http://new.eaaunion.net/index.php/site/index/ en avin@websuccessagency.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-11T17:36:52+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/budget_and_labor_news_from_sacramento/ http://www.eaaunion.net/budget_and_labor_news_from_sacramento/#When:17:36:52Z In Los Angeles, we tend to concentrate on our local budget and labor issues, sometimes forgetting that the State’s problems affect funds available for Los Angeles.  EAA links a few highlights and/or lowlights from the recent news out of Sacramento.March 11, 2010 – Sacramento Bee – Unused Vacation Time Could Wash Out State Furlough Savings – “State workers used nearly a third less of their paid vacation time . . . furloughs will carry a deferred cost to the state for many years to come. . . All that (the state) did with furloughs was borrow money” [While the accumulation rules in Los Angeles may be different, the same principles operate here.] March 10, 2010 – The State Worker – State Fund Furlough Compensation Still Not Settled – “Two court decisions last year restored the roughly 8,000 employees there to full hours and wages and awarded back pay plus 7 percent.” [This is another furlough case where the employees won.  Read about the complications in this article.] March 4, 2010 – Capitol Alert – Former Speaker Handed Out Staff Pay Raises – [She does this while most State workers are on three-day per month furloughs.] “Karen Bass . . . gave them 10 percent salary increases  . . . The Los Angeles Democrat approved the raises on Friday, her last week day as speaker. . . “This allows the Assembly to retain staff” . . . Bass said.”  [As if they had anywhere to go with the high unemployment in California.   This is indicative of the problem with elected officials at every level.] Additional articles from Capitol Alert explain why (incompetence) California is out of the running for Federal education stimulus funds, that California is rated 50th of 50 states in tax administration, and that the top 15 political spenders are all unions, businesses, or Indian tribes. Furlough News 2010-03-11T17:36:52+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/mixed_news_about_our_city_for_march_10/ http://www.eaaunion.net/mixed_news_about_our_city_for_march_10/#When:20:00:00Z Money-saving proposals approved and not approved, why do we need the Mayor and Council at all, and a Council Member honored as Legislator of the Year. March 10, 2010 – LA Weekly – Firefighters, City In Tentative Deal That Will Save L. A. $12 Mil – “United Firefighters of Los Angeles agreed to $12 million in concessions . . . "The city wanted a little bit more and we gave them a little bit more,'' [UFLAC] "union president Pat McOsker said." March 10, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – Jan Perry, L. A. Legislator of the Year – [One day after Mayor Sam conferred his prestigious A-C award on Council Member Perry, BreatheLA] “recognizes honorees who strive to promote clean air and healthy lungs in Los Angeles County each and every day. . . dignitaries, community leaders and clean technology experts will gather” [to honor Ms. Perry and others.  Congratulations to Council Member Perry.  EAA hopes you can do as well with the budget.] March 10, 2010 – Griffith Park Wayist – Another Terrace Morning – “The City made a bad deal with a couple of out-of-state banks . . . Prodded by . . . Andy Stern, Councilmember Richard Alarcon does not want the city to honor the deals” [Here you can truly see that the City is in cahoots with Andy.  This explains the City assisting raids on EAA, refusing to abide by MOUs or other contracts/agreements, and the continued management-friendly agreements with Andy.] “in the Villaraigosa mayoralty; in short, rather than bank prudently, the city placed a bet on the direction of the bond market, and lost.” March 9, 2010 – Our LA – Parks Programs Get Help by Spinning Off Golf Courses to Separate Unit – “and its 165 workers as a separate enterprise . . . shift golf workers from the general fund payroll and save a similar number of jobs of workers” [This sounds good for City employees until we read that] “also could set the stage for the golf courses to be leased to a private operator “ [and that] “county gets several million dollars a year from its golf courses while the city, with a similar number of rounds played, actually loses money” [And of course, the blame is laid at the feet of City employees salaries and benefits.  