Common Ground December by JH Communications

Common Ground VOLUME 1, NUMBER 12

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DECEMBER 2010

RHODE ISLAND

Reback leaves her mark on education in Rhode Island By Paul V. Palange

PROVIDENCE – Before stepping down last month as president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP), Marcia B. Reback says she had seven job offers. The offers are an indication of just how effective Reback was during her 37-year tenure as a local and statewide union leader. After serving as president of the Providence Teachers Union from 1973 to 1992, Reback took over as head of the federation and held nine two-year terms. She decided to retire at the age of 65 in the wake of winning a major battle to preserve the jobs of teachers at Central Falls High School. All of the faculty members were fired when their union and school administrators disagreed on a plan to increase student performance at the high school. Unioninitiated legal maneuvers blocked the terminations and mediation saved the teachers’ positions, an outcome that Reback called a “huge” victory. “I have had a couple of really good years,” she said. “It’s good to leave with my head held high.” A love of children and their ah-ha moments in the classroom drew Reback to the teaching profession, but the opportunity to solve problems bigger than those she faced as a teacher motivated her to become a union leader. Some achievements during Reback’s leadership years at the local level she feels are notable include drop out prevention initiatives, early intervention programs for children needing clinical social work and a partnership with Brown University to develop new styles of teaching. On the state level, she said, “a major portion of the (federation’s) obligation to its members is to monitor legislation and lobby to improve the lives of the members whom we serve and the clients they serve.” Her successor, Frank Flynn of the Cranston

Teachers’ Alliance, will be assuming efforts to formulate a rigorous teacher evaluation system – a process being developed thanks to Reback’s work to secure a $200,000 grant from the American Federation of Teachers, $100,000 from the Rhode Island Foundation and part of a $5 million federal innovation grant. Goals of the evaluation systems will address making struggling teachers good teachers, helping good teachers become great teachers and assisting teachers who do not have what it takes to be in the classroom find new careers. Other measures she says are needed to improve the state’s education system include: • Instituting early childhood education throughout Rhode Island, particularly for children living in poverty. • Increasing the amount of training college education majors receive on how to teach reading. • Reducing the number of children in classes, particularly in the primary grades. • Lengthening the school day. • Adopting benchmarks used in other countries that demonstrate teaching is a highly respected profession. James A. Parisi, a field representative for the state federation for the past 16 years, said during her tenure, Reback “did a tremendous job conveying our members’ perspective on all issues.” He cited her knowledge of the labor movement and said that because of her leadership, union members are more involved than ever in the legislative process and political action. Reback, who recently received Rhode Island Jobs with Justice’s

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Lifetime Achievement Award, is passionate about the need for organized labor, refuting the notion it is no longer important. “The conservative media has vilified unions along with certain politicians, creating an almost palpable anti-union sentiment in Rhode Island, pitting people in unions against those who are not through jealousy and envy,” she said. “When the economy is good, no one has any complaints, and the word blame is not used because everyone is enjoying good times.” Public employees’ unions are taking some heat during the recession because mistreated private sector workers are lashing out, according to Reback, who stressed that union leaders believe “all boats should rise.” “Everyone should have a pension. Everyone should have health care. Pensions and health care benefits should not be taken away from people who have them,” Reback said. “Society’s goal should be to expand the middle class rather than watching it disappear so that all that is left in our society is the very well to do and the very poor.” Reback questions what conservatives calling for the downsizing of government would like to see eliminated. “What do they want to shrink: the Federal Food and Drug Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the United States Post Service? What part of government do we shrink?” she said. See REBACK Continued on page 2

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Common Ground

REBACK Continued from page 1 State government must stop exporting dollars to other states and countries, according to Reback. The state should have a Rhode Island first policy, she said, meaning that Ocean State companies should be given first priority when public funds are used to purchase goods or services. Any additional costs will be made up with an increase of income taxes collected by the Department of Revenue on wages generated through local spending. A resident of Providence, Reback is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, receiving a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1966. In 1973, she received a master’s of arts in education from the University of Connecticut.

DECEMBER 2010

Additional awards she has received are the Edward J. McElroy United Way Community Services Award, Public Education Fund First Annual Award, Labor History Society Recognition Award, Institute for Labor Studies Award for Women’s Leadership in the Labor Movement, National Education Association/Rhode Island Claiborne Pell Friend of Education Annual Award and Providence College Quirk Institute Leadership Award. If Reback returns to the classroom, she will have a lot to offer whether she is a teacher or student.

Candle-lit fires By Brian Hunter We sponsor low-cost spaying/neutering clinics,

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home fires each year, which is twice the number of recorded in 1980. An estimated 4% of all house fires are started by candles, and four out

To defend the inalienable rights of both companion animals and wildlife through education, legal and legislative activism.

of ten candle-ignited fires start in the bedroom. Candle fires also occur most frequently in December, when 13% of the fires involve holiday decorations. Many of the fatalities caused by candle-lit fires occurred among people who were using candles to light homes in which the power had been shut off. Homeowners are urged to use flashlights for illumination and bulbs for decoration whenever possible. SPUMONI’S

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As the holiday season rolls on, we all have a job to do. I’m talking about supporting our local economy. In recent years, I set a goal to host a “Buy Local Thanksgiving,” with each dish made with ingredients from our farmers’ markets and local vendors. That includes the turkey in my oven, the THURSDAY - LADIES NIGHT cranberries in my sauce, the bread in my stuffing, the vegetables in my side dishes, the fruit in my - 11 pies, the grapes in 8myPM wine, thePM dairy in my coffee ... you get the picture. As part of my office’s ongoing effort to support small businesses in Rhode Island, I’ll be traversing the state on my Buy Local RI tours for the third year this fall and winter. In addition to the farmers’ W/BEVERAGE PURCHASE markets, I’ll be touring small businesses to bring attention to the importance of buying goods and services locally. We’ll also be adding features to our Buy Local RI Web site to make it more interactive, informative and user-friendly. TheEVERY impact we SUNDAY can make on the Rhode Island economy if we buy local first is no small matter. 9:30-1:30 ✭ All dinners served with Multiple studies$have99 shownChildren that each$dollar local independent businesses usually generates 99spent atFrench Fries, Spaghetti or Ziti & Soup or Salad ✭ (3-12 yrs)economic benefit than dollars spent at an absentee-owned chain. Adults at least three times more direct local That’s something to think about the next time you open your wallet. For more information, visit the 1537 NEWPORT AVE. SpumonisRestaurant.com Buy Local RI Web site at PAWTUCKET, RIwww.buylocalri.org. Cannot be combined Elizabeth H. Roberts is lieutenant governor of Rhode Island. 726-4449 with any other promotion or coupon.

