RI Common Ground 12/5/11

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DECEMBER 2011

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Pension reform passes over objections of labor

By Common Ground Staff The Rhode Island General Assembly passed a sweeping pension reform bill last month that goes further than other states in the country ­— including most recently, neighboring Massachusetts — in cutting benefits for current retirees and overhauling how retirement benefits will be paid to current workers as well as future hires.

General Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Gov. Lincoln Chafee both have praised the bill as a step forward in shoring up the state’s shaky finances. But local union leaders have unequivocally condemned the bill as unfair and financially devastating to workers and retirees.

American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 94 issued a statement late last month calling the final bill “a life sentence of financial

peril and uncertainty” for state and local workers. “While our nation celebrates Thanksgiving next week, there is little to be thankful for here, as once again public employees have been forced to bear a disproportionate personal burden

age. Teachers and state employees are also being moved into a hybrid retirement plan under which they will receive less of a pension benefit, with supplemental income provided through a private account. And the cost of living

“We are deeply disappointed in the passage of pension legislation by the General Assembly and the governor, which will cost public employees billions of dollars in benefits over time.”

for the state’s economic problems,” Council 94 stated.

‘Absolutely devastating’ The bill, which was revised, preserved much of the original one. The retirement age for teachers, state employees and municipal workers has been raised to match the Social Security retirement

— Frank Flynn

adjustment (COLA) will be suspended, with a possibility for some modest reinstatement earlier than previously planned.

The legislation is expected to drop the unfunded pension liability by about $3 billion and save a total of $4 billion over the next 24 years, according to the general treasurer’s office.

“It’s devastating. It’s absolutely devastating,” said Philip Keefe, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 580. “My membership is very disappointed.

Their feeling is that every time that a budget matter needs to be balanced, it’s balanced on their backs.”

“We are deeply disappointed in the passage of pension legislation by the General Assembly and the governor, which will cost public employees billions of dollars in benefits over time,” said Frank Flynn, president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. “The treasurer and governor sought draconian pension reductions in their legislation; and the General Assembly failed to consider reasonable alternatives provided by the affected unions.”

See Pension, page 2

Transit union battles RIPTA over cuts

By Common Ground Staff The state transit union is fighting the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) over a new round of service cuts that labor leaders warn will put an additional strain on an already-stressed system and make working conditions that much tougher.

The double round of cuts means drivers are behind the wheel longer and work in a far more stressful environment.

But it is the impact to the public that has Paul Harrington, the president and business agent of Amalgamated

Transit Union Local 618, especially concerned.

“These new cuts are really going to hurt the system and the service we provide to the public,” Harrington said.

“We’re opposed to it. We feel that it’s going to drastically affect the people of Rhode Island.”

The cuts could not come at a worse time: with gas prices still high and the economy still sagging, the demand is higher than ever for public transit.

“I think it sends the wrong message for people to use the

United Nurses & Allied Professionals

system that they have to wait longer,” said Tom Cute, vice president of Local 618. “It’s a sad scenario when you have an economy such as the one in Rhode Island.”

The new round of cuts, which have already been approved by the RIPTA board of directors, would eliminate seven buses after 7 p.m. That will significantly extend the frequency of buses, meaning longer waits. For example, the interval between buses on Route 71, which runs from Cumberland to Pawtucket,

would double from 18 minutes to 36 minutes. Wait times for other routes would double as well: Route 55, which serves Providence College, would increase from about half an hour to an hour and 10 minutes after 5 p.m., according to Cute and Harrington.

All of that for a system that just underwent some service cuts. “They created a monster,” Harrington said. “Buses are overcrowded. Running times are squeezed. Lateness is horrendous.”

His biggest concern: Buses

are so full that people are being left at stops.

Another hit to service is lost trips, which occur when a bus is not even able to make a run. There has been a sharp increase in lost trips since the first round of cuts went into effect, according to Harrington.

In June, there were just 46 lost trips. As of mid-November, there had been 271 lost trips over the previous two months, Harrington said.

Working conditions for transit employees have already See Cuts, page 2 R

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Common Ground Pension, from page 1 Flynn said that companies that manage private investments will benefit, while thousands of his members, including teachers, nurses, municipal workers and school support staff, will “watch their standard of living erode.”

Even Gov. Chafee, as he praised the bill, expressed regret that it will be a financial hit to retirees.

“This vote is cause for encouragement, but not cause for celebration. While this legislation will ensure retirement security for retirees and current workers in state-operated pension plans, many Rhode Islanders will see reduced benefits and will face a retirement different than the one they had planned,” Chafee said. “I believe that we have the best public employees in the country, the best teachers and the best state police troopers. I have a deep respect for these Rhode Islanders, and I take no joy in some of the effects this legislation will have on them.”

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COLA change One key change in the final version of the bill was in the suspension of the cost of living adjustments or COLAs. Raimondo had proposed suspending it entirely for all retirees until their respective pension funds were 80 percent funded — or 60 percent funded for those earning lower incomes.

Now, under the revised terms of the legislation, the COLA will be calculated and applied to pensions starting at five year intervals — if investment returns perform as expected. The recurring fiveyear COLA will be based on just the first $25,000 of pension income.

But union leaders say the change did little to soften the blow.

“We definitely think the COLA suspension is too severe,” said James Parisi, a field representative for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.

Labor leaders had instead suggested that the state suspend the COLA for five years. Then, each year starting on the fifth year, revisit the possibility of

education, legal and legislative activism.

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granting a COLA based on investment performance over the past five years. In other words, the COLA would be recalculated on the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth years instead of waiting again until the 10th year.

“That didn’t even make it on the floor,” Keefe said. “It really is shameful.

It’s shameful what’s going on up there.

They should all be embarrassed.”

Parisi likewise said his union’s proposals weren’t really considered, even though federation reps did meet with the governor and the general treasurer.

“We left the process feeling that we never really had an opportunity to offer a compromise,” Parisi said.

Which leads labor leaders across the state to wonder: What was the rush?

“It’s a problem that was created in two decades. Why are we trying to fix this in two weeks?” Keefe said. He noted that the General Assembly had no financial reason to act this fall. Instead, he said state lawmakers could easily have deferred the issue to the next session, which starts in January — well in advance of the July 1 start date for the next fiscal year.

Will some retirees be pushed onto welfare?

Other than retirees, the group most affected by the pension system revamp will be those middle-aged municipal and state workers who have been on the job for 10 to 15 years, according to Parisi and Keefe. Those workers will never be able to recuperate from their private 401(k)-style accounts what they are losing in their defined pension benefit, Keefe said.

But it is the retirees who are ultimately “bearing the brunt of it,” according to Parisi.

Keefe said the cutbacks are shortsighted and could eventually backfire. He said some of the lower income retirees might be forced to seek public assistance such as food stamps.

“We’ll be paying it one way or another,” he said.

Issue of fairness Many local labor leaders are especially outraged over what they see as a pervasive unfairness in how the state approached pension reform. State police and judges, for example, will not be switched over to a hybrid retirement system. Also, since the judicial pension system is better funded, they might get back their COLAs sooner than other retirees.

