to anyone I have not already spoken to.
Yesterday, the Union Negotiating Team again met with the college for a negotiating session. Various items were discussed; however, there is still not a final proposal to bring back to the membership for ratification. We have scheduled another session for January 30th and we are awaiting confirmation from the College’s attorney regarding that date.
Hopefully, we will have some good news to report after that.