So this proposal, while creative and good and it is nice that Recreation & Parks has made it, it has both its upside and its downside.] March 9, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – Let’s Lay Off the Mayor & Council – Who Needs Them? – [With well-constructed sarcasm (or not?), Ron says] “what a well deserved vacation they have coming next week . . . They have confused and fragmented the populace  . . . enact everything they and their puppet masters want on unanimous votes on first reading. . . don't care what the public has to say. They do not listen, they do not hear”  [The article then continues with this:] “we don't need them at all. . . we'd save $25 million or so in salaries and perks . . . save tens of millions more that they squander . . . hundreds of millions even beyond . . . lobbyists, developers, contractors, consultants and union leaders could . . . take care of city business in public and on camera” March 9, 2010 – Daily News – Council Delays Ambulance Vote – [Without speculating on whether the ambulance proposal is beneficial or not, you can see the standard action from the Council: delay, delay, delay.]  ”in a dramatic example of the importance of emergency services, one council aide fainted at the start of the hearing and was treated by paramedics“  [EAA believes this was legitimate and not staged.]  “We are trying to deal with it as best we can. . . do not have the money” [said Greig Smith.] "We need to look at alternatives to layoffs," LaBonge said  [So exactly what is it that you have been doing for two years, Council Member LaBonge?] City of LA Budget, City of LA News 2010-03-10T20:00:00+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/unions_the_economy_a_newly_crowned_clown_and_more/ http://www.eaaunion.net/unions_the_economy_a_newly_crowned_clown_and_more/#When:11:59:15Z Mayor Sam rears his head, State legislators weigh in on furloughs, Walter Moore attacks taxes, and "Where's My Scarf?" is in the news.March 9, 2010 – Los Angeles Times – Legislators OK Exemptions to Furloughs for State Workers – “employees paid with federal funds or license and usage fees. . . 35% of state employees” [Similar proposals in Los Angeles have fallen on deaf ears in the City Council.] March 8, 2010 – Walter Moore Says – It’s the Taxes, Stupid – “why unemployment is worse here in L.A. . . . those businesses are likely to leave. . . an attachment to a memo from the City’s Office of Finance” March 7, 2020 – City Hall Insider - 2009 Mayor Sam Political Ass Clown Award – [Even though Sam is no longer active at the Mayor Sam blog, he is a contributor at other blogs.  City Hall Insider has announced that the winner is:] “city council's most ardent supporter of illegal signage; Councilwoman Jan Perry . . . how far Perry is willing to go to undermine the will of the people remains to be seen.” March 5, 2010 – Dayton Daily News – Financial Shenanigans at the SEIU – [Where's My Scarf] “Andy Stern. The profligate, corruption-coddling head . . . Stern directly installed a cadre of labor management stooges embroiled in financial scandals “ [The article continues with a summary of the many wrong-doings of SEIU – a real blot on the public image of unions.] City of LA News, Furlough News, SEIU Facts 2010-03-09T11:59:15+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/do_we_really_know_whats_happening_more_commentary_on_los_angeles/ http://www.eaaunion.net/do_we_really_know_whats_happening_more_commentary_on_los_angeles/#When:19:45:16Z Back-room dealing, "facts", desperation, need for Council to visit bars, cut the ambulances, Villaraigosa vetoes Cardenas, and more in today's commentary regarding our City's finances and politics.March 9, 2010 – Daily News – L. A. Council Could Take 10 Least-Used Ambulances Out of Service – [In their desperation to save money without cutting their overspending for their own benefit, Council is considering this and other items.]  "I can't think of anything that would save so little money that would have so grave an impact on public safety as this," Pat McOsker, who heads United Firefighters of Los Angeles City . . . outsourcing [the real goal of the Council] the task of billing . . . imposing a fee for basic services . . . enacting a parcel tax . . . imposing additional fees . . . charging outside agencies” March 9, 2010 – LA Weekly – Mayor Villaraigosa Vetoes Councilman Cardenas’ Use of Discretionary Money – “After asking the City Council last month to put its $40 million in fun money back . . . vetoing the apparently defiant move by . . . Cardenas . . .