Keefe said he told Raimondo months ago that labor could not support the bill if state police and judges were not treated like everyone else. He recalls Raimondo assuring him that would not happen and promising that all state employees would be treated the same.

“Really — is that what this bill was?”

Keefe said.

“We did notice that the maledominated positions appeared to be treated (differently) than the femaledominated positions in the pension reform effort,” Parisi said. “Nobody was looking for them to get a worse benefit than they got. We were looking for a level of fairness that never came out of the General Assembly.”

“Misery does not love company,” he added.

Lawsuit looming The battle over pension reform this fall played out against the broader backdrop of a legal conflict. The state’s leading unions have already sued over previous pension reform legislation passed. That action is now pending before the state Supreme Court.

Now, some say they may respond to this latest round of reform with further legal action.

Exactly what the next step is remains unclear. “I am of the belief that there will be a court challenge,” Parisi said.

“I think we will be involved in it.”

Editor’s note: For detailed information on how your pension benefit will be affected, go online to http://www.treasury.ri.gov/ secure-path-ri/faq/cola.php.

Cuts, from page 1 suffered as a result.

“They’re stressed. They’re fighting against the clock to make their times,” Harrington said. “Our drivers are stuck behind the wheel of the bus for longer periods of times.”

With the new cuts, matters will only get worse. “It will be brutal,” Harrington said.

On top of the service cuts, the new chief executive officer of RIPTA has instituted a series of work rule changes that Cute and Harrington say run afoul of practices that have been in place for a century. “He has no respect for our collective bargaining agreement as well as any established past practices,” Harrington said.

“He just wants to do what he thinks is right. He doesn’t want to negotiate.”

One example of a work rule change is

in the distribution of extra work, which has been altered so that senior workers are losing out on assignments — something Cute described as a “slap in the face” to seniority rights.

New RIPTA CEO Charles Odimgbe has barely been on the job for a year, but Harrington says he already has filed more arbitrations against Odimgbe during his tenure than the transit union sought during the entire nine-year tenure of the previous CEO. Odimgbe did not respond to a request for comment from “Common Ground.”

The service cuts are aimed at helping to close a deficit that stood at $4.1 million as of July 1.

Cute says RIPTA has to restructure how it is funded. At the heart of its funding is a paradox: RIPTA draws its funding

from the gas tax, which means that as more people stop driving and instead use RIPTA, it will have less money to maintain and expand its service. In other words, the more successful it is, the less money it has.

Cute floated one idea for how the transit authority can boost revenues, saying the state should expand the University Pass Program, or UPASS, that is available on a limited basis to students in state colleges – University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and Community College of Rhode Island.

In the meantime, the union is resisting the implementation of the recent cuts by having its members refuse to choose new work schedules.

“The old adage, ‘There’s strength in numbers,’ is still true,” Cute said.

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Page 3

Massachusetts Gambling Bill Becomes Law Jobs to follow A few days before Thanksgiving, Gov. Deval Patrick signed H. 3807, “An Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth,” legislation that will advance job creation and economic development in the Commonwealth by creating the potential for thousands of jobs in the construction, tourism, hospitality, leisure and convention sectors.

“The final chapter in the long debate on expanded gaming has come to a close. I congratulate Senate President Murray, Speaker DeLeo and members of the legislature for sending me a bill that will put people to work and strengthen the Massachusetts economy.

I have always believed that if done right, expanded gaming can create jobs, generate new revenue and spur economic growth in every region of the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Patrick. “Because of initiatives like this one, Massachusetts continues to lead the nation out of this recession.”

“Our Administration and colleagues in the state legislature have stayed at the table over the years to develop a sound solution for introducing expanded gaming in Massachusetts,” said Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. “As we move forward, we will continue our due diligence especially as we consider the need for enhanced social and behavioral services as well as opportunities for job creation and economic

development in regions across the Commonwealth.”

The legislation signed by the governor allows for up to three destination resort casinos in geographically diverse locations, along with one slots facility, competitively awarded statewide. The legislation includes many of the principles Gov. Patrick has advocated for throughout the lengthy public debate on expanding gaming, including transparent and competitive bidding of licenses, maximizing long-term value to the Commonwealth, expanding economic development benefits across all regions of the state, protecting host communities and nearby regions, addressing all social impacts and costs and ensuring rigorous public safety, regulatory and enforcement mechanisms will be the best in the country.

The legislation creates a five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission, an independent body responsible for implementing and overseeing the gaming licensing process with the utmost integrity. The chair of the commission will be appointed by the governor, and the attorney general and treasurer will each appoint one member. The remaining two members will be appointed by two out of the three appointing authorities. The commission must be bipartisan, with no more than three members representing the same political party. The commission must be appointed within 120 days.

The three potential resort casinos will be located in three geographically distinct areas, with up to one facility in region A (Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk and Worcester counties), up to one facility in region B (Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties) and up to one facility in region C (Bristol, Plymouth, Nantucket, Dukes and Barnstable counties). The licensing fee for each casino will be at least $85 million and capital investment, including a hotel facility, must be at least $500 million. The Commonwealth will receive 25 percent of gross gaming revenues from each casino.

The slots facility, which will hold up to 1,250 slot machines, will be competitively bid for one location in Massachusetts.

The license will cost at least $25 million, and capital investment must be at least $125 million.

The Commonwealth will receive 40 percent of gross gaming revenue on the slots facility, with an additional nine percent of revenues from the facility going to a new Race Horse Development Fund to promote live racing in Massachusetts.

“This legislation alone is not going to be the solution to our ongoing economic recovery, but it will help put unemployed residents back to work in good jobs with good benefits,” said Senate President Therese Murray. “We are doing better than most other states, but we still have more than 250,000

Governor Deval Patrick signing H. 3807, “An Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth.” (Photo: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office)

people who are unemployed in Massachusetts. In addition to full-time, long-term jobs, we will see thousands of immediate construction jobs once licenses are awarded and proposed projects are approved by host communities. Bringing jobs and revenues to Massachusetts continues to be our priority, and this bill is a part of that effort.”

“I applaud Gov. Patrick for his signing this bill today. Gov. Patrick, the senate president and I have all worked together to make this possible,” said House Speaker Robert DeLeo. “Most important, this bill will create jobs, address the Blue Collar Depression’ and provide much needed local aid.”

The expanded gaming legislation does not create an exclusive licensing process for federally recognized Native American tribes in the state’s southeastern region (region C).

Rather, it describes the federal process for federally recognized Native American sovereign nations who are legally entitled

to conduct tribal gaming on tribal lands. Any casino built under this process would be a tribal facility, subject to a government-to-government compact between the tribe and the Commonwealth, which would include revenue sharing along with jurisdictional and regulatory rules determined as part of the compact negotiations. This will help to ensure the southeastern region is not in limbo due to uncertainty about a potential tribal facility as well as capture gaming revenue for the region and state. Limiting the number of destination resort casinos to no more than three distributed throughout defined regions of the state is the best way to maintain valuable market capacity and maximize short and long-term job creation and economic development opportunities for the entire Commonwealth.

