Common Ground Mass 9/11

SEPTEMBER 2011

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Odds favor passage of gambling bill Proponents: Bay State would hit jobs jackpot

By Amelia Pillsbury Massachusetts legislators are rolling the dice once again with a gambling bill that was introduced last month. The 155-page bill allows up to three licenses for resort-style casinos in three regions of the state, and a fourth license to be issued for a slot parlor with up to 1,250 slot machines.

The chairs of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies released the bill with consultation from Gov. Patrick, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and

Senate President Patricia Murray. It is estimated that the expansion of gaming in Massachusetts would create 7,000 permanent jobs, 6,000 construction jobs and 3,000 ancillary jobs in communities surrounding the casinos.

The bill seems to have good odds of becoming law, as evidenced by its bipartisan support. Gov. Patrick congratulated the House speaker and the Senate president for their leadership, and he believes that expanded gaming can create jobs, generate new revenue

and encourage economic growth in the state. Gov. Patrick had vetoed a previous gambling bill, but he supports this one because it includes several important provisions.

“The bill being considered by the Joint Legislative Committee on Economic Development places appropriate limits on the expansion of gaming, requires open and transparent bidding, a voice for local communities, and provides resources to address public health and safety — all principles I have insisted be a part of any

Anti-labor sentiment has retirees on edge

By Common Ground Staff The General Assembly this October is set for a showdown over pension reform that could result in significant cuts to income and benefits for more than 25,000 retirees in the state retirement system, all in an effort to tackle a massive unfunded liability as high as $9 billion.

One union leader tells “Common Ground” the push for reform has his members “extremely worried.”

“I think we all recognize the problems in the pension system, but we all need to protect the integrity of the pensions — the integrity of the promise,” said Philip Keefe, vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) state council and a member of the state Pension Advisory Group. “Let’s not be an ostrich and stick our head in the sand and pretend there’s no problem, but let’s not chop people’s heads off.”

As of this writing, the Pension Advisory Group is still meeting to weigh the options the state has.

General Treasurer Gina Raimondo

and Gov. Lincoln Chafee have yet to come out with any concrete reform proposals.

Controversy over COLAs One thing seems to be certain: even current retirees will be affected. “[The] pension system’s challenges are so great that it will be mathematically impossible to fix without dramatic changes that will affect all stakeholders not just the youngest and most recent employees,” Raimondo said in her “Truth in Numbers” report released in June.

Make no mistake about it — the effort to overhaul pensions is being fueled by anti-union sentiments, according to Keefe. “The effort to cut back on pensions and benefits to the working force is certainly an attack on labor,” Keefe said.

State Rep. Scott Guthrie, a Democrat from Coventry and a retired North Kingstown firefighter, says labor is being blamed for the bad economy.

“Unemployment is rampant and people are mad. When people Primary

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are out of jobs they get mad at people who are working,” Guthrie said. “And government jobs are usually safe.”

A sneak peek at just what kind of a hit current employees and retirees might see surfaced last month at a meeting of the Pension Advisory Group. Under the plan — which state officials are at pains to emphasize is just a hypothetical scenario for now — the state would move to a hybrid between a traditional pension system and 401(k)-style private accounts. The retirement age would be indexed to match the eligibility age for Social Security and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) would apply to only the first $12,000 of retirement income and would be tied to return on investments.

The big surprise: As the state transitions from the current pension system to the new dual system, the state actuary says COLAs would have to be suspended for current retirees until the pension system is 80 percent funded, which reportedly See Pension Reform, page 2

gaming bill I support,” said Gov. Patrick in a statement.

Also supporting the bill from across the aisle is House Minority Leader Bradley Jones.

“Not only will the Commonwealth as a whole benefit from the influx of revenue, but residents of the Bay State stand to benefit from the jobs that will come as a result of the gaming industry See Gambling, page 6

Sen. Tolman wants to head Mass. AFL-CIO

Sen. Steven Tolman is set to be the next Massachusetts AFL-CIO president after Massachusetts AFL-CIO Legislative and Communications Director Tim Sullivan dropped his bid for the presidency.

Sullivan has decided not to campaign against Sen. Tolman given their identical goals for the labor movement. The Mass.

AFL-CIO presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 7.

Tolman plans to resign as senator after the election.

Sen. Tolman feels strongly about the opportunity to be president of the AFL-CIO given his union roots.

“I grew up in a union household and when I was mentioned as a candidate, I knew this would be an opportunity to ‘come home’ and serve the movement that has given so much to me,” said Sen. Tolman in a letter.

In a letter, Tolman explained why he is looking to run for the presidency.

“Today we are at a serious and critical juncture for our movement. It is more important than ever that organized labor come together and stand as one, to defend our way of life and our hard fought gains against the concerted and organized efforts of those who want See Tolman, page 5 R

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Pension Reform, from page 1 could take up to 15 years.

That might not have much of an impact on a retired judge with a six-figure pension, but it would amount to a massive cut for a retired cook’s helper earning just $21,000 a year, Keefe said.

“What I take offense to is the perception that anyone with a defined benefit retires to Florida, lives on a yacht, and eats caviar,” Keefe said.

Any attempt to eliminate or reduce COLAs for current retirees will likely prompt a court challenge from the SEIU, Keefe predicted. “We’ve taken a huge amount of sacrifice in the last few years,” Keefe said.

“We’re always willing to listen, but I’m not going to let my members be butchered.”

percent for teachers — could rise to 12 percent. Future hires could also be enrolled into a dual system of traditional pensions and private accounts, Sheehan said.