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Common Ground

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Education fund gives Local 1033 members chance to expand horizons PROVIDENCE -- The proud public servants of Public Employees’ Local Union 1033 have long recognized their commitment to our communities through their daily labor, their dedication to making their local governmental agencies work and their year-long charitable efforts. The membership’s recent efforts include three separate acts to make our society a little bit better for everyone. On Oct. 24, more than 75 union sisters and brothers joined the 1033 executive board and then-Providence mayoral candidate Angel Taveras at the 2010 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. The walk was conducted in Providence’s Roger Williams Park. Joining forces in what promises to be a long and productive relationship, Team 1033 and Theresa’s Angels, a group named after Taveras’ aunt, raised more than $4,000 for the American Cancer Society

(ACS). That money will go a long way toward fighting breast cancer. Local 1033’s team was co-chaired by two of its bravest members, Deb Wilson and Janice Lanzone, and Theresa’s Angels was chaired by Theresa Liberato. Prior to kicking off the walk, Local 1033 business manager Don Iannazzi and Tavares, the union’s endorsed candidate for

mayor addressed the combined team, praising their captains and their fellow participants for their determination in beating back a terrible disease. Iannazzi and Taveras also called for a silent prayer in memory of Kerry Brusini, a 1033 member who served the Town of North Providence and whose smile and grace will long live within Town Hall. Kerry passed away from complications caused by cancer a week before the walk. Taveras gave the final charge to the starting line and stated, “It only took one phone call to Local 1033 for all of this to happen. You should all be proud of what we did together today. I look forward to working with all of you in January. With this enthusiasm and this dedication, the people of Providence are greatly served.” A server and 12 computers formerly in the Local’s training lab were generously donated to the New England Laborers/Cranston Public School Construction Career Academy, where they will be used to enhance students’ learning opportunities. The computers were purchased through Local 1033’s Training, Education and Apprenticeship Fund. Local 1033 is working on its 12th Annual Holiday Food Drive. Each year union members partner with the Providence City Council to provide thousands of pounds

of food to community centers throughout Providence for distribution to families in every neighborhood. The drive shows union members’ appreciation for all that we have. What better way to demonstrate our thanks than by giving something back to Providence’s neighborhoods? Local 1033’s 4,000 members are employed by the state, City of Providence, Town of North Providence, North Providence School Department, Narragansett Bay Commission, Town of Lincoln, Lincoln Water Commission, Lincoln Public Library, Town of Narragansett, Town of North Kingstown, City of Cranston, City of Warwick, Providence/Cranston job training program and Providence School Department.

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So Mike, how did you get involved in the EAP and addiction treatment business?

Michael J. Blackburn

CEAP, LADC-1, SAP, LAP-C, BRI-II

Retired Battalion Chief Providence Fire Department Local 799 Vice President Treatment Solutions Network

I became involved in the EAP/MAP programs because of my own struggles with addiction, as I have been in recovery for many years. Twenty-five years ago, I was asked by my Union President to start a committee to assist our members and their families who needed help with addiction and mental health issues, because of my own experiences, I was excited to help. We started a silent committee to offer confidential help to Firefighters and their families who were struggling with these issues. I spent several years obtaining certifications in the field and have been helping members and their families ever since!

How has this program benefited firefighters and their loved ones?

Firefighters often experience things in the line of duty that cause mental and emotional stress that can lead to substance abuse. Once we built the EAP/MAP program we were amazed at how many people came forward to get the help they needed. Part of the rehabilitation process is learning how to deal with these stresses so they don’t negatively affect the rest of their lives and their families.

Where has life taken you since retirement? Well before I retired, I worked closely with Treatment Solutions Network to place my members, providing the care that they needed. I was so impressed with the company that I started working with them more and have now become a Vice President and shareholder in the company. We have expanded the network to include top rated treatment centers, not just in Florida, but across the nation as well. Our network is set up to accept most insurances, self-pay and contracted rates with health & welfare funds to make treatment affordable to everyone.

What is next for you and Treatment Solutions Network? We are working with a committee focus group comprised of leadership from Boston Fire, Boston Police, Providence Fire, MA Department of Corrections and MA Sheriff’s Department. This group is being directed by a highly accomplished therapist to design programs specifically geared toward Unions, Public Safety Officers and to help us better serve the Employee Assistance Professionals we work with. Our programs are designed to find the best possible solution to Dual Diagnosis problems. Solutions that combine, long term success, financial flexibility, and clinical practice into effective services.

To learn more about how we help professionals visit, www.TreatmentSolutionsNetwork.com/professionals, call toll free, 1-877-417-6237, or contact your local Treatment Consultant.

making connections for recovery

Page 4

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

albeit a little bit more slowly; health reform actually adds about a dozen years to the life of the Medicare trust fund; and, perhaps most salient to older voters, Medicare will add benefits aimed at improving the prevention, detection and management of illnesses, starting in January. The truth about Social Security is that more than 900,000 children live with grandparents who rely on the program’s benefits as their major source of income. Without the benefits, 35 percent of the recipients would be in poverty. We pay into Social Security while we’re working and we get benefits when we need them. Social Security is not in crisis, hasn’t contributed a penny to the deficit and has a $2.5 trillion surplus. There is enough money to pay full benefits through 2037, and if high earners pay the same payroll taxes we pay, Social Security will provide full benefits into the foreseeable future. John A. Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans Inc. Contact him at japernorio_riara@hotmail.com.

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Operation Holiday Cheer: Support Our troops! By Elizabeth H. Roberts Without a doubt, I have a lot to be grateful for â&#x20AC;&#x201D; my family and friends, good health, the support of the community and the opportunity to serve Rhode Islanders. Although I try to give back throughout the year in many different ways, it is always a special pleasure to support our troops abroad with Operation Holiday Cheer. The initiative relies on sponsors and the general public for donations of â&#x20AC;&#x153;wish listâ&#x20AC;? items, to fill 600 care packages, and cash donations to pay for postage to ship the packages. Volunteers from around the state, coordinated by the family support program of the Rhode Island National Guard, are on hand to receive the donations and assemble the care packages. When our troops are sent overseas, it should always be our mission to support them and their families. Operation Holiday Cheer is one way we can show our appreciation for those men and women and provide them with some comfort from home. We know every day away from family and friends is difficult, but it is especially hard during the holiday season. Care packages are the least we can do to show our thanks and remember the troopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; continued service to our nation. Operation Holiday Cheer includes a host of corporate and community sponsors, including AAA Southern New England, American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter, Alpha Graphics, Amica Mutual