Among many sections of the new legislation, there See Gambling, page 4

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Gambling, from page 3 and open for business. These include payments for local aid, health care payment reform initiatives, education and community colleges, transportation infrastructure, manufacturing initiatives, debt reduction and tourism. In addition, the bill provides for a wide variety of mitigation measures, including for public health and addiction services and community and cultural mitigation. The bill also provides funding for a new Race Horse Development Fund, to be paid to horsemen, trainers, riders and other stable workers and to breeding programs that support farms and other agri-business in the Commonwealth, similar to programs used in other states to promote a vibrant live racing industry sector.

“I believe this new law strikes the proper balance by creating much needed jobs and revenues for the Commonwealth while establishing the necessary mitigation programs to address impacts of expanded gaming including addiction and cultural impacts,” said Sen. Stan Rosenberg.

“This landmark measure will bring online a new industry sector which will yield thousands of jobs and hundreds

are specific provisions that relate to potential host communities and surrounding communities. Under the legislation, the commission would be required to set out the terms of the application for a gaming establishment license, and the bill sets out certain requirements for that application. These requirements include detailed descriptions of timelines, location and hiring practices, as well as plans to identify, evaluate and mitigate social, economic, cultural and public safety impacts on surrounding communities. The legislation also requires the commission, as part of its review of gaming applicants, to identify which communities would be designated as the surrounding communities of a proposed gaming establishment and hold a public hearing on the application before taking any action on the application.

The legislation provides for a variety of uses for the new revenue that will be generated for the Commonwealth, both as one-time initial license fees as gaming licenses are awarded and as recurring annual tax payments on gaming revenue at the facilities once they are fully constructed

of millions of dollars in new revenues for local aid, public education, and infrastructure improvements,” said Rep. Joseph Wagner. “I wish to commend Gov. Patrick, Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Murray for their leadership on this very important issue.”

“The Coalition for Jobs and Growth sees the resort casino legislation as an economic development boost that will create thousands of new jobs, both construction and permanent, increase tourism, and also send much needed new funding to our cities and towns,” said Mayor Kimberley Driscoll of Salem, co-chair of the coalition.

For a community that chooses to host a gaming facility, there would be additional payments made directly to the host community and surrounding communities, pursuant to agreements between the gaming facility and each impacted community.

Finally, all costs of the newly created Massachusetts Gaming Commission would be borne by the gaming industry itself and will not be paid by Massachusetts’s taxpayers.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO Endorses Robert McCarthy to Replace President Tolman’s State Senate Seat Robert McCarthy, union member and former President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (PFFM), received the endorsement of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO in his campaign for the Second Suffolk and Middlesex Senate District.

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is dedicated to electing

public officials who will be a strong voice in government for the working families of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steven Tolman has endorsed McCarthy because of his demonstrated commitment to labor throughout his life and career.

“We are proud to stand behind candidates who strive

to be true advocates for working men and women in our great Commonwealth, and we are even more proud when the candidates are union members themselves,” said President Tolman.

The special Democratic Primary will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

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Rhode Island food stamp challenge: Eating on $31.50 a week

By Elizabeth H. Roberts

I joined fellow public servants, citizens and advocates nationwide to participate recently in the food stamp challenge.

Could I eat for a week on only $31.50?

The task certainly would be a challenge but worth the time and effort to raise awareness about hunger during the weeklong event.

From Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, challenge participants pledged to spend only $31.50 on food, the average weekly benefit for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollees. More than 45 million Americans receive food stamps, the common name for SNAP benefits.

Fighting Poverty with Faith (FPWF), an organization that brings people of many spiritual traditions together to help the impoverished, organized the program.

FPWF encouraged people across the country to take action on a grass-roots

level, and asked members of Congress to participate as well. In a time of sustained budget cuts by both state and federal government, the food stamp challenge enlists elected officials to experience the real trials and tribulations of living on SNAP benefits.

The Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition took the lead on the project locally. With more than 160,000 Rhode Islanders in SNAP in these tough economic times, I accepted the role as honorary chair of the challenge to learn firsthand the difficulties faced by fellow Rhode Islanders. Working with several community leaders to make this year’s challenge a success, I was invited by the Rev. Donald Anderson, executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, and Rabbi Peter Stein, president of the Rhode Island Board of Rabbis, who brought their faith

communities together to participate in the program. My colleague, state Rep. Maria Cimini, also took the challenge.

I joined the Rev. Anderson, Rabbi Stein, Rep. Cimini and Maxine Richman, co-chair of the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition, at a press conference to kick off the challenge. We were hosted by Andrew Schiff, chief executive officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, who leads the effort to provide food for nearly 60,000 Ocean State residents per month.

My personal experience was an eye-opener.

I planned my shopping very carefully and compared circulars from different stores.

I already knew that $31.50 would not go very far, so I shopped at a few different stores where the items I wanted were on sale. I was faced with difficult choices, with seemingly so little to spend, and I had to ensure I would have enough food to

last the week. I wanted to purchase more wholesome, nutritional foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, but I found them more expensive than other less healthy options. When I compared experiences with others taking the challenge, I was met with similar sentiments about sacrificing quality foods for quantity. I was told one participant last year did not plan accordingly and ran out of food before the challenge was over.

The challenge was instructive for me.

I now know firsthand that we must do better for the 16 percent of Rhode Islanders who face the challenge every week. To learn more about the challenge and the experiences of participants, visit http://www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com/.

Elizabeth H. Roberts is lieutenant governor of Rhode Island.

RI Bar Association forms Animal Law Committee

By Kate A. Hynes This year, Rhode Island Bar Association (RIBA) followed the lead of a growing number of bar associations around the country and accepted a proposal to form an Animal Law Committee. As word of the imminent launch of this new committee spread, a significant number of attorneys from the Ocean State and nearby and Massachusetts responded with enthusiastic support and volunteered to serve.

The mission of the committee is to seek the participation of all interested members of the bar in a forum to: exchange ideas; consider and discuss the legal issues involved in human beings’ relationships and coexistence with animals, understand laws and regulations pertaining to all areas of animal control and provide legal education opportunities throughout the year and at the RIBA Annual Meeting.

During their first two meetings, committee members shared their perspectives on the particular issues that sparked their interest in animal law and discussed goals and plans for the board. Members noted that animals involve many aspects of life, and that at each of the intersections, the ground is fertile for special issues to arise.

Accordingly, the scope of animal law is wide and encompasses a broad array of areas, ranging from custody and domestic disputes to wills and estate planning; from personal injury to product liability; from criminal law to constitutional law; from contract law to tribal rights; from business litigation to civil procedure and evidence; from health and disability law to housing law; from governmental liability to intellectual property law; from landlord/tenant law to commercial transport litigation;

from medical malpractice to workers’ compensation and employers’ liability; from property insurance law to life insurance law; from senior citizens’ issues to media, privacy and defamation; from land use to zoning and from alternative dispute resolution to appellate advocacy.