As for current retirees: “I think there’s probably more room for compromise on the COLA than the pension itself,” Sheehan said. But instead of a 15-year freeze on COLAs, Sheehan said lower-income retirees should still receive a COLA on the first $35,000 on the pension.

So far he said it is too early for him to stake out a position on any possible changes.

“Nobody knows right now what the changes are going to be,” Sheehan said. “I need to see how the numbers come out before I speak to them.”

Two big questions So far, no specific date for the fall session of the General Assembly has been set, but it is expected to begin after Oct. 10. But a series of joint hearings held by the Senate and House finance committees has been set for Sept. 12, 21 and 28, in anticipation of a formal proposal from Chafee and Raimondo in October.

It’s about dollars and cents Any pension reform, for him, must meet three criteria: it must be sustainable, fair, and final. “It really needs to be final.

None of this chip, chip, chip away,” Sheehan said.

Keefe agreed. Of all the outcomes, he said the worst that can happen is doing it all over again in the future. “If we don’t do something, I don’t

Whether there is any pension reform hinges on two related questions, according to Guthrie: Are pensions a property right? and Are they a form of deferred compensation and therefore a contractual right?

Guthrie believes the answer to both is yes. Regarding the first issue, he said: “My answer to that is why don’t you ask somebody’s who’s ever been divorced and half their pension is taken away? That tells me it’s a property right.”

Assuming the courts do not block pension reform, current workers and future hires can expect an older retirement age, according to state Sen. James Sheehan, D-North Kingstown, a Warwick public school teacher. Also, contribution rates — which are 8.75 percent for state workers and 9.25

want to be in the situation Central Falls is in 20 years from now,” Keefe said. “So I believe something needs to be done.”

He noted that state workers have already been through several rounds of pension reform — and were told in the past they would not face any future cuts to their pensions.

“Now they’re being told they’re not,” he said.

Keefe ultimately believes that the problems in the pension system are the result of decisions made by past politicians — not the actions of union leaders or their members.

“I think there’s a political problem. I think it has been a political problem. I think it continues to be a political problem,” Keefe said.

Asked to respond to criticism that labor is being attacked for problems created

SEPTEMBER 2011

by politicians, Sheehan replied: “I can definitely empathize with that as a worker, a public worker, a teacher. Unfortunately the issue is really about dollars and cents right now. … The problem is current politicians are facing what is an untenable financial situation.”

Unions form the RI Retirement Security coalition As state officials gear up for pension reform, a number of the state’s largest unions have banded together to form the Rhode Island Retirement Security Coalition. That group will educate members, the public, and state lawmakers about how pension reform affects state workers and retirees. And, when a pension reform bill is unveiled, the coalition will lobby either for or against it, depending on the language, according to Keefe.

At this point, he is holding off on making any reform proposals of his own. “I don’t want to be seen as negotiating against myself. So, until they throw something out there, I’m not going to throw something against myself,” Keefe said.

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Coalition can be found at www. rhodeislandretirementsecurity.org Also, the General Treasurer’s office has set up a special Web site with more information about the state pension system. It can be viewed here: www.treasury. ri.gov/secure-path-ri Note: The SEIU state council is having a meeting Sept. 8 at the Cranston Portuguese Club for all those affected by pension reform. The meeting, which is from 5 to 7 p.m., will be a Q&A session with Gov. Chafee and General Treasurer Raimondo.

SEPTEMBER 2011

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4 AFT locals work without new pacts Parisi thinks Central Falls receiver can jump start stalled negotiations

By Common Ground Staff As the school year gets underway, teacher contracts across the state remain unresolved.

For the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, more than a third—or 4 out of 11 contracts—remain unresolved, according to James Parisi, a field representative and lobbyist for the statewide union. “The teachers in Rhode Island understand the financial difficulties school districts have and are responding accordingly at the bargaining table,� Parisi said. “What they are really concerned about is using the fiscal crisis as an excuse to get rid of teacher rights.� He pointed to teacher recall as one example.

AFT districts where contracts remained unsettled as of Aug. 27 include: • Johnston: The contract is headed into the mediation phase. • Lincoln: Both parties are still in negotiations. • Warwick: Both parties are still in negotiations. • Central Falls (information to follow).

Parisi said he is not aware of any major battles in Lincoln or Johnston.

So far, the same goes for Warwick, but the fact that the district eliminated a pay raise last year—something the union successfully overturned after filing a grievance—is of concern, Parisi said.

For the Rhode Island NEA, about half a dozen local teacher contracts were set to expire at the end of August. Contract negotiations proved especially contentious in Portsmouth and South Kingstown, union sources say. (But as of this writing, South Kingstown teachers had ratified a

new contract, while the results of a ratification vote were still pending in Portsmouth.)

Controversy in Central Falls The district that is once again attracting the most attention statewide is Central Falls. Both parties were in mediation when the district made its “last, best, and final� offer at the end of June. That entailed: ending longterm sick leave, increasing co-shares on health insurance premiums, and paying half of what teachers would otherwise receive for longevity, step increases, and advanced degrees, according to Parisi.

The district’s proposal was unanimously rejected by the union. At that point, the next step was to go into arbitration, Parisi said.

But, in the meantime, the city

contract without finishing arbitration,�

Parisi said. “There was an agenda to gut our contract using bankruptcy as an excuse when we have always been willing to deal with the financial realities of the Central Falls School District.�

Plan would have eliminated deficit As an alternative, the union had proposed freezing step increases altogether. That would have saved $700,000, according to Parisi.

Combined with another $1 million the district is expected to save due to 20 vacancies, he said the union plan would have solved an anticipated $1.7 million deficit.