[who proposed moving $] from the Street Furniture Reserve Fund to help pay for office salaries” March 8, 2010 – Los Angeles Times – Automatic ‘Yes’ Votes Allow Time for Back-Room Dealing at City Hall – “voting software is set to automatically register each of the 15 lawmakers as a "yes" unless members deliberately press a button to vote "no." . . even when members have left to grab a snack in the hall or hold a meeting. . . Five people who have gone into those rooms in recent months with the council members said they never heard the speakers turned on.”  [Finally, the source of the huge numbers of unanimous votes is revealed!  They need not be there, nor even know what they voted on!] March 7, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – Face Facts – “A good case can be made that our elected representatives are guilty of both misfeasance and malfeasance”  [Instead the City Hall plan to] “destroy the Neighborhood Council movement, slash services, eliminate nearly 7,000 jobs and give tax breaks and incentives to businesses . . . while burdening those stuck here . . . It's crazy when you think about it, insane . . . Apart from all else that City Hall has done, and is doing, wrong, that is the fatal flaw.” [Read it to find out what Ron Kaye believes is the fatal flaw.] March 6, 2010 – Walter Moore Says - City Hall Better Visit These Bars Before Preparing Next Budget – [Three of the Five ways the City obtains its revenue are still rising!]  “sales tax and the business tax.  They are headed down. “ [In the comments, the folly of furloughs is emphasized:]  “$$ millions it is costing the city are worth it in his [Mayor] opinion in order to put EAA in its place. . . the one union . . . has continually over the past 2 years warned the mayor and city council of this catastrophe in the making.”  [Yes, we have.] March 6, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – The Henchman, Apologist and Desperate Mayor – [While documenting many of the Mayor’s failures, Ron Kaye gives us a look at Jeff Carr (the Henchman) and Tim Rutten (the Apologist) of the LA Times.]  "The problem, Carr says . . . labor's refusal to engage”  [But Ron Kaye points out that]  “None of that is remotely true. . . [instead, the truth is] deals with the mayor for early retirements and no raises, 10,000 cops have given up raises, thousands of other workers have seen their pay cut by up to 10 percent through furloughs.”  [reminding his readers that City workers have borne the brunt of the sacrifice.]   City of LA Budget, City of LA News 2010-03-09T19:45:16+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/the_best_articles_from_the_web_linked_for_march_5/ http://www.eaaunion.net/the_best_articles_from_the_web_linked_for_march_5/#When:17:42:09Z Rip-off the Airport & DWP, shift the costs, additional contracting out of City jobs, and more are here for your enlightenment.March 5, 2010 – City Watch – First Layoff List Finalized; 4,000 May Not be Enough – “realization that the 4,000 cuts can’t be made in time . . . could take until October to process 4,000 . . . one more question: Who’s in charge here?  And, why?” [Once again, this points out the simpleton types of “solutions” provided by the City Council.  Instead of doing their jobs and cutting expenditures years ago, they follow the lead of politicians everywhere and blame the hard-working employees for the problem.] March 4, 2010 – Walter Moore Says – “Budget Crisis” is Merely Latest in Long Line of Schemes to Get More of Your Money – “City Hall is the municipal equivalent of the movie “Groundhog Day?” . . . every single year, the career politicians in the Spring Street Gang try to convince you there is a “crisis.”  The “solution,”  invariably, is for them to take more of your money.” [Need any one say more?] March 5, 2010 – The Sausage Factory – Council Looks to Shift Costs –[to homeowners and DWP] “property owners pay to repair sidewalks . . . $147 million transfer from the Department of Water and Power . . . asking contractors to reduce their bills by 10 percent” [How about eliminating all contractors possible, those that do not have excessive ‘cancellation’ clauses in their contracts?] March 4, 2010 – Daily News – City Report Details Layoffs’ Impact – [In the first official detailed report about the threatened layoffs,] “Libraries might be open 12 fewer hours a week, parks might have to drop their day-care service and tree-trimming service might be abandoned . . . detailed the first 542 out of the 1,000 positions”  [The report indicates that even just the first 542 would have this great an effect on the citizens.  