Against that backdrop, the committee has formed an exciting and innovative agenda for the coming year and plans to focus on the myriad ways clients are legally impacted by the array of human-animal interactions, including the legality of estate planning for companion animals; liability standards and insurance coverage in dog bite cases; and compensation beyond the fair market value when an animal is killed.

Attorney Katy A. Hynes is a member of Defenders of Animals Inc.

Page 6

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

The college admissions game Getting into college is harder than ever

By College Advisors Group “I’m so excited!” Alexis, one of our clients, said “I just got accepted to Maine today!”

That was very exciting news; after pouring over her list of college choices, Alexis submitted all her applications by Nov. 1, months ahead of her classmates.

She now hopes to have choices and scholarship offers before other students even complete their applications over winter break. Although Alexis is an excellent athlete with good grades and College Board scores, she was in the middle of the application pack at her chosen schools. She was in danger of not getting into her preferred school because of an inflated applicant pool.

A strategic plan, however, helped to prioritize her candidacy for admissions and scholarships.

A bachelor’s degree is a serious investment by the student. College is no longer merely about education as its only end. The estimated cost of four years of higher education for the Class of 2016 is $193,563 for a private school and $94,404 for a state college, according to the Mutual Funds Investment Center Web site of www.mfea.com.

Getting a coveted acceptance package may not be the only factor for the graduating high school senior; paying for college is often a harder reality.

Since most private schools require complicated financial forms in addition to the free application for federal student aid, students with solid application packages have a greater chance to receive scholarships.

Since the cost of college is so expensive, there is a delicate dance that takes place between the admissions offices and graduating seniors. Because of tuition rates, students on average apply to 12 schools, hoping to receive both admittance and a good financial aid package. In order to fill freshmen classes, college officials accept more students than they have space for, knowing there are some individuals who will decline acceptance.

For example, Boston University had 4,409 freshmen for the class of 2015.

It accepted 22,187 students from the 38,275 students who applied. To fill each seat in the class of 2015, BU had to collect nine applications and accept five students. With a cost of more than $54,000, the school tried to meet students’ needs, with a 2009 average

financial aid package of $35,000. That meant students had to come up with $19,000 for tuition, room and board and other costs.

For the Class of 2015, admissions rates at selective colleges and universities significantly dropped, making the application process even more competitive. Schools such as Harvard, Stamford and Amherst accepted fewer than 10 percent of their application pools. Because public colleges are in budget crunches, there has been an increase in admittance of out of state or foreign students who pay a higher tuition rate or don’t qualify for state financial aid.

That means that there is more money for state students, but the application process is now more competitive for the state resident. Safety schools may be a thing of the past. For students to get accepted at their first-choice schools, they must do two things: apply early and make their applications sound.

Schools often have several deadlines,

including early decision, early action and regular application deadlines. Those deadlines may be separated by as many as four months. Students who apply for early action or early decision make an implicit commitment to a college, and schools fill a good portion of their freshmen classes with those applicants.

“New York Times’” education writer Jacques Steinberg cited a report by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling that stated in 2010, three out of four early action applicants got into their selective colleges compared to just more than half of the students who applied to the same college in accordance with the regular deadlines.

Because most schools give applicants until May 1 to make a deposit, students who are accepted early have more time to evaluate their financial packages.

The second way students can strengthen applications is to make sure that their admissions essays are complete and authentic. Some applications can

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require as many as eight essays, while others only ask for two writing samples.

Due to on-line applications, the space allotment is often very tight. Although many high school students don’t realize it, the admissions essay is a significant part of the college application and can be the deciding factor in acceptance.

National Public Radio host Tovia Smith spent time with the Amherst College admissions team. After watching the team evaluating students, she was surprised to find that the essays held such significance in the evaluation process. Tom Parker, Amherst’s dean of admissions, said, “You know, I think the process is baffling to anybody who is not inside. It’s perplexing.”

When Smith questioned why good candidates were passed over, Parker admitted that evaluating tens of thousands of students for few spots is difficult. “It’s just that these kids look remarkably similar, and we’re making nuanced judgments. None of us are going to pretend that it is an exact science. You know, it’s a flawed process,” he said.

It’s a highly subjective process in which decisions can turn on as little as one line in an essay. The students who get accepted are the ones who come across in their writing pieces as genuine. With so much riding on the college application process, students need support and guidance.

Because the guidance office at her high school was overwhelmed, Alexis turned to College Advisors Group. “I was so frustrated and confused by the whole process, and I was not sure where exactly I should go,” she said. “I thought my essays were good, but I realized they looked almost exactly like all my friends’.”

The College Advisors Group staff assisted Alexis through several psychological and vocational assessments that helped focus her career directions as well as the application process. In addition, CAG is helping her family complete the financial aid process.

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Common Ground

Page 7

DECEMBER 2011

Blue Cross offers advice for preventing the flu During last year’s flu season in Rhode Island, just 26.5 percent of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) members received the flu shot. This year, the company is passionate about significantly increasing that percentage in order to keep Rhode Islanders healthy. Since prevention is always the best medicine, here are some simple measures to help reduce your risk of getting or spreading the flu:

the day with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before preparing food, after blowing your nose or if you’re caring for a sick person.

3. Cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing, not with your hands.

1. Get a flu shot. That is the easiest and best way to protect yourself and your family.

4. Stay home when you are sick. If you go to work or school when you are ill, you increase the risk of other people

getting the flu.

2. Wash your hands thoroughly and often throughout

Visit BCBSRI.com/flu to learn more about the flu and follow us on Twitter @BCBSRI for more tips about how to lead a healthy life.

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Labor community steps it up for Big Brothers’ walk-a-thon

PROVIDENCE — Despite the cold temperature and looming snow, approximately 200 people laced up their walking shoes for the recent 23rd annual 5K walk-athon benefiting the Big Brothers of Rhode Island.

The walk, which kicked off at Providence College, raised approximately $14,000. Rhode Island’s labor community showed up in full force with this year’s chairman, Michael F. Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council, leading the way. Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee emceed the event, introducing, among many others, the very talented Frances Cole Anthony, mother of a former Little Brother, who sang the National Anthem.

After some fancy moves and whistle blows by Providence Dancing Cop Tony Lepore, the crowd, cheered on by the Friar Cheerleaders, headed down campus and through the Elmhurst section of Providence.

More than 50 Big Brothers and Little Brothers

enjoyed the trek and took in some quality bonding time.

Participants received two complimentary tickets to a Providence Bruins game. A dozen backpacks with lunch bags and school supplies were also given out.

Providence Bruins hats, a hockey stick autographed by the Providence Bruins and a $50 gift card to Dave and Busters were raffled off.

When the participants finished the walk, they were treated at the Slavin Center to pizza donated by Uncle Tony’s and entertainment by: Little Brother, now Big Brother, Paris Watson; Paris’ Big Brother, James McBride, aka Mr. Deep Positivity, and Big Brother Advisory Board Member Bianca Sperduti.