One new contract provision that was especially worrisome to union members: A proposal for a merit pay process using the same

those changes. Instead, Flanders said compensation and benefits would remain at the same levels that were being paid as of June 30.

Flanders said he or his designee would assume responsibility for reopening negotiations with the Central Falls Teachers’ Union. “Consequently, the School Department’s negotiating team now in place is relieved of that duty,� Flanders’ order stated.

His intervention is being welcomed by the union. “I think we’re in a much better place than we were,�

Parisi told Common Ground. “I’m hoping we’re going to get a fresh start with a new set of people to negotiate with.�

“I think we’re in a much better place than we were. I’m hoping we’re going to get a fresh start with a new set of people to negotiate with.â€? - James Parisi declared bankruptcy—a filing that included the school system since the city is expected to start contributing to the cost of local education starting in 2013 (currently the district is virtually 100 percent state funded). After the bankruptcy filing, Superintendent Frances Gallo unilaterally imposed the terms of the district’s last best offer on teachers. “When bankruptcy appeared, I guess the school folks decided to take advantage. ‌ It really surprised me that Fran Gallo wanted to impose the

current evaluation process in place at Central Falls High School, instead of the AFT’s Innovation Model of teacher evaluations. “We thought it was unnecessary to hire all these consultants to evaluate the teachers as it was last year,� Parisi said. “Money was tight.�

After news broke that Gallo was unilaterally imposing a new contract, the Central Falls receiver, Bob Flanders—who happens to be a former member of the Board of Regents— stepped in and issued an order halting

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Students need tools to beat addiction Essay provides insights about tackling growing drug abuse problem

By Michael J. Blackburn Twenty-two years ago, SAMHSA created National Recovery Month, giving the recovery community a chance to educate the public about the opportunities recovery can bring.

At Treatment Solutions Network, we focus on recovery year-round, but during Recovery Month, we like to do something special. Last year we hosted an essay contest throughout Florida’s public school system.

We opened the contest to junior high students and simply asked them to share their personal experience with addiction and what they felt could be done to curb the growing problem of drugs in school.

As professionals, we know how to connect the dots, but having an opportunity to hear from the children directly was enlightening.

We received countless essays with incredible insights and stories, but one truly stood out. A young girl named Afeefa showed us, through her personal experience, that the drug problem in schools can only be solved by connecting with the kids. The kids want to help, and more often than not they know exactly what to do. But they need to be empowered with the proper tools, and Afeefa helped us think about the best ways for schools to help their students.

We are a long way from a comprehensive solution, but Afeefa’s insight opened a dialogue that is leading to new hope for a tragic situation.

I have included Afeefa’s winning essay and am excited about our second annual Recovery Month essay contest. At Treatment Solutions Network, we are working toward the best recovery solutions for everyone, and thanks to Afeefa and all the other amazing students, we realized that the answers lie with the kids. This is just another example of how SAMHSA and Recovery Month have positively impacted the recovery community.

“First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Substance abuse is a growing problem amongst both teenagers and adults. I have had first hand experience of the adverse effects of substance abuse. My best friend was a victim. I helped her through this tough time by educating myself about substance abuse, getting her individual therapy, and getting her family to go see a counselor.

Before I could understand what was happening to her, I had to become informed. It took a while for me to notice the changes in our relationship and her behavior. But when I did, I started to dig deeper to further understand. I began researching the symptoms of substance abuse so I could look for warning signs. I wanted to educate myself in order to save her from this growing epidemic. During my research I uncovered the dangers and consequences that can occur. With this knowledge that I have gained I was more confidant that I can help her. I was better equipped and informed.

This knowledge motivated me to go to the guidance counselor and explain my dilemma and the need to want to help my friend. She informed me that she would set up a meeting. At first, my friend Sarah denied having a problem. I didn’t allow this to stop me. I persistently encouraged her to get help.

Finally, one day she agreed to visit the counselor. After she came back from her first session I knew something had changed about her. Sarah religiously went to therapy. Following these sessions, it was time to get her family involved.

I went with Sarah to tell her family what she was going through. They were shocked and also seemed to be in denial. They readily agreed to see a family therapist. Her father included me since I helped them come to the realization that their daughter has a problem. The therapist helped them to deal with their emotions and guilt, since Sarah was using over the counter drugs, which she had access to right at home. The family therapist also told them how to deal with Sarah and her problem. Sarah’s family was encouraged to look out for signs to make sure she did not start again. This knowledge created an awareness amongst all of us.

In conclusion, I was able to help and save Sarah by becoming informed, getting her individual therapy, and getting her family therapy as well. You can help by learning about substance abuse and develop a consciousness among students. Over the Counter Drugs is becoming a growing problem, in South Florida.

- Afeefa A.

For more information about Treatment Solutions Network’s Recovery Month project, visit http://www.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Tolman, from page 5 to tear labor apart,” said Sen. Tolman.

Sen. Tolman graduated from high school in 1972, and immediately went to work for the railroad at South Station and became a card carrying union member. He quickly became actively involved in the labor movement and, within five years was elected local chairman of his union: the Brotherhood of Railroad and Airline Clerk (BRAC), Local 1089, which later had a name change to the Transportation Communications International Union (TCU). The TCU will become part of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) this year.

In 1980, Sen. Tolman’s National

President sent him to the Harvard Trade Union Program. Shortly after the program, he became New England Division chairman. At this time, he was inspired, and remained inspired by the commitment, energy, and dedication of his national president, Fred Kroll. Fred showed Sen. Tolman what it meant to be involved, not only in his local union, but also in the central labor council, in the AFLCIO, in his community and in the Democratic Party.