Insurance Co., Autocrat, Bank of America, Banneker Industries, CVS Caremark, Dunkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Donuts, East Bay Newspapers, GTECH, Hasbro, Home Depot, National Grid, New England Patriots, Ocean State Job Lot, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Providence Journal,â&#x20AC;? United States Postal Service, members of the Rhode Island National Guard and the Rhode Island Military Family Relief Fund. There are two important days during Operation Holiday Cheer. On Dec. 11 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., all donations will be accepted at the Armory, 1051 North Main St., Providence. No donations can be accepted after that date for security reasons. On Dec. 18 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., volunteers will assemble the care packages at the Armory and ship them overseas with the help of the United States Postal Service. Monetary donations are needed to meet about $12,000 in postage costs to ship the packages. Those wishing to donate can send a check to the American Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter to the attention of Operation Holiday Cheer, 105 Gano St., Providence, RI, 02906, or pledge online at the Rhode Island Red Cross Web site, www.riredcross. org. For more information on making a donation or becoming a volunteer or corporate sponsor, visit the Operation Holiday Cheer page on my Web site, www.ltgov.ri.gov/ohc, or call my office at (401) 222-2371.

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

United Food and Commercial Workers Union nears $1 million to support Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Local 328 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) has been a committed supporter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), having raised more than $880,000 in southern New England to support blood cancer research. Those dollars make a significant local addition to the $37 million the UFCW has raised nationally since 1983. During fiscal year 2010 alone, the UFCW raised an amazing $1.7 million in the United States and $1.7 million in Canada. The UFCW has 1.3 million members in North America, with the majority employed in the grocery industry. The UFCW also represents workers in nursing homes, clothing stores, poultry, meatpacking and food processing plants. “We’re closing in on raising a cumulative total of $1 million this year right in southern New England,” said Local 328 President David Fleming. This year UFCW will apply some of those funds to issue a $1 million challenge grant, agreeing to match up to $1 million in donations made by LLS supporters through a year-end giving appeal. Local 328’s fundraising activity has involved a variety of efforts, including some very successful charity golf tournaments. “The efforts of

David Fleming, president, and James Riley, secretary-treasurer, have been truly amazing over the years,” said LLS Rhode Island Executive Director Bill Koconis. Last year Local 328 raised $90,328 through its raffle sales, a golf tournament at the Swansea Country Club and support from customers who frequent union grocery stores. “The LLS is grateful to all the support we have received over the years from the members of the UFCW, and this challenge grant is a great way to inspire our supporters to give to the mission,” said LLS President and Chief Executive Officer John Walter. For more information about how to support Local 328 in its efforts to reach $1 million, call (401) 861-0300. For additional information on programs or services provided by the LLS, contact the Rhode Island chapter at (401) 943-8888. The LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS’ mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. The LLS funds life-saving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

There are many volunteer opportunities to help animals By Dennis Tabella

Defenders of Animals is an organization

that has been helping animals in Rhode Island for more than 30 years. You can be part of the highly-regarded organization by becoming a member for $25 per year.

The Defenders of Animals is strictly

a volunteer organization. There are no paid staff members so that all the funds raised are used for direct services such as veterinary attention, spaying and neutering and adoption for stray animals and pets families are forced to give up.

local government meetings. The organization also gets involved with

educational issues and works with students on school projects.

Some volunteers are involved in letter-writing campaigns regarding

animal issues; others wish to be involved with making arts and crafts or

baked goods for fundraising events.

volunteers help coordinate in cooperation with the Humane Association of

Northwestern Rhode Island’s Spay/Neuter Your Pet Program in Pascoag.

The organization has volunteers that foster dogs or cats; help to

Defenders of Animals conducts low-cost spay/neuter clinics, which

transport companion animals to hospitals or new homes; or walk

dogs. Some active members attend protests, or testify at state and

found program that the Defenders of Animals operates. The organization

In addition, there are opportunities to be involved in the pet lost and works with individuals who have found a cat or dog and

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those who have lost a companion animal. Volunteers can make a big difference in the welfare of animals throughout the state by being involved with Defenders of Animals, which has been recognized by the General Assembly for its achievements. Please contact Defenders of Animals Inc. at (401) 4611922 or send an e-mail to defendersanimals@aol.com. We also encourage Rhode Islanders to view group’s Web site at http://www.defendersofanimals.org. Dennis Tabella is director of Defenders of Animals Inc.

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DECEMBER 2010

Common Ground

Page 9

Employee assistance programs have saved workers and their companies By Steve Miranda It wasn’t too many years ago that the addiction or alcohol abuse recovery process consisted of some white knuckles, lots of aspirin, countless cigarettes and maybe an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting or two. While addiction has increased at an alarming rate since the white-knuckle days of the past, it is fortunate that the science of addiction has progressed, allowing substantial improvement in the areas of treatment and recovery. For instance, until the 1970s, most substance abuse programs in the U.S. were informal, community-based, voluntary selfhelp groups such as AA. The development of a treatment continuum of care increased the number of effective options available for help. Unfortunately, many programs have become lost in large complicated health care bureaucracies. That is the true irony of the situation: As the quantity and quality of available programs increased, the recovery sector became a gold rush of sorts. As investors scrambled to make money in the recovery game, the insurance companies tightened the reigns on patient accessibility and catered to those who were prepared to spend the most. It is the insurance companies that made it extra difficult for the average citizen to get the treatment needed for addiction. When you consider the staggering addiction statistics, faceless insurance companies have obviously kept countless struggling addicts sick; more irony. Considering the fact that people who are employed spend nearly half of their lives working to earn a living while generating revenue for their employer, it was only a matter of time before addiction took a toll on employers who were not only losing employees, but were also losing revenue. After the research was in, we learned that it was cheaper for an employer to treat an addicted employee than to terminate them. That was the magic moment in the labor movement, the point at which union leaders recognized that they needed to help rehabilitate their members as well as protect them. Unions had always taken care of their own, and addiction wasn’t going to change that. It took some time to convince employers of the importance of programs to help employees overcome addictions, but when companies implemented such programs, businesses flourished. There were quite a few programs popping up to assist with employees’ needs, but it wasn’t until 1991 that Labor Assistance Professionals (LAP) emerged to promote the development of peer-based member assistance programs within the labor movement. If it weren’t for LAP founders Mike Blackburn, senior vice president of Treatment Solutions Network, and state Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., publisher of “Common Ground,”