Walkers also enjoyed fresh fruit, bagels, coffee and donuts donated by East Side Marketplace and Dunkin Donuts. WEEI Sports Radio was also a proud sponsor of the event.

For 59 years, Big Brothers of Rhode Island has been working to improve the quality of life for fatherless boys ages 6 to 18 and single-parent families. Its one-on-

one mentoring program benefits hundreds of boys by providing them with life-changing positive male role models.

Val Sinesi, Big Brothers executive director, was very pleased with the turnout on Saturday. “The walk was a big success, and will help us continue our mission of assisting fatherless boys. We are grateful to all the participants and especially this year’s chairman, Michael Sabitoni. His boundless energy and enthusiasm resonated with our board members and all the Little and Big Brothers who make up our organization. We can’t thank him enough.”

Sabitoni remarked: “We couldn’t be more proud to partner with such a great organization that provides positive adult role models for at-risk youths. As a father of three boys myself, I understand the importance of having a healthy and meaningful relationship with a male you can look up to. Big Brothers provide that opportunity, boosting youths’ confidence and selfesteem so they do better in school and in life.”

Never Miss Out On Important News Affecting Labor Now the only union paper in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has a union website.

Visit ricommongroundnews.com to see up to the minute news affecting labor in your community. You can now skip tedious Google searches and view focused national and local union articles on one website. The articles are collected for you and become available through the website’s news feed. The same website is available for Massachusetts’ labor news and can be accessed at masscommongroundnews.com.

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By James Celenza The green building movement focuses on constructing environmentally friendly buildings by providing a scorecard to measure the impact of design elements and construction management practices such as installing solar panels or recycling construction materials.

A scorecard assigns ‘credits’ toward a valuable gold rating when architects and developers make efficient use of energy and other resources during the assembly and throughout the life cycle of a building.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBG) leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) program is the most prominent ranking system. Other organizations such as Green Global, the Green Guide for Health Care and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools have developed similar independent certification standards for specific institutions such as heath care facilities and schools. In Rhode Island, the collaborative guidelines are mandated for state-funded school construction.

Worker safety and health advocates have noted the lack of any substantial reference to worker safety and health issues. But it seems that the very measures that the USGBC promotes can increase safety hazards for construction workers.

A recent study found that

LEED certified buildings have a recordable injury rate that is 9 percent higher than traditional, non-LEED buildings.

The Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (RICOSH) proposed the green during construction protocol, which includes controlling key air toxins and global warming gases, as an adjunct to the LEED and Green Guide for Health Care.

Recently, the National Oil Recyclers Association (NORA) Construction Sector Council, a national multi-stakeholder group of researchers and practitioners, formed with the purpose of developing protocols and recommendations to integrate worker safety and health into green construction, and RICOSH is a member of the organization.

Studies produced by Matthew Hallowell and associates for the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management” explored in detail the safety and health risks associated with the design elements and construction management practices to achieve LEED certification.

The study revealed 12 LEED credits that increase safety risks on construction projects when compared with traditional, nonLEED alternatives.

Significant findings included a 36 percent increase in lacerations, strains and sprains from recycling construction

materials; a 24 percent increase in falls to lower levels during roof work because of the installation of on-site renewable energy materials; and a 14 percent increase in exposure to harmful substances when installing innovative wastewater technologies. The studies also revealed that there is feasible prevention through design techniques, technologies and controls and management strategies that can be implemented to mitigate risks.

Hallowell and his teams’ research has revealed the substantial need for a detailed lifecycle analysis of the impacts of sustainable building technologies. For example, installing solar devices ranks high on all green certification rankings, but the manufacture of the devices typically use extremely hazardous heavy metals such as cadmium, indium, gallium and arsenic.

In addition, manufacturing the devices requires huge amounts of energy that comes from traditional sources, and the process generates hazardous waste.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Office of Construction Safety and Health arranged a meeting between the director of NIOSH, and the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

National Labor News NLRB sets date for vote on election procedure amendments The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has scheduled a Nov. 30 vote on whether to adopt a small number of the amendments to its election procedures that the Board proposed earlier this year.

In mid-June, the board published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposed amending the rules and regulations governing the NLRB election

process in order to simplify procedures, make them more uniform across regional offices, and reduce unnecessary litigation.

The board received more than 65,000 written comments on the proposal and heard testimony from 66 speakers at a two-day hearing in July. In response to those comments, and in light of the possibility that the Board will lose

a quorum at the end of the current congressional session, Board Chairman Mark Pearce will propose issuing a final rule limited to several provisions designed to reduce unnecessary litigation.

The meeting of the Board’s three members, to be held at NLRB headquarters in Washington, will be open to the public, although the public may

not participate. Members will discuss and vote on a resolution to accept the chairman’s proposals, proceed to draft a final rule limited to those proposals, and defer the remainder of the proposed rule for further consideration.

Members of the public and media may attend the meeting, space permitting.

Statement by Mary Kay Henry, president of SEIU on Super-Committee Not Reaching an Agreement Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement after the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “SuperCommittee,” did not reach an agreement: “Democrats on the Super-Committee

stood their ground. They insisted that everyone in America pay their fair share and prevented devastating cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and other programs that millions of Americans rely on for their healthcare, long-term care and their livelihoods. But, Republicans decided

to insist on tax giveaways to the top 1 percent instead of offering serious proposals that would require true, shared sacrifice.

“The full Congress is where these decisions should be made. Now, it’s up to both chambers to focus on putting

Americans back to work. That is the best way to reduce our deficit. A cuts only approach will not work and will end up shifting responsibility to already stretched state budgets and cost millions of jobs.”

Whether you are a union member or not, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is committed to preserving the rights of all workers and advocating for decent wages, health and retirement benefits, safer workplaces, and a dignified quality of life for all working families.

During these difficult times, now more than ever, workers need a strong, unified voice speaking out on each other’s behalf. By advocating for all workers, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is working to preserve the middle class, and protect you and your family.

Steven Tolman President

For more information call

Louis A. Mandarini, Jr. Secretary-Treasurer

(781) 324-8230 or visit www.massaflcio.org

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Page 11

People that can least afford it could face more hardship

By Edward F. Coyle and John A. Pernorio The lack of recommendations from

the Super Committee in Washington, D.C., is good news for current and future retirees.

Over the past several months, activists with the Alliance for Retired Americans and other progressive groups helped send a clear message to Congress and the Super Committee charged with finding $1.5 trillion in savings to help offset a the federal deficit: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are critical lifelines for millions of Americans and cannot be sacrificed on the altar of even greater tax breaks for Wall Street and corporate chief executive officers.