Sen. Tolman listened to Kroll’s advice and got involved. In 1988, working with the Greater Boston Central Labor Council, he helped organize his community for the Question 2 prevailing wage campaign.

When the labor movement asked that union leaders step forward and run for office, Sen. Tolman answered the call and ran for state representative in his community of Allston/Brighton.

He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1994.

After 17 years as a union leader, Sen. Tolman took a leave of absence from the railroad to start his new job at the Statehouse, continuing his studies at night and receiving his bachelor of arts in law and labor studies at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

In 1998, Sen. Tolman was elected to the Senate where he has served in several capacities; from the first Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on

Page 5 Mental Health and Substance Abuse to vice-chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and, in his current role, as assistant majority leader.

Throughout, the labor movement remained his passion and he always kept the movement close to his heart and his union card in his wallet.

Sen. Tolman has spent 17 years in the legislature, fighting for the issues of working families and making sure that labor has a strong voice on Beacon Hill.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Walking to school gets an A-plus

By Eugenia Marks Your dad may have told you about walking to school in three feet of snow, going uphill both ways. More than half of the boomer generation did in fact walk or bike to school.

In the 1960s in Needham, Mass., 87 percent of the children who lived within a mile of the school walked there.

With sidewalks and neighborhood schools, rather than big campuses on the outskirts of suburban towns, students and their parents felt safe walking. As suburbs have sprawled and schools have consolidated, cars have become the dominant mode of transportation.

But the lifestyle has caught up with us. Now 36 percent of boomers are deemed overweight, and in Rhode Island, 38 percent of young people fall into that category. Walking can burn calories, tone muscles and move us without adding auto emissions to the atmosphere.

One quarter of the climatechanging gases in New England come from vehicles. Walking and biking can reduce the greenhouse gases that contribute to more intense storms, more extreme temperatures and consequent harm to agriculture,

coastal areas and real estate.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued guidelines in 2010 directing transportation programs to provide equitable funding to bicycle and pedestrian projects. The Federal Transportation Act of 2005 has provided funds to improve safety for students walking and biking to school under the Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS).

In Rhode Island, SRTS receives $1 million per year. Administrative duties are split between RIDOT (which focuses on striping, lights, signs and sidewalks) and DOA/ Statewide Planning, which concentrates on safety education, law enforcement and public relations.

Municipalities apply for grants to fund projects at specific schools, and two grant rounds were awarded, in 2007 and again in 2010. The grants are serving schools in Barrington, Central Falls, Cranston, East Providence, Jamestown, Narragansett, Newport, Providence, Smithfield, Warren, Westerly and Woonsocket.

The process is complicated by legal agreements, consultant contracts, design stages with approvals, resource approval procedures, and a potentially

shortened construction season because of school sessions. RIDOT has recently taken steps to restructure the program and manage both the design and construction phases of these projects in order to speed up implementation.

In addition, International Walk to School Day, a non profit advocacy arm of Safe Routes to School, provides

encouragement for walking by featuring a one-day effort to get as many kids as possible to walk and bike to school. This year in Rhode Island, IWTS Day is Oct. 5.

Eugenia Marks is the Senior Director of Policy at Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

Gambling Cont. from page 1 establishing itself here in Massachusetts,� said Rep. Jones.

Supporters of the bill expect debate to begin as early as midSeptember. The main issues to be debated will most likely be taxes on casino revenue, giving preferences to Native American tribes for casino licenses, allocating casino tax revenue and creating safeguards for communities hosting casinos.

The bill is expected to pass with ease, as many committee members have already indicated their support. Among those leaning towards support of the bill are co-chairs Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) and Rep. Joseph Wagner (D-Chicopee), as well as Sens. Brian Joyce (D-Milton), Thomas McGee (D-Lynn), Eileen Donoghue (D-Lowell), Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), and Reps. Thomas Petrolati (D-Ludlow), Thomas Calter (D-Kingston), Christine Canavan (D-Brockton), Robert Koczera (D-New Bedford), Nick Collins (D-South Boston), Tim Toomey (D-Cambridge), Stephen DiNatale (D-Fitchburg), Marcos Devers (D-Lawrence) and John Lawn (D-Watertown).

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.

Robert J. Haynes President

For more information call

Louis A. Mandarini, Jr. Secretary-Treasurer

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

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TWIN BAKEDSTUFFED Businessman: Unions 8 PM - 11 PMcan help economy THURSDAY - LADIES NIGHT

By Paul V. Palange

Survival of the middle class is dependent on organized labor.

That’s the assessment of Dan Wolf, a successful pro-labor businessman and first term state senator in Massachusetts. He runs the employee-owned Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines in Hyannis, which sits in the middle of his senatorial district.

“If the middle class is going to have a voice, it has to be through organized labor,” said Wolf, a Democrat. “History shows that is true.”

The undoing of labor and the middle class started in 1981, the senator said, when President Ronald Regan fired more than 11,300 striking air traffic controllers, paving the path for corporate executives to wield swords to slash wages and benefits. The cutting that started 30 year ago has to be stopped and reversed if the common man is to survive and fight off the anti-middle class and anti-labor public relations blitz being waged by corporate America and some Republican and Tea Party zealots.

The prevailing sentiment that pension benefits reportedly bankrupting some government and corporate entities is the fault of public and private sector unions is absurd, according to Wolf.

He said that position is “akin to blaming the assembly line worker for the poor design of an automobile.”