Shame on those who let the deficit get this bad!] March 4, 2010 – Walter Moore Says - Villaraigosa Rips Off Airport – “not about to lay off anyone on his own bloated staff . . . had his cronies at the airport cut his office a check for $582,80. . . airport is paying his brilliant staff for their expert advice” [on preventing terrorism.] March 4, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – Take Heed, Antonio, Little Things Mean a Lot – “Mayor and City Council are showing . . . carelessness and arrogance . . . A day after he sent pink slips to 562 city workers, 50 times more than have been laid off in generations, he's dancing with the stars . . . Antonio Villaraigosa as the Bernie Madoff of LA, a swindler who has stolen their city, their hopes, their dreams, their futures. . . his let-them-eat-cake symbol of his true indifference” [This piece is a true indictment of the entire Villaraigosa tenure as Mayor.] March 4, 2010 – Walter Moore Says – Why Did City Hall Just Award Six Contracts for -  “Transportation Consultants” [What about utilizing their existing employees at LADOT?  They add these contractors while they are threatening massive layoffs.  This demonstrates at least one part of their real agenda – contract out the work of City employees to their campaign contributors.]     City of LA Budget, Latest News 2010-03-05T17:42:09+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/more_of_union_news_for_early_march/ http://www.eaaunion.net/more_of_union_news_for_early_march/#When:20:02:31Z Read about how Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve Cooley, Sen. Mark Leno, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, and others have taken actions this week that affect unions.March 3, 2010 – Los Angeles Times – Judge Says Cooley’s Retaliation Against Union Members is ‘Striking and Rampant’ – “preliminary injunction is issued ordering . . . not to discipline or discriminate . . . for belonging to the union that represents hundreds” [This is due to a lawsuit] “alleging that Cooley and others demoted, transferred and gave mediocre performance reviews to prosecutors as part of an anti-union campaign. . . the county did not dispute allegations that Cooley instructed one prosecutor to "undermine" or interfere with the union” [This is the type of behavior that should and does get managers in deep trouble.  EAA members need to report any anti-union or retaliation incidents to their Labor Representative immediately upon occurrence.] March 2, 2010 – Capitol Alert – Schwarzenegger Seeks to Consolidate Furlough Cases – [His administration] “asked the California Supreme Court to consolidate and review seven cases related to the governor's furlough authority”  “Superior Court Judge . . . ordered the state to end furloughs for tens of thousands of state workers [and] ordered the state to pay those workers for lost wages . . . put on hold when the state filed an appeal” [Since the City of Los Angeles unilateral furloughs have some similarities, the outcome of these cases is of particular interest to EAA members and other City workers.] March 2, 2010 – San Francisco Bay Guardian – SF Leaders Condemn SEIU Tactics – “a letter signed by a broad array of top political officials condemning SEIU tactics” [Quoting the letter from 116 County Supervisors, State Legislators, and other community leaders] “SEIU officials directed staff to open, mark, and alter workers’ ballots; threaten the deportation of immigrants; and tell workers they would suffer the loss of wages, benefits and hours . . . SEIU organizers physically removed ballots from workers’ mailboxes and homes” [The same SEIU with the same tactics they use in Los Angeles, San Diego, and everywhere else they operate.] Furlough News, SEIU Facts 2010-03-03T20:02:31+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/march_3_budget_borrowing_revenue_fleecing_accounting_et_cetera/ http://www.eaaunion.net/march_3_budget_borrowing_revenue_fleecing_accounting_et_cetera/#When:19:55:25Z Read the never-ending story, view a revenue bar-graph, discover how to kill parks and libraries, find out (if you can) what the “Core Services” are, and learn about polls.March 3, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – The Never-Ending Story of the Budget Crisis - City officials for years have ignored the fact that spending more money than they take in sooner or later leads to bankruptcy.  . . advice was ignored . . . they cut a deal [ERIP] . . . that deal blew up a . . . cut a second deal . . . has blown up . . .  