labor unions may never have found solutions to addiction-related problems that were destroying businesses and employees. LAP was organized to help reform an overly bureaucratized treatment system that made services increasingly remote from and unresponsive to the real needs of drug and alcohol-abusing workers. With roots dating back to the union beneficial societies of the 1840s, which focused on helping the alcoholic worker, LAP believes that today’s preoccupation with building large professional bureaucracies must be balanced by a return to focusing on the needs of workers and their families. It is this old-school mentality that became the glue LAP used when attracting unions in need of help. As insurance companies have sought to restrict access to treatment, LAP has begun to advocate for a revival of the traditions of worker self-help and mutual aid. “Get-tough-on-drugs” politics limits help for substance abusers and discourages them from seeking assistance because the workers are afraid of losing their jobs. Assistance programs define drug use at work as unacceptable because it creates safety risks and otherwise impairs job performance. The programs emphasize the role of peer counselors, who are trained union members volunteering their time to prevent drug abuse, motivate their co-workers with drug abuse problems to accept help and support them when they return to work. Union members help each other to stay clean and sober. The LAP mission statement explains exactly why this group is here to change lives for the better. It states: “We are committed to ensuring the availability of quality and effective chemical dependency and mental health treatment services for workers and their families by promoting the value and efficacy of such services to those within the workplace. We are dedicated to enhancing the competency and availability of Labor Assistance Professionals and programs through networking opportunities, continuing education and professional certification. We are dedicated to increasing the recognition of the key role Labor Assistance Programs have in advancing workplace wellness and safety by serving as the voice of employee assistance programs, with a specialized sensitivity to organized labor within the Behavioral Health Care industry. “LAP is dedicated first to obtaining comprehensive alcohol and drug treatment and other mental health services for its members at a reasonable and fair price. Second, they are advocating for member assistance program development within labor and for recognition of the key role labor plays from the field’s professional organization and by its treatment providers. The LAP is a thorough machine

that for over 20 years has not only guided employees and employers to a better way, but it also carved the path.” Addiction has been around forever, and proper treatment of addiction is relatively new, but teaching an entire work force how to look after and protect its members from becoming an addiction casualty is an overwhelming task that LAP has been teaching for quite some time. LAP stands for solidarity and safety. With the services it has been providing since 1991, there are a lot more thriving businesses and a lot less white knuckles. Steve Miranda is a consultant for Treatment Solutions Network’s Northeast region. If you have any questions or know someone who may need his services, contact him at stevem@ tsnemail.com or (508) 525-5974. Visit www. treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com for more information.

Ex-battalion chief keeps extinguishing addiction fires In 2003, Mike Blackburn retired from the Providence Fire Department after a 30-year career, with the rank of battalion chief. He was the director and a founding member of the employee assistance program for the Providence Fire Department Local 799. Blackburn also served for six weeks at Ground Zero as part of the International Association of Fire Fighters’ lead team, doing critical incident work. He is still a member of the Rhode Island State Critical Incident Stress Team and says he is proud to be a dues-paying member of the retirees of Providence Fire and Police union. He also continues to provide several fire departments throughout Rhode Island help with employee assistance programs. Blackburn is a founding member and past president of the Rhode Island Chapter of Labor Assistance Professionals. He is the past national labor director for the Employee Assistance Professionals Association. Michael also serves as vice president of the board of directors of the Rhode Island Council on Alcoholism. Michael is also senior vice president of Treatment Solutions Network. He can be reached at mikeb@tsnemail.com or (401) 255-4622.

David P. Fleming President James P. Riley Secretary-Treasurer

Southern New Englands Neighborhood Union United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 328 278 Silver Spring Street • Providence, RI 02904-2593 • 401.861.0300 • 800.624.7776 • www.ufcw328.org

Page 10

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

Coalition gives green light to several initiatives to improve transportation By James Celenza

The Coalition for Transportation Choices (CTC) sees several major issues emerging in the near future that will encourage the growth of a variety of transportation options that promote public transit and the health and economic development of our communities. The issues include: • Establishing a transportation trust fund. In 2008, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel developed a set of recommendations to increase sustainable funding sources for transportation. The CTC also developed a parallel set of proposals and introduced legislation to identify adequate and sustainable funding sources for roads, bridges and public transportation. The CTC urges a systematic review of all options. An important first step is the upcoming formation of a special Senate commission chaired by Sen. Josh Miller, D-Cranston, to conduct the review. • Ascertaining how funds used for transportation by human service agencies across the state can be more efficiently directed to support public transit. A conservative estimate of annual spending by various human service agencies for transportation is $70 million. It is believed that a joint study on human service transportation will lead to savings and efficiencies that could help strengthen public transit. • Supporting transportation alternatives in design and development. The CTC encourages the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to aggressively implement existing public laws that support alternatives to the personal automobile, such as giving priority to pedestrian and bicycle traffic when planning and constructing state projects. The Complete Streets initiative is an example of an alternative that encourages development to unite and connect communities. • Supporting implementation of the 2008 State Employee Commuter Reduction Act. The act created a task force to develop, publicize and implement a plan to provide incentives for state employees to reduce vehicle miles traveled, including the option to forego free parking in favor of a public transit pass. The panel is also considering incentives to encourage public sector employees to carpool. • Supporting execution of Safe Routes to School projects. The CTC supports implementation of infrastructure projects in communities that were awarded federally funded grants in 2007 and 2010 through the Rhode Island Safe Routes to School Program.

On the national level, the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act went into effect in 2005 to provide funding and direction for the maintenance and development of the nation’s transportation system. The act is up again for reauthorization. For the past two years Congress has simply extended the reauthorization date without revamping the act, even though many transit and public health advocates see reauthorization an opportunity to change the blueprint for transportation policy and set new priorities for spending transportation funds. The CTC supported several bills in the last Congress addressing the national transportation crisis, including the impact of vehicle emissions on climate change, but none passed. However, one bill — the Livable Communities Act of 2009 (S-1619) — did come out of committee and could be moved to a floor vote during the lame-duck Congress. The legislation would establish in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities to formulate a program to award comprehensive planning grants and sustainability challenge grants to: • Promote integrated transportation, housing, energy and economic development activities carried out across governmental jurisdictions. • Promote sustainable and location efficient development. • Implement projects identified in a comprehensive regional plan. James Celenza is director of the Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health and a principle founder of the Coalition for Transportation Choices. Contact him at (401) 751-2015.