While a longer life expectancy and higher than anticipated cost of living is straining some pension plans, the real problem is unfunded or poorly managed portfolios, according to Wolf.

Another factor hurting the middle class, Wolf said, is that unions do not represent enough of the work force. Employees have to realize that without a strong organized labor movement, wages and benefits will decrease, not increase, so corporate executives meet their obligation to maximize profits.

The business model going forward has to be a greater representation of labor in the board room so employees have a bigger role in strategic planning, he said. “If that is not possible we are doomed.”

“It is only through divergent perspectives that we get solutions,” Wolf said. “If both sides

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Daniel Manocchio

James Croce

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Page 8

Common Ground

SEPTEMBER 2011

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

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

Heat and Frost Insulators Local No. 6 (617) 436-4666

Bristol Branch 390 Metacom Avenue Bristol, RI 02809 (401) 253-1313

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 99 (401) 946-9900

URI Branch URI Memorial Union Kingston, RI 02881 (401) 789-0253

International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 57 (401) 421-6678

Dexter Credit Union www.dextercu.org 1 Village Plaza Way North Scituate, RI 02857 (401) 934-7600

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

934 Dexter Street Central Falls, RI 02863 (401) 724-6200 Woodlawn Federal Credit Union 744 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 (401) 728-8300 The Carpenters’ Union represents: First Trade Union Bank www.ftubhb.com 14 Jefferson Park Road Warwick, RI 02888 1-800-242-0272

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

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 The Westin Providence 1 Exchange Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 598-8245 Alan Swerdolff, Director of Sales and Marketing

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

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 Cool Air Creations, Inc. 10 Business Park Drive Smithfield, RI 02917 888.288.TEES (401) 769.7755 www.morethantees.com

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 John J. Tassoni, Jr.

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

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An informative, one-hour AT&T Wireless

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

AnVerizon informative, TUESDAY 7one-hour P.M.

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

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

Workers Local 2323, can provide for allfamilies. of your home working and office internet, telephone andCOX cableCHANNEL TV needs through 14 Verizon’s new FiOS (Fiber Optic TUESDAY P.M. Service) network.

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Or contact IBEW 2323 at (401) 732-IBEW (4239).

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

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Page 9

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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

SEPTEMBER 2011

Entertainment Exhibit highlights Warren’s mills Museum also opens archive of Catholic schools

The Museum of Work & Culture hosted its 13th Annual Labor Day Open House on Sept.

5, 2011. The event kicked off a new exhibit in the Changing Gallery, as well as the Eugene A. Peloquin Catholic School Archive.

The new exhibit in the museum’s Changing Gallery is the Warren Mill project, presented by multi-talented artist Deborah Baronas. The project is an aesthetic blending of art and history aimed at raising awareness of Warren’s rich mill history. It presents the evocative artwork of the artist, as well as research by Dough Hinman to commemorate this formative period and remember the people who worked in the Warren mills. The Labor Day Open House gave patrons an opportunity to meet the artist.

The Eugene A. Peloquin Catholic School Archive also opened on Labor Day. Museum volunteers were on hand to assist visitors in perusing the 70 archival binders on Catholic education, and to accept donations of memorabilia from anyone who attended Catholic schools.

On the day of the open house, a play titled “The ITU Meeting” was presented. The play, written by Raymond Bacon, is about a meeting that takes place one week after the strike and riot by some 10,000 people against the Woonsocket Rayon Co. in September 1934. Various characters discuss the events and the results of the riot, including the role of the Independent Textile

Union (ITU) and the imposition of a curfew by the National Guard. The performance took place in the Museum’s ITU Union Hall. The actors include David Amaral, Romeo Berthiaume, Irene Blais, Albert Brunelle, Darin Cooper, Danielle DeRotto, Erik Eckilson, Victoria Gendron, Jason Metivier, Shulla Sannella and Steve Van Orsouw.

They discuss working conditions and other labor issues.

Also on Labor Day, The Navigant Credit Union Treasury of Life exhibit opened to visitors. The exhibit gives people the chance to learn about a unique way to preserve their family histories.

In conjunction with the Museum’s Annual Appeal, a raffle was held and drawn at the end of the day. The prize was a gourmet dinner for six, valued at $350, at the Pillsbury House on Prospect Street, courtesy of innkeeper Roger Bouchard and chef Gary McLaughlin. Tickets were sold throughout the day.

The museum’s signature event is in

commemoration of Woonsocket’s first Labor Day celebration, in 1899. On that day, Woonsocket residents and area workers marched and participated in day-long activities at Cold Spring Park. The occasion featured labor speeches and athletic competitions between the mills of the Blackstone Valley.

The Labor Day celebration is made possible by an annual gift from the Rhode Island Labor History Society. To learn more about the Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket, call (401) 769-9675.

Block Island celebrates 350th anniversary Block Island will celebrate its 350th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 with a concert featuring the Beantown Swing Orchestra and its own hometown band, The Booze Beggars.

The concert will take place on the Sullivan House Lawn from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm, and it will be the final event in a year-long anniversary program. Tickets are $20.00 each and all proceeds will go to benefit the Block Island Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad.

“What a great way to celebrate the island’s birthday,” said Kathy Szabo, director of the BI Chamber of Commerce. “Even better that it benefits our Volunteer Rescue and Fire Departments; we can’t wait.”

Island hotels have put together deals for concert-goers.

Multiple packages include overnight accommodations, round-trip ferry tickets, meals and bike rentals.

“It is sure to be an amazing time for family and friends,” said Jessica Willi, director of the Block Island Tourism Council, “We’re looking forward to dancing the day away.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit http://blockislandconcertseries.com/.