all the cuts . . . from a pool of less than 13,000 workers . . . The truth is, they do not have a plan to fix what is broken--what they broke. [And that is the final and complete summary of the problem – the Mayor and the Council have no idea what they are doing and no plan for what to do next.] March 2, 2010 – Daily News – Greuel Says L. A. Will Have to Borrow More – “more grim financial news . . . a forecast that revenues will be down $141 million next year” [This is actually no surprise, just the Council making more headlines by wringing their collective hands in despair.] March 2, 2010 – Walter Moore Says – “Budget Crisis” Bar Graph – “the City’s annual revenues . . . Do you see anything in there that looks as though it should be a “crisis?”  Me, neither. . . only “crisis” is . . . Villaraigosa and the City Council spent every penny “  [And much more as they spent into debt.] March 2, 2010 – Griffith Park Wayist – Fleecing Our City Parks and Libraries: Part One – Killing Our Neighborhoods – “cuts estimated to approach 50% this year . . . cuts directly violate the City Charter.  That isn't stopping the City Council, CAO, and Mayor. . .  the monetary savings to the General Fund at just $4 million from Recreation and Parks, and $2 million from Libraries.” [So, our fearless elected leaders gut these two essential departments by 50% to save just $6 million while revenues are down only 2.6%?] March 2, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – What Are LA’s Core Services? Don’t Ask, They Won’t Tell – “Deputy Mayor Larry Frank dissembled and doubletalked his way through his answer.” [That (?!) is the response of the Mayor’s office!] March 1, 2010 – Walter Moore Says – Polling and Accounting for Taxpayers – “  The surcharge has nothing to do with renewable energy, and everything to do with providing even more money to the career politicians who have overspent this City into an international monument to municipal mismanagement.”  [This article is a reaction to the Mayor’s call for a useless ‘carbon tax’.]   City of LA Budget 2010-03-03T19:55:25+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/seiu_utla_seiu_and_nflpa_unions_make_the_news/ http://www.eaaunion.net/seiu_utla_seiu_and_nflpa_unions_make_the_news/#When:19:30:20Z Rejecting Andy Stern, halting construction in southern California, mega-local meltdown, and forcing the school union to the table.  Stories of other unions in these interesting times.March 1, 2010 – Beyond Chron - Rejecting Stern Appointees, SEIU1021 Members Give Reformers Election Sweep – “striking blow to SEIU’s national leadership . . . The one-sided outcome follows staggering SEIU defeats at Santa Rosa Memorial and Kaiser Sunset Hospitals and reflects growing worker opposition to SEIU . . . growing movement toward more democratic unionism in California, joining UNITE HERE, NUHW and other unions [including EAA] in promoting this trend.”  [Will 721 be the next to reject Andy?]    “another rejection of Stern’s model of top-down leadership, with its focus on members as dues payers . . . it is clear that this is no longer the forward-thinking union”     [EAA is pleased for the workers in Local 1021 and hope that more democratically motivated reforms follow.]    March 1, 2010 – Daily News – LAUSD Set to Send Layoff Notices – [These are notices, not actual layoffs, and are intended to bring the unions to the table to agree to cutbacks in salaries and/or benefits.]  “nearly  4,700 layoff notices . . . the school district often rescinds layoff notices . . . usually because it manages to find money or the unions make concessions . . . union leaders still believe that the district has failed to make all possible savings from administrative costs” [They are talking about excessive administrative costs that do not directly benefit education of children.  As always, EAA wishes the best to our union brothers and sisters working at LAUSD.] March 1, 2010 – Working in These Times – SEIU’s Mega-Local Meltdown: Size Matters, But Members Matter More - When rank-and-file members run for office in SEIU it’s not easy to win—or even run. And that’s not by accident. . . lack of accountability to the membership is still a big problem . . . recently-restructured SEIU locals . . . have proven to be extremely dysfunctional and unpopular with dues-payers . . . discredited and increasingly incompetent Stern appointees . . . reformers also made a point of declaring that they “will not spend a penny” of “precious local resources” to “raid or attack other unions.” . . . ‘the SEIU juggernaut’ is a paper tiger”  [This scathing evaluation of the Andy Stern era in SEIU comes a little late as SEIU has already wasted millions of dollars that could have been better spent organizing the unorganized and fighting to preserve or improve benefits to its members.] March 1, 2010 – Daily Bulletin – Another Snag Faces NFL Arena – “a battle waging in the NFL . . . between team owners and the players' union . . . NFL is more worried about a