That was not the first threat that retirees have faced to their Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid – and it will not be the last. There may even be votes this month to cut those programs. At a time when so many retirees are struggling to get by and when today’s workers wonder if they will ever be able to retire, it is unconscionable that Republicans continue to eye cuts to those programs as a way to fund an extension of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

As we head into the 2012 elections, the Alliance for Retired Americans will educate and mobilize seniors across the country on those important issues. Today, the power of grass-roots activism helped spare seniors from terribly painful and unjust cuts. Next year, it will be more important than ever for both retirees and workers to know the truth about where the candidates stand on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Retirees want to lower federal spending.

We don’t want a large debt to be the legacy we leave for future generations.

There is a right way and a wrong way to reduce the federal deficit. The right way is to end all the sweetheart deals and tax breaks we give to Wall Street and big business. The wrong way would be to cut the Social Security and Medicare that seniors depend upon to stay healthy and out of poverty.

The federal budget controversy is about priorities. Are we going to preserve programs such as Social Security and Medicare that allow seniors to live in dignity; or are we going to cut those successful programs that benefit the 99

percent in order to keep tax cuts and write offs for the wealthiest individuals and for corporations that ship our jobs overseas and don’t even pay taxes?

Threats to Social Security and Medicare include: • Changing the Social Security

cost-of-living adjustment to a chained consumer price index formula, which would reduce the benefits of today’s retirees. After 10 years, average retiree benefits would be cut by about $600 a year, and after 20 years, benefits would be cut by about $1,000 a year.

• Increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67 or beyond.

• Raise the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67 or beyond.

Ask yourself the following questions: • How have Social Security and Medicare helped me?

• Where would I and my family be without Social Security and Medicare?

• How do Social Security and Medicare represent a promise to the American people?

• How have I contributed to Social Security and Medicare throughout my life?

• Means testing Social Security so some people who made contributions would not receive benefits.

• What are my hopes for my children and grandchildren? How would cutting Social Security and Medicare jeopardize those hopes?

• Changing Medicare to a voucher system. Seniors would get a small stipend toward the cost of their health care insurance, which they would need to purchase.

Edward F. Coyle is the executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, and John A Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island chapter. Contact him at japernorio_ riara@hotmail.com.

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Page 12

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Why Amtrak deserves respect

By Barry Schiller Amtrak provides a civilized, comfortable, safe, environmentally responsible way to travel. It has been able to improve service and vastly increase its ridership despite decades of under financing and unrelenting ideological opposition. Its workers, though often facing challenging jobs, are unionized and have decent compensation.

Amtrak service in Rhode Island is now up to 19 weekday trips in each direction, nine of which are Acela expresses that usually make the trip to New York in a little less than three hours. Others stop in Kingston, some in Westerly, too.

Ridership in the Northeast corridor has boomed from about 6.4 million passengers 35 years ago to 10.4 million now. Despite the recession, national ridership increased by a record 30.2 million passengers last year, up nearly 44 percent from a decade ago.

Amtrak has done that despite chronic under funding. It has been reported that American citizens spend about .4 percent of their transportation capital funds on

rail programs; in comparison, Germany spends about 22 percent. Amtrak’s current operating subsidy, about $ 466 million, amounts to just $1.50 per person. The Federal Aviation Administration gets almost $50 per person. While a rare rail accident gets much publicity, actual statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows Amtrak’s fatality rate per 100 million passenger-miles is .03 percent, way below that for motor vehicles or transit buses.

Steel wheels on rails efficiently help the environment by reducing energy consumption and pollution. Amtrak uses 30 percent less energy per passenger mile than cars and 20 percent less than domestic aviation. Even better savings are coming from a new generation of diesel fuels, and the first use of biodiesel fuel on trains is promising.

While we are still struggling to electrify our automobile fleet, our Northeast corridor is already electrified and runs without the need for imported oil and all its environmental and national security

risks as well as an approximately $340 billion drain on our economy to import the oil. Passenger rail stations serve the central cities and can be a tool for economic redevelopment, helping to preserve the rural character of outlying areas from sprawl.

Despite (or maybe because of ) those environmental advantages, Amtrak has always faced right wing ideological opposition. While Amtrak was formed 40 years ago during the Richard Nixon administration on the ruins of failed private rail passenger service, President Reagan tried to eliminate Amtrak.

Today’s tea party Republican governors in Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida rejected funds to improve rail service in their states, and the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has basically tried to shut down Amtrak by budget cuts and provisions such as denying all federal aid to any statesupported Amtrak service. Since the Senate is still controlled by Democrats, they had to compromise so that silly

provision was dropped though operating assistance was cut by 17 percent and President Obama’s high speed rail initiative was totally eliminated.

Fortunately, previous grants to Rhode Island to improve conditions in Kingston and Providence are still funded.

Despite Amtrak’s accomplishments and despite it being a time when we need to support intercity train service for many environmental and economic reasons, its future is very much in doubt. Mitt Romney, the likely Republican nominee for president has singled out Amtrak as a priority for “getting the axe,” and he has an army of fossil fuel industry supporters and right wing bloggers to back him up. But Amtrak also has its defenders who see the role of trains in the carbon constrained expensive oil competitive world coming.

Barry Schiller is a member of Rhode Island Association of Railroad Passengers and the State Planning Council’s Transportation Advisory Committee.

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Page 13

Chamber wants T.F. Green Master Plan to take off

By Laurie White The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce is joining forces with the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council to voice disappointment in the Warwick City Council’s decision to appeal the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) approval of the T.F. Green Master Plan. The two groups have co-authored a letter to council members urging them to withdraw the appeal and let the improvements move forward.

The FAA’s approval marks an important milestone in a project that has spanned two decades and garnered the input of many, including local residents, business

professionals and airport officials. To appeal this decision now would only serve to delay a very important economic development project that could bring new jobs and revenue to the City of Warwick and the State of Rhode Island.

According to the FAA Record of Decision, improvements at T.F. Green could create more than 700 jobs and upward of $90.6 million in business spending in the City of Warwick during construction from 2012 to 2020. When including indirect and induced impacts, it’s estimated the benefit would be more than 1,200 jobs and $130 million in additional spending in the city, with

additional benefits statewide.

“It’s time for us to commit to the complete transformation of T.F. Green,” said Michael F. Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council. “We have already made key investments in the facility, including the construction of the InterLink transportation hub. Now we must move forward. Continued improvements at the airport will help to grow Rhode Island’s economy by creating jobs and putting our residents back to work.”

Earlier this summer, T.F. Green received approval from the FAA to move forward with its master plan for

airport improvement projects, including extending the main runway to 8,700 feet, the development of new runway safety areas and the construction of a new cargo facility. The $200 million project was expected to begin in the spring of 2012.

The Chamber and the trades council are committed to working with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, the FAA and the host community to get the important T.F. Green improvement project completed.

Laurie White is president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

STOP ACHIEVEMENT FIRST! TWO HEARINGS, TWO PROTESTS Please join the Coalition to Defend Public Education (CDPE) as we protest the attempted corporate takeover of our public schools!