New theater production company to stage 5 musicals at Woonsocket’s Stadium Theatre Russell Maitland and staff (formally of the Courthouse Center for the Arts) are pleased to announce the development of the new theatrical production company, R.M. Maitland Productions. Director and Choreographer Russell M. Maitland, Music Director Stephen DeCesare and Production Director Rachel A. Nadeau will head the creative team, producing five shows in 2012.

The performances will take place at Woonsocket’s historic Stadium Theatre. The five shows are: The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Hairspray, Avenue Q, Anything Goes and A Wonderful Life — with a new musical score by Stephen DeCesare.

“Bringing entertaining musical theater to Rhode Island is our passion, and this very exciting opportunity will allow us to grow and continue the successful and creative work we began at CCA”, says Maitland.

Auditions for the 2012 R. M. Maitland Productions will be posted at www.rmmaitlandproductions.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Page 11

Mass. nurses association wants Warren to wage campaign for U.S. Senate seat Union’s board Oks endorsement before declaration of candidacy Just days after Elizabeth Warren announced the establishment of an exploratory committee for her potential U.S. Senate run in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the state’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses, unanimously endorsed her pending candidacy at its most recent board of directors meeting. The leadership at the MNA’s national affiliate, the National Nurses United (NNU), has also unanimously voted to support Warren.

The MNA is the first labor union to endorse Warren, and its 23,000 nurse members combined with 147,000 additional NNU members from across the country helps provide the potential Senate candidate with strong motivation to enter the race.

“Even though she is not yet an

official candidate, the MNA board has taken the unprecedented step of voting to support her,” said Donna Kelly-Williams, a registered nurse and president of the MNA. “Her dedication to the nation’s middle class, which she has demonstrated through her work as a faithful consumer advocate both locally and nationally, reflects one of the MNA’s key goals: Restoring a basic standard of living for working people by creating financial remedies that hold Wall Street accountable while protecting those who live and work on Main Street USA.” The MNA, in conjunction with the NNU, has started a national campaign called “The Main Street Contract.” The campaign is dedicated to many of the same issues that Warren has focused on resolving through her work as a Harvard professor and bankruptcy attorney,

as well as assistant to the president and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the treasury for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the Obama administration. Those issues include providing jobs at living wages for everyone, creating a secure retirement system that allows everyone to live out their lives with dignity and establishing a just taxation system where corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.

“For too long now we have seen the results of Wall Street controlling the economy,” said Karen Higgins, registered nurse and co-president of the NNU. “It is time for the ‘Main Street’ values of financial equality and fairness to take precedence, and Elizabeth Warren is the person to lead us in that direction. She will go to Washington D.C., not to serve the interests of Wall Street, but to serve the interests of working

DANIEL P. CLIFFORD PRESIDENT 33 EASTLAND STREET SPRINGFIELD, MA 01109

(800) 332-9699

people in Massachusetts and across America.”

Warren has spent years fighting for working-class families and highlighting the need for financial reform and meaningful consumer protection. Following the financial crisis of 2008, she became the chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, which was created to oversee the U.S. banking bailout. Warren was also a long-time advocate for the creation of a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and helped establish it following the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act as assistant to the president and special adviser to the secretary.

Added Kelly-Williams, “We support Elizabeth because we want to help heal America, and we know that she will work with us in our fight to rebuild and restore Main Street.”

RICHARD M. BROWN SECRETARY-TREASURER

UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION LOCAL 1459

WWW.UFCW1459.C0M UFCW1459@GMAIL.COM

REPRESENTING OVER 4,500 MEMBERS AND GROWING

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 12

Common Ground

SEPTEMBER 2011

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Page 13

National Labor News Chairwoman Liebman leaves NLRB Mark Gaston Pearce will take over helm of 76-year-old board National Labor Relations Board Chairwoman Wilma B. Liebman, who has served on the board for nearly 14 years, left at the completion of her third term last month.

The White House has designated board member Mark Gaston Pearce to be the next Chairman.

Chairwoman Liebman was first appointed to the board by President Bill Clinton, and was confirmed by the Senate in 1997. She was reappointed by President George W. Bush in 2002 and 2006, and was designated chairwoman by President Barack Obama on Jan. 21, 2009. She is the third longest-serving member in the board’s 76year history.

Before coming to the NLRB, Liebman served as deputy director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and as counsel to two

international labor organizations.

“It has been a privilege to serve on the board and to work with people committed to carrying out the important mission of this agency,” Liebman said. “The values embodied in the National Labor Relations Act — which gives Americans a voice at work and helped to build a middle-class society — are enduring. I am confident that the board will hold fast to those values, even in challenging times.”

In a statement, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka congratulated Liebman for her “unwavering commitment to the agency and its mission of enforcing the National Labor Relations Act.” “Her professionalism, integrity, intelligence and leadership have earned her well-deserved praise from labor and management alike, as well as from her colleagues on the Board,” said Trumka.

Pearce has served on the board since 2010, and was confirmed by the Senate to a term that ends on August 27, 2013. Previously, he served as a member of the New York State Industrial Board of Appeals and was a founding partner of the Buffalo, N.Y. law firm of Creighton, Pearce, Johnsen and Giroux. He worked as an attorney and district trial specialist for the NLRB from 1979 to 1994.

“I am honored to be given this awesome responsibility which was performed with grace and distinction by Wilma Liebman,” Pearce said. “I will be eternally grateful for her steadfast leadership, scholarship and exemplary service to this agency and the labor-management community. I wish her the best.”