possible labor stoppage than moving a team to . . . Los Angeles Stadium in Industry” [Proving that even those in the unions of the rich do not want to give up the salaries and benefits they fought so long to obtain.] Latest News, SEIU Facts 2010-03-02T19:30:20+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/here_we_go_again_-_more_budget_news_for_la/ http://www.eaaunion.net/here_we_go_again_-_more_budget_news_for_la/#When:09:34:38Z Some savings by City officials, Villaraigosa's office expenditures, fairy tales, libraries, and overspenders are in the news of our City.March 1, 2010 – Daily News – City Officials Come Up With $26.5 Million in Savings – [over the next 18 months] “from the Los Angeles Police and Fire departments budgets” [Various means of reducing expenditures and raising fees are included in this proposal.] March 1, 2010 – LA Weekly – Villaraigosa Has the Biggest Most-Expensive Mayor’s Office in Decades – [Pointing out that the excesses by elected officials continue to run rampant even as they call to lay off hard-working City employees.]  “his own budget has been somewhat of a sacred cow . . . The mayor's office, according to the report, employs 173 workers. Hahn had 121. Riordan had 114.”  [Unforgiveable increase!] March 1, 2010 – Walter Moore – City Hall Overspenders Want to Raise Your Taxes Even Higher – “solution for the faux “budget crisis,” . . . they have clearly identified the real problem here:  we are under-taxed.   The only reason for the fake “budget crisis” is over-spending.  Revenues are down just 2.6% from last year.   The gravy train for millionaire developers and other cronies, moreover, is steaming full speed ahead, as usual.”  [If true, a revenue drop of 2.6% should not have resulted in a budget crisis of this magnitude.] February 28, 2010 – Ron Kaye LA – Antonio’s Budget Fairy Tale – [Larry Frank] “laid out the mayor's plan such as it is to fix the massive budget deficit as if he were talking to fourth graders. . . the mayor's plan is to slash basic services, sell off valuable assets like parking structures and the Convention Center to his pals, and borrow billions of dollars just to get through this year and next.”  [When, of course, he will no longer have to worry as he will be termed out.] February 28, 2010 – Daily News – It’s a Sad Chapter for Los Angeles – “Library woes one indicator for city's mounting budget problems . . . Now, it's getter harder to get inside the buildings. . . even officers are being asked along with other city workers to consider pay cuts as deep as 15 percent.”  [Let's see now, our math is rusty - a 2.6% drop in revenue means a 15% pay cut - ah, new math is . . . ]   City of LA Budget, Latest News 2010-03-02T09:34:38+00:00 http://www.eaaunion.net/unions_in_the_news_for_the_beginning_of_march/ http://www.eaaunion.net/unions_in_the_news_for_the_beginning_of_march/#When:01:41:26Z Some unions fight to save jobs, others attack employees, hear from an organizer, math, and other stories.February 26, 2010 – In These Times – Unions Fight to Save-and Stimulate-Manufacturing Jobs – [In this article, we can read about how unions around the nation are working to ensure that the Federal stimulus funds actually create American jobs, instead of helping companies relocate existing jobs to Mexico.]  “corporate relocations of profitable businesses out of the country further slow recovery, hurting prospects for workers in both the U.S. and Mexico. . . Buy America provisions . . . have been particularly successful in saving and stimulating domestic manufacturing jobs.” February 26, 2010 – Stern Burger With Fries – Watcha Gonna Do When They Come for You? – [Here, SEIU demonstrates their latest organizing technique – assault!]  “SEIU Staffer and Zombie Liz Castillo got pissed at . . . Antonio Orea and some members who were having lunch . . . so she back-handed him.  Charming, and a great way to win votes Liz!!” [And we understand that the police are looking for her!] February 24, 2010 – Adios Andy – Organizer Speaks Out – “SEIU took over negotiations . . . settled a contract that is nothing but takeaways . . . Many of us have been targeted and threatened by SEIU. . . Now the bullying and intimidation are coming from our own union. “ [These workers will soon vote to leave SEIU, a growing trend.] February 25, 2010 – Stern Burger With Fries – Math is Hard! – [Does the following sound familiar?]  “SEIU actually duplicated five of the signatures in a lame effort to inflate the numbers . . . nothing about 52 signatures from 51 facilities [Yes, that is all the support SEIU can muster!] Latest News, SEIU Facts 2010-03-01T01:41:26+00:00