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DECEMBER 2010

Common Ground

Page 11

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Page 12

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

Many seniors bought into Republican Party’s promises By John A. Pernorio In an election marked by dramatic defections from the Democratic Party, older voters swung hardest, seemingly threatened by President Barack Obama’s mantra of change. Voters over age 65 favored Republicans by a 21-point margin after flirting with Democrats in the 2006 midterm elections and favoring John McCain by a relatively narrow 8-point margin in 2008. Concerned by changes to Medicare and compelled by a Republican Party that promised a return to America’s glory days, seniors played a crucial — and often understated — role in races across the country. They were not swayed by ubiquitous Democratic warnings about Republican changes to Social Security, and they put a series of campaigns out of reach for Democrats. The exit polls and analysts suggest that older voters went to the polls in disproportionate numbers, as they often do in non-presidential elections. Fear that health reform was going to damage Medicare figured in their motivation. The truth never got through the noise and fear-mongering. The truth is that Medicare spending will continue to grow, albeit a little bit more slowly; health reform actually adds about a dozen years to the life of the Medicare trust fund; and, perhaps most salient to older voters, Medicare will add benefits aimed at improving the prevention, detection and management of illnesses, starting in January. The truth about Social Security is that more than 900,000 children live with grandparents who rely on the program’s benefits as their major source of income. Without the benefits, 35 percent of the recipients would be in poverty. We pay into Social Security while we’re working and we get benefits when we need them. Social Security is not in crisis, hasn’t contributed a penny to the deficit and has a $2.5 trillion surplus. There is enough money to pay full

benefits through 2037, and if high earners pay the same payroll taxes we pay, Social Security will provide full benefits into the foreseeable future.

John A. Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans Inc. Contact him at japernorio_riara@hotmail.com.

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Common Ground

Page 13

Our diets are killing us:

What we can do to reverse the trend? By Malcolm Tinkham Of all the worries in society, how did our diets become our biggest threat? Diet-related disease is now the biggest killer in the U.S. If it isn’t hurting your health, it’s still hurting your wallet: Obesity is costing Americans 10 percent, or $150 billion, a year, of their health care bill, and it is projected the price tag will double in the next 10 years to $300 billion. Smoking, once considered the major culprit to health care costs, has been far surpassed by obesity. With obesity comes increasing risks of: • Cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke), which is the world’s No. 1 cause of death, killing 17 million people each year. • Diabetes (type 2), which has rapidly become a global epidemic. • Musculoskeletal disorders, especially osteoarthritis. • Some cancers, including endometrial, breast, and colon cancer. In addition, childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood. The World Health Organization (WHO) adds: “What is not widely known is that the risk of health problems starts when someone is only very slightly overweight, and that the likelihood of problems increases as someone becomes more and more overweight. Many of these conditions cause long-term suffering for individuals and families. In addition, the costs for the health care system can be extremely high.” It’s not just the U.S. According to 2010 WHO statistics, every continent except for Antarctica is represented on the list of the world’s top 25 fattest countries. The causes are simple yet infuriatingly difficult to reverse -- humans are eating more and moving less. Global trends toward urban environments and a reduction in back breaking or even simply strenuous labor means people are not burning as many calories as our more svelte ancestors. In addition, the new global food chain provides an abundance of soda and potato chips, meat and butter compared to traditional diets, which were based on less calorie- and fat-dense foods. To make matters worse, junk food is often cheaper than fruits and vegetables. The WHO projects that in 2015, the number of overweight adults will balloon to 2.3 billion, up from 1.6 billion in 2005. The number of obese people is expected to rise from 400 million to 700 million. If those trends are not hurting your health, they are hurting your wallet by causing health care costs to increase by billions of dollars. Smoking was once considered the major culprit to rising health care costs, but it has now been far surpassed by obesity. “We’re locked in genetically with taste buds that respond to fat, sugar and salt,” said Philip James, chairman of the London-based International Obesity Task Force. Those were precious commodities to be gobbled up when we were roaming the African savanna. Now we need to stop gobbling. “In America, we’ve placed convenience and comfort as top priority. We’ve ‘convenienced’ ourselves into multiple patterns of poor health. If we don’t change, we’ll convenience ourselves to death,” he said. Obesity is a nasty word no one likes to hear. Like it or not, obesity is an illness millions face each day. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1999-2000 reported that 64 percent of adult Americans were either overweight or obese. What exactly is obese? Although there are many scientific definitions, obesity is the generally accepted term for a person whose weight is more than 20 percent above the expected weight for their age, sex, height, and build. Obesity is generally measured by a person’s body mass index (BMI), which is a weight-to-height ratio. A BMI of 25 is considered overweight while a 30 is obese. The WHO says that once a person’s BMI hits 21, the risk of related health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease increases significantly. You cannot change some facets of your body, but you can work to change being overweight or obese and you can start now. Obesity is one of the few preventable contributors to many serious health conditions, so Causes of Death, United States Leading Causes of Death for the Total Population in 2006

Heart Disease All Cancers

the sooner the change the better. Why are so many Americans overweight? Look at restaurant row in any American town and you’ll see more than a dozen cheap burger restaurants. It’s hard to spot a convenient, healthy alternative for a fast meal at a good price. Americans simply eat too many of the wrong foods. We live in a time of supers-sized portions. Ready-made, high-fat, highcalorie foods are the convenient norm, not the exception. The super-sizing of America A 2004 study proved the proposition: Americans are eating more. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., evaluated the caloric consumption of average Americans between 1971 and 2000. For men, the average daily consumption increased from 2,450 to 2,618 calories. That’s a jump of 168 calories a day. It may not seem like much, but over the course of a year, it will add 17 pounds. The news is worse for women, who added 335 calories a day over the 30-year span. Americans are eating more both at home and away. Portion size and calories consumed increased in all food categories. The greatest increase was in soft drinks, salty snacks, hamburgers, French fries and Mexican food. From that list, you’ll surely predict another important finding: The greatest increase in portions and calories occurred at fast-food establishments. In 2001, Americans spent more than $110 billion on fast food. The appeal is obvious in today’s busy world, but the feeding frenzy doesn’t depend on convenience alone. Advertising feeds the nation’s appetite for fast food, with children a major target. It’s no surprise that one survey found that 96 percent of American schoolchildren recognized Ronald McDonald, placing him just behind Santa Claus among fictional icons. Jumbo servings add to the problem. A typical serving of McDonald’s fries contains three times more calories today than when the franchise began. A “regular” soda at Burger King contained 12 ounces in 1954, but a “small” cup contained 16 ounces and a medium” cup 21 ounces in 2002. The emphasis on large, relatively inexpensive portions has spilled over to many foods, from cookies to popcorn to steaks. In one year, an American adult consumes 40 pounds of white bread, 41 pounds of potatoes, 30 pounds of cheese and 77 pounds of added fats (butter, lard and cooking oil), plus 52 gallons of soda. In all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that food consumption rose by 8 percent, or about 140 pounds per person per year, during the ‘90s.