Teamsters add five terminals of UPS Freight clerks

For more information contact us today at

413.572.1300

Majorities of clerical workers at five UPS Freight terminals across the country have signed authorization cards to join the Teamsters, International Vice President and Package Division Director Ken Hall announced.

An independent arbitrator certified the majorities less than two months after Hall’s announcement at the 28th International Convention that the Teamsters had won a cardcheck agreement at UPS Freight covering nearly 1,000 operations clerks.

“The UPS Freight clerks are eager for a strong contract that only Teamster representation can provide, and I’m pleased to welcome our newest Teamsters,” Hall said.

Majorities of clerks at Stoneham, Mass., signed cards to join Teamsters Local 25; clerks in Farmingdale, N.Y. have joined Local 707; clerks in Rialto and Fontana, Calif., have become members of Local 63; and Indianapolis clerks have joined Local 135. Clerks are being signed up at more then 80 other terminals.

The clerks are both full-time and part-time workers whose jobs are to run freight dispatch, billings and operations at UPS terminals. They work side by side with Teamster drivers and dockworkers, and saw firsthand the strength that comes with joining the Teamsters Union.

The Teamsters Union organized more than 12,000 drivers and dockworkers at UPS Freight, also under a card-check agreement.

“There are some very excited clerks in Indianapolis who have been interested in joining the union since 2006, when the UPS Freight organizing drive began here,” said Brian Buhle, international vice president and secretary-treasurer of Local 135.

“The clerical workers in Long Island who signed cards and are now represented by the Teamsters are eager for more workers to sign cards, so we can get down to the business of negotiating a contract for them,” said Kevin McCaffrey, president of Teamsters Local 707 in New York.

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Page 14

Common Ground

Public Relations | Integrated Marketing

SEPTEMBER 2011

Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers “Representing Those Who Work the Toughest Beat in the State”

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Verizon workers back on job Terms of expired agreement remain in effect

By Amelia Pillsbury After nearly two weeks of strikes, court injunctions, unfair labor practice charges and various accusations, union workers returned to work at Verizon on Aug. 23 without a contract in place.

The union members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) are working under an indefinite extension of the expired agreement. Discussions on a new contract resumed Aug. 10 after the strike began, resulting in the negotiations of a fair back-towork agreement.

Despite comments from Verizon Executive Vice President

of Human Resources Marc Reed, which union leaders called inflammatory, inaccurate and insulting, the parties have been able to move forward, even congratulating senior management.

“We will not let it deter us from the important business of getting a fair new contract,” said the IBEW in a statement. “We negotiated a fair back-to-work agreement yesterday and salute Verizon’s senior management for their mature and responsible approach.”

Speaking on the Common Ground radio show, Steve Murphy, President of IBEW Local 2323 in Rhode Island explained that the intention of the worker’s strike was

not because they disliked Verizon. “[Verizon] is a good place to work, that’s why we’re trying to maintain that standard of living,” said Murphy.

While many union members believe that the strike is a key to solving an immediate collective bargaining issue, others feel that a strike like this should carry longterm economic lessons. Writing on The Hill’s Congress, CWA President Larry Cohen argued that collective bargaining is the key to recovering the economy.

“We will never have an economic recovery in this country if instead very profitable employers automatically cut wages, cut benefits and ship more good jobs

overseas because their colleagues at other firms are all doing it. That remains a race to the bottom,” said Cohen.

Prior to the strike, Verizon had proposed freezing pension plans and switching union workers to a nonunion health plan that included higher costs for employees. Verizon argues that it is necessary to cut costs because of the decline in landline phone business.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Page 15

Debt bill: Good or bad for seniors?

Social Security, Medicare remain targets of budget cutters

By John A. Pernorio The recent debt ceiling deal is far from perfect. No corporate loopholes are closed, and the tax cuts for the wealthy will not expire, but I’m relieved that we will avoid a government default. Many seniors I know have been worried about their Social Security and veterans’ benefits.

Their benefits are protected for the immediate future.

I am relieved that the deal has no immediate cuts in Social Security or Medicare. But retirees cannot think that this is over. The people who want to cut back Social Security and Medicare will always use our budget pressures as an excuse.

Social Security and Medicare are two of America’s greatest success stories. They have helped millions of seniors stay healthy and out of poverty. If it weren’t for Medicare, very few retirees I know would be able to see a doctor or fill a prescription.

In July, the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans celebrated Social Security’s 76th birthday. To me, creating Social Security was one of the best things our country has ever done.

Social Security has not added one penny to our deficit — it is fully-funded by worker and payroll

taxes. So we should never even mention Social Security in any conversation about the budget deficit or the debt ceiling. However, Congress will be creating a “super-committee” to recommend more cuts in federal spending. We cannot allow politicians to balance the budget on the backs of seniors. House Republican leaders stated they would not appoint any member to the “super-committee” who wants to raise revenues.

In all of these budget debates, there are a lot of lies flying around — I know

many people who tell me they just don’t know who to believe anymore. The Rhode Island alliance will redouble its efforts to help retirees in our state help separate fact from fiction. As a retiree, I worry whenever I hear Social Security and Medicare mentioned in debates about lowering our budget deficit.

Even though the recent debt ceiling deal did not cut Social Security or Medicare, it did create a new panel on Capitol Hill that could, by the end of the year, recommend sweeping cuts in both programs. I hope that our state’s

lawmakers would vote against that.

What’s at stake As part of the second stage of the deal, congressional leaders have appointed a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or “supercommittee”. The committee is charged with finding an additional $1.2 trillion in deficit cuts by November 23. The super-committee could propose more cuts to discretionary programs as well as cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the health reform law.