Wednesday, December 7, 5:30pm

Thursday, December 8, 5:30pm

Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School 195 Nelson St., Providence

Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School 375 Adelaide St., Providence

For more information, call 401-400-0373 or email coalitiontodefendpubliced@gmail.com On Wednesday and Thursday, December 7 & 8, the Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding hearings on the application of Achievement First to open its first Rhode Island school in Providence. Achievement First is a corporate machine that intends to siphon public money out of the public schools and into its own coffers. It has a track record of bullying students with its “no excuses” approach to discipline. And even by its own standards, several AF schools in Connecticut did not meet their Annual Yearly Progress Goals. Achievement First is wrong for Rhode Island!

The CDPE will hold brief rallies in front of the scheduled hearings, starting at 5:30pm each day. We encourage everyone to bring their own signs! We will then be attending the hearings and speaking out against the AF application before the Board of Regents. Join us!

This is your chance to stand up and say we need to FIX our public schools, not privatize them or further drain them of much needed resources!

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AFSCME Local 2881 Representing RIDEM and CRMC

www.local2881.org 66135-11_11-TFT-0660 - Revised Boston B2B Print Ad for Common Ground.indd 1

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Page 14

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

John J. Tassoni, Jr. President john@jtsentinelgroup.com p. 401.451.1305 l f. 401.831.6111 111 Wayland Ave. l Providence, RI 02906

For more information contact us today at

413.572.1300 A UNION REPRESENTING PROUD UNION PROFESSIONALS SINCE 1918

DISCOUNT OIL BROKERS

LOCAL 400

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers A progressive labor union representing more than 80,000 men and women in professional, technical, administrative and associated occupations.

685 Warren Avenue East Providence, RI 02914

401.438-5450 www.ifpte400.org

A Discount Oil Seller

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RIFTFrank@aol.com INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 349-4485 • 349-4358 •866-737-9662 www.rifthp.org 356 Smith Street OF FIRE FIGHTERS (401) 273-9800

Providence, RI 02908-3761 marciarift@aol.com

When it comes to everything you value, who you call matters "If you're going to spend 15 minutes on

Affiliated with the AFL-CIO Paul A. Doughty, President

Philip F. Fiore, Vice President PAUL C. REED, President

Trusted Choice agency that can shop 15 insurance companies for you."

For better coverage at a better price, Call 769-9500.

FAX (401) 331-88 www.rifthp.org

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Brian Hunter, CPCU, CIC, President

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356 SMITH STREET CELL (401) 529-2106 Why Pay More?

PROVIDENCE FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL 799

Scott G. Mello, Secretary JOSEPH A. ANDRIOLE, Vice President John HANOS, F. Woodard, Treasurer DAVID Secretary Treasurer MARCEL E. FONTENAULT, JR., Exec. Bd. Chairman

Executive Board Representatives 1ST DISTRICT V.P. John Silva

Christopher J. Jannitto Joseph P. Moreino Hans Ramsden 3RD DISTRICT V.P. Michael Stevens Wayne C. Oliveira Robert K. Neill, Jr., Staff Representative Zachariah Kenyon Anthony PAUL L. VALLETTA, JR.,Toro Legislative Agent 2ND DISTRICT V.P. Steve Rodrigues

REBECCA D. FISHER, Legislative Agent

92 Printery Street Paul A. Doughty 356 Smith Street • Providence, Rhode Island 02908 • (401) 272-6870 Providence, RI 02904 401-569-4444 risaff.org 401-272-7999 (O) 401-274-7999 (F) local799.com

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Page 15

“Tonto� is a special needs cat and is in desperate need of a home. There is a problem with his back legs, which has not been fully diagnosed at this point.

Please call Defenders of Animals at 401-461-1922 if you can foster or adopt.

Food, supplies, and medical expenses will be furnished

by Defenders of Animals.

Compliments of

International Union of Operating Engineers LOCAL UNION 57 Providence, Rhode Island

James J. White Business Manager and President Timothy E. Quillen Vice President and Bus. Agent Gregory E. Olson Treasurer and Bus. Agent

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

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With Additional Support from: UA 51, National Education Association Rhode Island, RI Federation of Teachers & Health Professionals, IBEW Local 99, RI Building & Construction Trades Council, SEIU State Council, Painters and Allied Trades District Council 11, United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 328, Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), OPEIU LOCAL 25

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Affiliated with the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS 121 BRIGHTRIDGE AVENUE, EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 02914 www.teamsterslocal251.org Joseph J. Bairos Kevin Reddy Secretary-Treasurer Principal Executive Officer Steven Labrie

Kevin Reddy Daniel Manocchio President

Douglas Teoli Steven Capobianco Asst. Business Agent Vice President

David Demuth Michael Nunes Organizer & Recording Secretary Asst. Business Agent

Dennis Mello Linda Russolino Trustee Asst. Business Agent Susan Folan Trustee James Croce Anthony Scivola Asst. Business Agent Trustee

Common Ground

Page 17

DECEMBER 2011

Lease l Sale l Retail l Land SMITHFIELD END UNIT 2200+ Square Feet at Rte. 7 & 116 Join Dunkin’ Donuts, Restaurants, 7/11 & a Gym.

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PROVIDENCE FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL 799

Providence’s Bravest Saving Lives and Property Since 1854 Paul A. Doughty, President Philip F. Fiore, Vice President Scott G. Mello, Secretary John F. Woodard, Treasurer Anthony P. Lancellotti, EAP Chairman

Executive Board Representatives: Christopher J. Jannitto Joseph P. Moreino Hans Ramsden Wayne C. Oliveira Zachariah Kenyon Anthony Toro

Rhode Island Judicial, Professional and Technical Employees’

LOCAL UNION 808 Frank A. Ciccone Business Manager

Pasquale Zompa Norma M. Sousa

President Vice President

Claudia Porrazzo Recording Secretary

David Garzone Executive Board Member

Dominick J. Ruggerio Secretary-Treasurer

Gina M. Sabitoni-Arakelian Executive Board Member

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Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Entertainment Blitehwold Mansion brings the outside in this Christmas This December the Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, RI will open its doors to display the intricate “Gifts of Nature” themed decorations and designs tailored for each Mansion room. Celebrate the festive season with informal teas, Santa sing-alongs, children’s story times, joyous musical performances, and creative workshops for both children and adults.

Workshops will include a Wreath Decorating Workshop on Dec. 2 and 3 (10 am-12 pm), Beginner’s Knitting on Dec. 6 (6-8 pm), a Hors d’oeuvres Workshop on Dec. 7(6-7:30 pm), a Decorate a Tiny Tree Workshop for children on Dec. 9, a Family Gingerbread House Workshop on Dec. 3 (3-5 pm),

and a Terrarium and Aerium Workshop on Dec. 12 (6-7:30 pm).

Every week, Tuesday through Friday, Blithewold will serve a custom-blended afternoon tea at two times (1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.). Tea reservations can only be made through the website and there is a limited space for each seating. To register for this event, visit http://www. blithewold.org/event/show/147.

The Blithewold Mansion will be hosting many events to entertain the little ones. On Dec. 5, 12, and 19 (4-5 pm), bring your children to the Children’s Holiday Teas (reservations required).