Conditions Caused by Diet and Obesity

Stroke Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases Accidents Diabetes Alzheimer’s Disease Influenza and Pneumonia Kidney Disease Septicemia Suicide Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis Hypertension Parkinson’s Disease Homicide 0%

10%

20%

Source National Vital Statistics Reports Volume 57, Number 14, “Deaths: Final Data for 2006” April 17, 2009

30%

There are too many couch potatoes in America Genetic and environmental factors also play a strong role in adult obesity, though they are often overlooked. Some people are genetically prone to weight gain. Others face challenging environments such as sedentary working conditions or lack of support from family and friends. The intense effects those conditions have on an individual’s motivation are often underestimated. See DIET Continued on page 14

Page 14

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

DIET Continued from page 13 Inactivity is

If you are a TV fan, require yourself to

opt for more vigorous exercise such as jogging, 15

another contributor. The U.S. Surgeon General

exercise while watching. For example, walk on a

to 20 minutes at least three days a week will help

reports that 60 percent of U.S. adults do not

treadmill or do leg lifts while viewing a program.

you keep fit.

exercise enough and 25 percent of adults don’t

exercise at all. Sparse physical activity combined

that sabotage your health and create healthy

diet corrections can reduce your waist line.

with poor diet contributes to about 300,000

substitutions one at a time. Once you look for

premature deaths in the U.S. yearly.

them, you’ll be surprised by how many you find

Healthy Benefits in Cumberland. Contact him at

and how many you have the power to change.

mtinkham@thehealthybenefits.com. Web sites he

yield few results. To succeed in losing weight,

used for research included www.globalissues.org,

you cannot simply end poor health habits;

consider scheduling exercise times. Often, health

www.minnpost.com/globalpost and www.ted.com/

many try this and fail. Instead, you must replace

clubs offer convenient 30-minute programs to

talks/jamie_oliver.html.

poor health habits with strong, good habits.

accommodate those with busy schedules. If you

For millions, repeated efforts to lose weight

Look for convenience habits you’ve adopted

Once you have several healthy habits in place,

Next month’s article will address how minor Malcolm Tinkham is president of The

The fastest way to do that is to require yourself to change; alter your circumstances so you have to live a more “fit” lifestyle to go about your day successfully. Make convenience take a back seat to the rewards of living a fit life. What does it mean to be “fit”?

You do not need to be an

athlete to live a fit lifestyle. Simply put, being fit means that you can perform common daily tasks and leisure activities without a struggle. Many health and fitness experts believe that 30 minutes of moderately intensive activity such as fast walking five days a week will gradually improve your fitness level.

If you have not exercised

recently, check with your doctor first and start small, with five minutes of exercise a day. You can work your way up. Start by replacing one or two convenience habits with healthy habits such as parking far away and walking to your destination or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

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Common Ground

Page 15

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

Union members hammer home organized labor’s commitment to philanthropy the plans, and the down-sized project received approval from the city’s Building Department. Based on an estimate from the Ron Mailhot, lead volunteer for the project, Higgins eventually purchased the materials needed to finish installing the ramp and Local 94 members went to work. Joining Mailhot, were carpenters Rick Charron, Rick Paul and Ralph Miozza. The project involved removal of brick around the front porch on Higgins’ house, which needed to be done to remove a deck and raise the porch to the level of the first floor. Apprentice instructor Anthony Cota from Bricklayers Local 3 and trainees Justin

PROVIDENCE – People wanting to know how to build strong communities can turn to organized labor for guidance. Led by members of Local 94 of the Carpenters Union, organized labor’s response to city woman Colleen Higgins, who ran out of money to have a handicap ramp installed at her home, demonstrates union members have deep concern for their neighbors. After meeting with Higgins, Tom Savoie, organizer of for Local 94, had volunteers look at the plans for the project and visit the job site. It was determined that the plans were too elaborate, putting the cost of the project out of Higgins’ financial reach. Her architect revised

Young and Cory Gonsalves voluntarily repaired the brick. In addition, Michael Perrotta, fellow members of Laborers Local 271 and students from the New England Laborers/Cranston Public Schools Construction Career Academy removed a section of Higgins’ driveway and then poured a concrete pad necessary for Colleen to get into a motor vehicle and exit her property. The laborers spoke to Teamsters Local 251 members who convinced the Baccala Concrete Corp, which is headquartered in Johnston, to donate the cement. The Teamsters represent the truck drivers for the company.

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-OFFICERSDave Mellon …….……….………………..President Bob Miller ………….……………1st Vice President Bob Lantagne ..…………………..2nd Vice President

Paul A. Doughty,Paul President A. Doughty, President

Michael Hogan.……………………..…….Treasurer

Doughty, President Philip F. Paul Fiore,A.Vice President Philip F. Fiore, Vice President

John Meehan………………………………Secretary

F. Fiore, President Scott Philip G. Mello, Secretary ScottVice G. Mello, Secretary

Mike McKenna...……….……….Financial Secretary -EXECUTIVE BOARD

Ken Rivard

Manny Leander

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Common Ground

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

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LOCAL UNION 57 Providence, Rhode Island

David F. Palmisciano President Thomas J. Savoie Vice President

James J. White

Business Manager and President

Timothy E. Quillen

Vice President and Bus. Agent

Gregory E. Olson

Treasurer and Bus. Agent

William F. Holmes Financial Secretary W. Paul Lander trustee 14 Jefferson Park Road Warwick, RI 02888 401.467.7070

DECEMBER 2010

Common Ground

Page 19

DIRECTORY OF UNION SERVICES BARBERS & HAIRDRESSERS Some barbers and hairdressers are organized by UFCW Local 328. For a list of union barber shops and hairdressers, please contact Local 328 at (401) 861-0300 or www.ufcw328.org

BUILDING TRADES For home and business construction, repairs, or additions please contact one of the following unions for a reputable contractor in your area. For general questions or help please call Build RI at (401) 553-2100 or www.BuildRI.org Boilermakers Local No. 29 (617) 328-8400 Bricklayers Local No.1 (401) 946-9940 Carpenters Local No. 94 (401) 467-7070 Elevator Constructors Local No. 39 (401) 423-2293 Glaziers Local No. 1333 (401) 781-4736 Heat and Frost Insulators Local No. 6 (617) 436-4666 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 99 (401) 946-9900 International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 57 (401) 421-6678 Iron Workers Local Local No. 37 (401) 438-1111 Laborers Local No. 271 (401) 331-9682 Painters & Allied Trades District Council 11 (401) 467-7010 Plaster & Masons Local No. 40 (401) 943-1185 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local No. 51 (401) 943-3033 Rhode Island Building Trades (401) 438-1111 Roofers & Waterproofers Local No. 33 (781) 341-9192 Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 17 (401) 831-7150 Sprinkler Fitters Local No. 676 (860) 666-4447 Teamsters Local No. 251 (401) 434-0454