We are concerned that the supercommittee may propose raising the Social Security age to 70, reducing the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA), raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and creating Medicare vouchers, which would impose even deeper cuts than the Ryan budget.

This summer, American seniors will celebrate 76 years of Social Security and 46 years of Medicare and Medicaid. On behalf of all Rhode Island seniors receiving Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, we at the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans ask our members of Congress not to mess with success.

John A. Pernorio is President of the RI Alliance for Retired Americans.

Thank You to our advertisers and supporters!

If you have an article you would like to submit, e-mail it to john@commongroundnews.net.

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Page 16

Common Ground

SEPTEMBER 2011

Tomato pickers hope protests against supermarket company are fruitful Photos by Claudia Saenz

Florida farm workers and Providence consumers picket recently outside the Stop & Shop at 333 West River St., demanding fair labor standards. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is calling on Ahold, owner of Stop & Shop, Trader Joe’s and Giant supermarkets, to end what the coalition terms decades of labor abuse faced by Florida tomato pickers. The coalition wants the retail company to sign a Fair Food Agreement and agree to pay growers more money per pound so pickers can receive higher wages and improve their living conditions. The protest was part of a two-week East Coast tour, and the coalition was joined locally by members of Providence Fair Food. In the top left photo, Oscar Otzoy, a coalition leader, addresses the crowd before the start of the protest.

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Common Ground

Page 17

PROVIDENCE BRUINS 2011/12 SCHEDULE HOME

OCTOBER Fri. 7 Sun. 9 Fri. 14 Sun. 16 Fri. 21 Sun. 23 Fri. 28 Sun. 30 NOVEMBER Fri. 4 Sun. 6 Fri. 11 Fri. 18 Sun. 20 DECEMBER Fri. 2 Fri. 9 Sun. 11 Fri. 16 Sun. 18 JANUARY Fri. 6 Sun. 8 Fri. 13 Fri. 20 Sun. 22 Fri. 27 FEBRUARY Fri. 3 Fri. 10 Sun. 12 Fri. 17 Sun. 19 MARCH Fri. 2 Sun. 4 Fri. 9 Sun. 18 Fri. 23 Sun. 25 APRIL Fri. 6 Fri. 13 Sun. 15

ROAD

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4:05 p.m.

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4:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

Manchester Monarchs Norfolk Admirals Manchester Monarchs Springfield Falcons

Connecticut Whale

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

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Bridgeport Sound Tigers

7:05 p.m.

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4:05 p.m.

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Portland Pirates Bridgeport Sound Tigers Worcester Sharks Worcester Sharks Springfield Falcons

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4:05 p.m.

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4:05 p.m.

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Springfield Falcons Portland Pirates Albany Devils Hershey Bears Connecticut Whale

7:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

Adirondack Phantoms Bridgeport Sound Tigers W-B/Scranton Penguins Springfield Falcons

Manchester Monarchs Portland Pirates

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

Worcester Sharks Bridgeport Sound Tigers Portland Pirates

7:05 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

OCTOBER Sat. 15 Sat. 22 Sat. 29 NOVEMBER Sat. 5 Sat. 12 Sun. 13 Sat. 19 Wed. 23 Fri. 25 Sat. 26 DECEMBER Sat. 3 Sat. 10 Sat. 17 Mon. 26 Wed. 28 Fri. 30 Sat. 31 JANUARY Sat. 7 Sat. 14 Sun. 15 Sat. 21 Wed. 25 FEBRUARY Sat. 4 Tue. 7 Wed. 8 Sat. 18 Fri. 24 Sat. 25 Sun. 26 MARCH Sat. 10 Sun. 11 Fri. 16 Sat. 24 Fri. 30 Sat. 31 APRIL Sun. 1 Sat. 7 Sat. 14

@ Springfield Falcons @ Portland Pirates @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

@ Manchester Monarchs @ Portland Pirates @ Worcester Sharks @ Portland Pirates @ Hershey Bears @ Norfolk Admirals @ Norfolk Admirals

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:15 p.m.

@ Manchester Monarchs @ Connecticut Whale @ Connecticut Whale @ Manchester Monarchs @ Portland Pirates @ Springfield Falcons @ Manchester Monarchs

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

@ Worcester Sharks @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Springfield Falcons @ Worcester Sharks @ W-B/Scranton Penguins

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:05 p.m.

@ Adirondack Phantoms @ St. John’s IceCaps @ St. John’s IceCaps @ Springfield Falcons @ Worcester Sharks @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Manchester Monarchs

7:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

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3:00 p.m.

@ Worcester Sharks @ Portland Pirates @ Worcester Sharks @ Connecticut Whale @ Albany Devils @ Springfield Falcons

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4:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

@ Connecticut Whale @ Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Albany Devils

3:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

All game times are Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Providence Bruins - 1 LaSalle Square - Providence, RI - 02903

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Page 18

Common Ground

SEPTEMBER 2011

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© 2007 CB Richard Ellis, Inc. The information above has been obtained from sources believed reliable. While we do not doubt its accuracy, we have not verified it and make no guarantee, warranty or representation about it. It is your responsibility to independently confirm its accuracy and completeness. Any projections, opinions, assumptions or estimates used are for example only and do not represent the current or future performance of the property. The value of this transaction to you depends on tax and other factors which should be evaluated by your tax, financial and legal advisors. You and your advisors should conduct a careful, independent investigation of the property to determine to your satisfaction the suitability of the property for your needs.

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Common Ground

Page 19

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Page 20

Common Ground

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