On Dec.1 and 8 (6-7 pm), the popular Santa Sing-Alongs are back with cookies,

hot cocoa, and photo opportunities with Santa. On Wednesdays (4-5 pm), we will host Children’s Story Time, where children can sip warm apple cider and make charm crowns while listening to stories. Check our website for pricing details and to register.

Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum is a landscaped historic public garden and Rhode Island’s only recognized arboretum. Situated on Bristol

Harbor overlooking Narragansett Bay, the 33 acres of trees, lawns, flowers and gardens also features a forty-five room mansion filled with original antiques and artwork. It is the mission of Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum to preserve New England’s finest garden estate through excellence in horticulture and historic preservation, and by our example to teach and inspire others.

The Three Stooges Film Festival Free Movie Series at the Stadium Theatre The Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, RI is opening its doors to a free movie event on Friday and Saturday Jan. 6 and 7 at 7pm. Everyone is welcome to The Three Stooges Film Festival, which will consists of two nights of hilarious Stooge’s episodes with no repeats. The Stadium Theatre offers full bar and concessions to our patrons and the film festival is sponsored by Olly’s Pizzeria. Doors will open to the pubic at 6:15 pm.

To view other events at the Stadium Theatre visit us online at www.stadiumtheatre.com.

Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Presented by The Community College of Rhode Island Players The talented CCRI Players team up with the Stadium Theatre for the fist time to bring you Tick, Tick… BOOM! Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical about a young composer on the brink of turning 30 who still has yet to “succeed.”

Ted Clement, assistant professor at CCRI and director of the CCRI production said he was touched during his first introduction to the musical.

“My friend said it would speak to me, and it certainly did as both the main character Jon and I were 30 year old starving artists in New York City.

Tick, Tick truly reflected my life, but it also has the strange ability to reflect the lives of most people who watch it.”

Clement also says that the musical has become a very powerful, personal experience for his students as they prepare to perform for the first time on the Stadium’s big stage.

“My students see Tick, Tick as a commentary of their own lives and their current struggles to become successful in the theatre arts during the recession. My students are really proud and excited to be performing on the Stadium’s stage. They have never performed in such a grand environment and they’re considering the experience to be the icing on the cake.”

Containing 14 songs, 10 characters, three actors, and a band, Tick, Tick...

BOOM! takes you on the playwright/composer’s journey that led to the Broadway blockbuster, Rent.

Tick, Tick… BOOM! will be performed Friday, Dec. 30 at 8 PM at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket. Admission is $19. Tickets are available at the Stadium Theatre Box Office or by calling 401-762-4545 and online at www. stadiumtheatre.com.

IN PHOTO: Alexander Rotella as Jon in Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Page 19

Mangia with Micheline

By Micheline Grossi Lombardi Making cookies for Christmas has been family tradition for a long as I can remember. My Grandmother would make cookie

trays to give to the people who delivered the bread, the soda, and the mail to the house as well as all the various relatives that came

Butterballs (also called Christmas Nuggets)

to visit. I remember my mother baking cookies and my father helping her. My first Christmas in my own apartment, there I was

baking cookies. My Butterballs and Almond Slices are the most requested cookies.

Italian Almond Cookies

2½ Cups flour 2 Teaspoons baking powder 1 Cup brown sugar, packed ½ Teaspoon cinnamon ½ lbs. almonds (approx. 1¾ cup) toasted, whole and chopped 2 Eggs 1/3 Cup oil 1 Cup sugar 1 Tablespoon water

Sift together: 2 Cups sifted flour &½ teaspoon salt Cream thoroughly: ¾ Cup shortening ¼ Cup butter or margarine ½ Cup sifted confectioner’s sugar Blend in: 1Tablespoon vanilla 1Teaspoon almond extract ½ Cup finely chopped nuts (I use pecans) Add: Dry ingredients gradually; mix until dough is smooth and well blended.

Shape into small balls about the size of a walnut. Place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly.

Combine brown and white sugars, oil, and cinnamon. Add eggs and beat well. Sift flour and baking powder, and then add to the mixture. Add water and almonds. The dough will be thick and you may need to knead the almonds into the mixture. Shape dough into oblong loafs (dough will spread so not so wide or thick) on a greased cookie sheet and brush with a beaten egg.

Bake in slow oven (325 degree) 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over bake! Bake until just lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioner’s sugar. You can also frost the cookies with chocolate and place Pecan halves on top.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for approx. 20 minutes until light brown in color. Cut while warm into slices, place cut side down, return to oven, and bake another 5 minutes.

Enjoy the cookies and make your own memories!

Micheline Lombardi is a member of the Retired Rhode Island Probation & Parole Association and can be reached for questions at mangiawithmicheline@verizon.net.

www.ricommongroundnews.com

UA Local Union 51 Plumbers • Pipefitters • Refrigeration Robert Walker Business Manager

Robert Walker Financial Secretary

Frederick Foeri Organizer/Agent

William D. Mello Business Agent

Done Once. Done Right Serving Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts

II Hemingway Drive, East Providence, Rhode Island 02915 Telephone: 401-943-3033. Fax: 401-943-8027

www.ualocal51.com

Page 20

Common Ground

DECEMBER 2011

Radio Show

Common Ground

Lousy food, a total lack of sleep, and used plastic milk crates for a bookcase.

Isn’t life’s journey awesome?

E-Access Student Checking It’s the free checking account designed specifically for the student in your family.* • ATM fees refunded (up to $25.00 per month)

• Free Bill Payment**

• Personalized debit cards available

• One non-sufficient funds fee refund • per calendar year

• Free E-Statements

• Free Mobile and Text Banking • Free Online Banking

Stop by any branch, call 401.233.4700, or open an account online at navigantcu.org.

Federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.

Hosted by John J. Tassoni, Jr. Monday Afternoons 3pm – 5pm on AM 790

Enjoy Life’s Journey

*$10 minimum opening balance. Students 16 and 17 years old require a parent or guardian as a joint owner on the account. When a student turns 25 years old, the account will automatically switch to a free Journe Rewards Checking account. **Must be at least 18 years old.

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ LOCAL UNION 1033

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

The Rhode Island Public Employees’ Legal Services Fund

Representing the Public Servants who make government work!

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES = PUBLIC SERVICE DONALD S. IANNAZZI, ESQ, Business Manager

The Rhode Island Public Employees’ Education, Training and Apprenticeship Fund

VICKI A. VIRGILIO, President

Cranston Crossing Guards Narragansett Town Hall Town of North Kingstown North Providence Crossing Guards Lincoln Highway Department Lincoln Water Commission Providence Community Action Program Providence Civic Center Authority Providence School Department R.I. Department of Transportation Lincoln Public Library Warwick Crossing Guards Narragansett Bay Commission North Providence School Department Town of North Providence Lincoln Town Hall City of Providence

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

city center skating rink

accommodating 50 - 300

accommodating groups from 10 - 400

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