BUS SERVICES RIPTA Rhode Island Public Transit Authority 265 Melrose Street Providence, RI 02907 (401) 781-9400 www.ripta.com Peter Pan Bus Lines Corporate Headquarters P.O. Box 1776 Springfield, MA 01102-1776 1-800-237-8747 ext. 1209 www.peterpanbus.com

CHILD CARE PROVIDERS To arrange on-site child care coverage for your meetings or conferences, or to locate a DCYF-licensed home-based child care provider in your neighborhood or near your workplace, contact the union of home-based child care providers, District 1199 SEIU, at (401) 457-5099 or www. seiu1199ne.org

DELIVERY SERVICES United Parcel Service The Teamsters Local 251 represent Rhode Island’s UPS workers. For the outlet nearest you, or to schedule a home pick up, please contact UPS at www.ups.com or 1-800-PICK-UPS. United States Postal Service Your local post office is represented by the National Association of Letter Carriers, the American Postal Workers Union and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (a division of the Laborers Union.) www.usps.com

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Credit union employees are organized by UFCW Local 328. Rhode Island Credit Union www.ricreditunion.org Providence Branch 160 Francis Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 751-7440 Cranston Branch 570 Pontiac Avenue Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 941-8770 Bristol Branch 390 Metacom Avenue Bristol, RI 02809 (401) 253-1313

Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue Providence, RI 02908 (401)456-8022 Kathy Sasso RI Convention Center 1 Sabin Street Providence, RI 02903 (401)-458-6002 Antonia Anthony, Director of Event Services Roger Williams Park Casino 1000 Elmwood Avenue Providence, RI 02905 (401) 785-9450 ext. 240 Lisa Gonzales, Casino Event Planner Roger Williams University 1 Old Ferry Road Bristol, RI 02809 (401) 253-1040 ext. 3793 Allison Chase-Padula Twin River 1600 Louisquisset Pike Lincoln, RI 02865 (401) 723-3200 ext. 8497 Alana Barts University of Rhode Island Kingston, Alton Jones Campus Providence Campus (401) 874-2214 Sherry Davis

HOSPITALS

The Carpenters’ Union represents:

UNAP members work at the following locations: • Fatima Hospital • Greater RI Visiting Nurse Service • Homestead Group • Kent Hospital • Landmark Medical Center • Memorial Hospital • Rehabilitation Hospital of RI • Rhode Island Hospital • RI Community Living & Support Services • RI Dept of Human Services • RI Veterans’ Home • URI, CCRI, RIC Health Services • Westerly Hospital (Professional & Technical) • Westerly Hospital (Service & Maintenance) • Zambarano Hospital

First Trade Union Bank www.ftubhb.com 14 Jefferson Park Road Warwick, RI 02888 1-800-242-0272

SEIU 1199 members work at the following locations: • Butler Hospital • Women & Infants Hospital

URI Branch URI Memorial Union Kingston, RI 02881 (401) 789-0253 Dexter Credit Union www.dextercu.org 1 Village Plaza Way North Scituate, RI 02857 (401) 934-7600 934 Dexter Street Central Falls, RI 02863 (401) 724-6200 Woodlawn Federal Credit Union 744 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 (401) 728-8300

FUNCTION FACILITIES Biltmore Hotel 11 Dorrance Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 455-3027 Scott Connery, Director of Catering Brown University 45 Prospect St. Providence, RI 02912 (401) 863-1075 Cynthia Schwartz, Director of University Event Bryant University 1150 Douglas Pike Smithfield, RI 02917 (401) 232-6921 Sheila Guay, Director of Events Community College of Rhode Island Knight Campus, Warwick Flanagan Campus, Lincoln Liston Campus, Providence Newport Campus CCRI Downcity (401) 825-2015 Edna Mattson Dunkin Donuts Center 1 LaSalle Square Providence, RI 02903 (401) 331-0700 ext. 150 Robert Sturm, Event Manager Newport Grand 150 Admiral Kalbfus Road Newport, RI 02840 (401) 849-5000 ext. 157 David Rollin Providence College 549 River Avenue Providence, RI 02918 (401) 865-1000 ext. 2070 Victoria Mocshu

JANITORIAL SERVICES Some janitorial companies are organized by SEIU Local 615. For a list of unionized janitorial services, contact the Local 615 office at (401) 521-6150 or visit their website at www.seiu615.org.

NEWSPAPERS Common Ground News www.commongroundnews.net Subscribe 401.451.1305 Providence Journal www.projo.com Subscribe (401) 277-7600 Pawtucket Times www.pawtuckettimes.com Subscribe (401) 722-4000 Woonsocket Call www.woonsocketcall.com Subscribe (401) 767-8522

NURSING HOMES SEIU 1199 members work at the following locations: • Bannister House • Charlesgate Nursing Center • Country Gardens Skilled Nursing • Crawford Skilled Nursing • Greenville Skilled Nursing • Hopkins Manor • Pawtucket Skilled Nursing • Parkview Associates • United Methodist Health Care Center

PRINTERS, BANNERS & SIGNS

B Sign Graphics 27 Libera Street Cranston, RI 02920 Phone: (401) 943-6941 Fax: (401) 943-2287 Checkmate Consulting Group & Printing 461 Main Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Phone: (401) 885-0666 Fax: (401) 885-0775 Cogens, Inc. 1 Virginia Avenue Providence, RI 02905 Phone: (401) 421-4436 Fax: (401) 331-9032 Crownmark 109 Fletcher Avenue Cranston, RI 02920 Phone: (401) 943-1112 Fax: (401) 943-1113 Dorrance Engraving 635 Prospect Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 Phone: (401) 725-0504 Fax: (401) 725-0504 East Coast Screen Printing 22 Partridge Street Providence, RI 02908 Phone: (401) 272-1166 Fax: (401) 272-1167 Federal Signs 135 Dean Street Providence, RI 02903 Phone: (401) 421-3400 Fax: (401) 351-2233 Financial Innovations 1 Weingeroff Blvd. Cranston, RI 02919 Phone: (401) 467-3170 Fax: (401) 467-3570 JB Foley Printing 1469 Broad Street Providence, RI 02905 Phone: (401) 467-3616 Fax: (401) 467-8309 Lamar Outdoor Advertising 360 Warren Avenue E. Providence, RI 02914 Phone: (401) 421-4504, Fax: (401) 421-4757 Mandeville Sign Co. 676 George Wash. Hwy. Lincoln, RI 02865 Phone: (401) 334-9100 Fax: (401) 334-7799 Regine Printing Co., Inc. 208 Laurel Hill Avenue Providence, RI 02909 Phone: (401) 943-3404 Fax (401) 944-1228 R.I. Litho Printing, Inc. 1395 Atwood Avenue Johnston, RI 02919 Phone: (401) 275-0760 Fax: (401) 464-6002 Screen Works, LLC 62 South Main Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 Phone: (401) 692-0304 Sheahan Printing Corp. 1 Front Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 Phone: (401) 273-7272 Fax: (401) 769-9206 Sign Lite, Inc. 6 Corporate Drive N. Haven, CT 06473 Phone: 1-800-544-0854 Fax: (203) 234-8344 The Sign Shoppe P.O. Box 2296 Westerly, RI 02891 Phone: (401) 364-7442 Tarvis Graphics Inc. 21 Sabin Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 Phone: (401) 726-5530 Fax: (401) 723-6420

PUBLIC RELATIONS Checkmate Consulting Group & Printing 461 Main Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Phone: (401) 885-0666 Fax: (401) 885-0775 The Sentinel Group, LLC 111 Wayland Avenue Providence, RI 02906 Phone: (401) 451-1305 Fax: (401) 831.6111

PUBLIC SCHOOLS All public school employees are organized by the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals or the National Education Association of Rhode Island. The following Charter Schools are also unionized: • Laborers Charter School • Textron Charter School • Times 2 Charter School

RECYCLING AND TRASH REMOVAL SERVICES Waste Management of Rhode Island (800) 972-4545

SUPERMARKETS Supermarket employees at the stores listed below are members of UFCW Local 328 or UFCW Local 791. Super Stop and Shop • Bristol • Coventry • Cumberland • Johnston • Lincoln • Middletown • Narragansett • Newport • North Kingstown • North Providence • North Smithfield • Pawtucket • Providence • Richmond • Smithfield • Warwick • Westerly Shaw’s Supermarket • Barrington • Garden City • Cranston • East Providence • Riverside • Johnston • Middletown • North Providence • Pawtucket • Providence • Wakefield • Warwick • Lakewood • Westerly • Woonsocket Eastside Marketplace • Providence Brigidos IGA • Pascoag • North Scituate

Don’t Miss Grand Union Family Markets • South Yarmouth • Provincetown • Buzzards Bay • South Yarmouth C-Town Supermarket • Pawtucket

Don’t Miss TELEPHONE, INTERNET & CABLE SERVICES

An informative, one-hour AT&T Wireless

weekly show highlighting 1 (800) 897-7046 www.wireless.att.com

issues and events affecting Union members recieve special discounts on AT&T wireless working families. service plans. For more infomation to to www.unionplus.org

An informative, TUESDAY 7one-hour P.M. Verizon

weekly show Verizon, whosehighlighting employees THURSDAY 8 P.M.are members of the International

issues and events SATURDAY 5affecting P.M. Brotherhood of Electrical

Workers Local 2323, can working provide for all families. of your home and office internet, telephone 14 and COX cable CHANNEL TV needs through Verizon’s new FiOS (Fiber Optic TUESDAY P.M. VERIZON FIOS 7 CHANNEL 33 Service) network.

THURSDAY 8 P.M.

Simply call 1-888-Get FiOS or SATURDAY 1-888-591-6076. 5 P.M. Or contact IBEW 2323 at (401) 732-IBEW (4239).

COX CHANNEL 14

IBEW 2323 VERIZON FIOS CHANNEL 1150 New London Avenue 33 Cranston, RI 02920

P.O. Box 7613 Warwick, RI 02887 (401) 751-7100

BUY Union Products. USE Union Services. Use your hard earned money to support hard working union members!

Page 20

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2010

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Advertised Introductory *Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 1.75% is the lowest available and is fixed for the first 12 months. Offer applicable for applicants with a credit score of 680 or higher. After initial 12 monthly billing cycles, rate automatically reverts to a variable rate of interest as low as Prime minus 0.50% as published in The Wall Street Journal 30 days before the date of any rate adjustment. As of 9/1/2010 Prime Rate was 3.25%. Interest rate and line amount determined by individual creditworthiness and subject to loan-to-value ratio of 80%. Offer limited to 1-4 family owner-occupied primary residence properties only. Property insurance (and flood insurance if applicable) required. Offer and rate is subject to change at any time without notice. Other terms and restrictions may apply. APR will not exceed 21% with a minimum rate of 2.75%. If home equity line is paid in full and closed within twelve (12) months from the opening date, a prepayment penalty may apply. RI: up to but not to exceed 2% of the balance due at time of payoff; MA: remaining balance of first year’s interest or amount equal to last 3 months’ interest, whichever is less. Existing NCU home equity lines/loans are not eligible for refinance with this promotion. Other rates and terms available. Inquire for full details.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ LOCAL UNION 1033

Representing the Public Servants who make government work!

PROVIDENCE 163 Waterman Street Providence, RI 02906

MIDDLETOWN 672 Aquidneck Ave., Polo Center Middletown, RI 02842

GREENVILLE 445 Putnam Pike, Unit 12 Greenville, RI 02828

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Partnering with Rhode Island’s Municipalities to Provide the Most Effective and Cost-efficient Public Employee Benefits

The Rhode Island Public Employees’ Health Services Fund

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PUBLIC EMPLOYEES = PUBLIC SERVICE

Cranston Crossing Guards

Lincoln Highway Department Providence School Department Narragansett Bay Commission City of Providence North Providence Crossing Guards Providence Civic Center Authority Warwick Crossing Guards Lincoln Town Hall

Town of North Kingstown Providence Community Action Program Lincoln Public Library Town of North Providence Narragansett Town Hall Lincoln Water Commission R.I. Department of Transportation North Providence School Department

DONALD S. IANNAZZI, ESQ. Business Manager

VICKI A. VIRGILIO President

The Rhode Island Public Employees’ Education, Training and Apprenticeship Fund Donald S. Iannazzi, Esq., Chairman Vicki A. Virgilio Trustee Sharen Gleckman Trustee Betty Jackson Liaison

Pasquale T. D’Amico Trustee Joseph F. Kenney Trustee Chris Lombardi Coordinator

Rhode Island’s Union Built, Operated and Staffed Facilities Roger Williams Park Casino accommodating 50 - 300 (401) 941-5640 (401) 785-9450

city center skating rink

accommodating groups from 10 - 400 (401) 331-5544 ext. 5