MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

IBEW Local 81 conducts annual Bowling Tournament

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 15th- The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union Local 81, Wyoming Avenue in Scranton, recently held the 11th annual Toby Joyce Memorial No-Tap Doubles Bowling Tournament at South Side Bowl in South Scranton.

According to Geno Arcurie Jr., IBEW Local 81 Membership Development Representative, the bowling tournament is held for two reasons.

The first is to keep the memory of a good friend and member of Local 81, who participated in the event right-up to the time he passed away from cancer, and the second is eleven years ago the Union looked for a worthy cause that they could donate proceeds made from the tournament to. The proceeds benefit the Friendship House.

“Each year this tournament continues to grow, allowing us to give the Friendship House a sizable donation.

We have bowlers come from near and far such as areas of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Ashley, Pittsburgh, Binghamton and Syracuse,” stated Mr. Arcurie.

Mr. Arcurie added that other labor organizations, electrical contractors, local banks, and businesses participate by sponsoring bowling lanes, in which there name is placed on a 2 foot by 4 foot sign which is hung on the top of the lane the day of the tournament. The sponsorship is a major factor in helping Local 81 raise the much needed money for the Friendship House.

In this years event 149 bowlers participated, which was the most ever and there were 36 lane sponsors.

“Once the tournament concluded we all headed to the Waldork Park where we enjoyed a wonderful hot buffet,” added Mr. Arcurie.

The tournament raised $4,600 for the Friendship House.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Lackawanna County Commissioner praises prison guards

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 23rd- Former member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union Local 2736, which represents Correction Officers (CO’s) of the Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton, and current Republican Lackawanna Minority Commissioner Patrick O’Malley, believes the killing of CO Eric Williams at the federal Penitentiary at Canaan in Wayne County on February 25th only shows most people don’t understand the duties and dangers of the job.

“Once they enter the prison, there are the prison walls, fences with rolls of concertina wire on top, and gates. I would like the readers to recognize that Correction Officers only carry on their person handcuffs, a radio, their training and use of common sense, which is paramount for their job,” said Mr. O’Malley.

Mr. O’Malley told the newspaper that most CO’s work in an environment where there are more inmates than staff and that also is dependent upon the activities that are going on.

“Correction Officer Eric Williams, gave everything he had, including his life, to make sure that our community is safe.

Inmates always outnumber staff. The average shift is 8 hours but can lead to 16, which is mandatory overtime. The prison must be manned 24/7 without question. The prison never closes or shuts down,” added Mr. O’Malley.

The CO’s at the federal prison where Mr. Williams worked are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Union, but he was not a member.

Mr. O’Malley pointed-out that CO’s are multi-taskers at work, taking care of medical , nutritional, and religious needs, preventing and stopping fights, cell extractions, preventing suicides if possible, financial or sexual extortion of inmates, gambling, and cell searches for contraband. They are the first responders that arrive on the scene to access the medical situation.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Luzerne County Controller candidate seeking labor support

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, May 1st- Luzerne County Controller candidate Michelle Bednar, 47 of Wapwallopen, is requesting the support of the labor community for the May 21st Primary Election. She is one of four Democratic candidates seeking the nomination.

During a interview by the newspaper, Mrs. Bebnar stated both of her parents were union members and her husband John is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union Local 163 in Wilkes-Barre. Mike Kwashnik, Business Manager of Local 163, told the newspaper Mr. Bednar has been a member of the union in good standing for more than a decade.

Mr. Kwashnik said the labor community needs to do better in getting pro-labor political candidates elected to office because all too often elected officials have a “negative” opinion of labor unions and their members and work against them legislatively.

“I have no doubt, if elected she would support the labor community,” Mr. Kwashnik stated.

Local 163 recently held a fund raising event in Nanticoke to help Mrs. Bednar’s campaign.

“I support the right for workers to collectively bargain,” Mrs. Bednar stated.

The current Luzerne County Democratic Controller Walter Griffith is facing a lawsuit by Judd Shoval, a member of the board of CityVest, a nonprofit organization that once attempted to revitalize the Hotel Sterling, for recording telephone conversation without knowledging Mr. Shoval. Mr. Shoval is seeking damages for the violation of Pennsylvania’s wiretap law and invasion of privacy. Mrs. Bednar made no mention of the lawsuit during the interview with the newspaper.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union District Council 87 represents one worker of the Luzerne County Controllers office. AFSCME Local 1398 had represented more of the workers but under a dispute with the current County Manager the union classification is under review.

Mrs. Bednar has worked as a branch manager of investment securities, a payroll broker commission’s assistant supervisor, an administrative assistant of corporate leading and a corporate trust supervisor. She studied corporate trust operations at the Cannon Financial Institute within the University of North Carolina and studies accounting at Penn State University.

The controller oversees couty fiscal and management activities.

During the interview Mrs Bednar made it clear she is not a part of a political machine or clique and would run the Luzerne County Controller’s office in that manner.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Mohegan Sun officials conduct construction ceremony

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 20th- Mohegan Sun Casino officials recently held a ceremony in front of the legalized gambling facility in Plains Township, Luzerne County, hoisting a evergreen tree on top of the $50 million construction project which involves the building of new hotel and convention center. The hoisting of the tree is a ironworker ceremony indicating that were no workers killed during the steel erection of the building under construction.

The more than 20,000 squre foot convention center is still under construction and will stand adjacent to a 238 guest room hotel. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2013.

However, most labor organizations affiliated with the building and construction trades council are not celebrating because nearly all have seen their work being done by nonunion workers, sometimes workers from out-of-the-area.

The project was devided into two parts, the construction of the hotel and the construction of the convention center.

Union construction workers have protested in front of the construction site during the project expressing their displeasure of not being hired. Mohegan Sun responded by setting-up two gates to the construction site, one for nonunion workers and one for union tradesmen.

Most recently, members of the International Brotherhood of Carpenters Union Local 645 Pear Street in Scranton, have held a banner stating Mohagan Sun officials should be ashamed of themselves for not hiring local construction workers to proform work usually done by Local 645 members.

Mike Rozitski, President of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council labor federation told the newspaper he is disappointed nearly every construction union affiliated with the labor organization are not being hired for some of the work construction.

Mr. Rozitski said when the main casino building was built in 2005, a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) was used. But, Mohegan Sun would not sign a PLA for these projects.

In the past members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union Local 163 in Wilkes-Barre picketed outside of the Mohegan Sun for several days protesting the hiring of a Missouri-based contractor for the electrical work.

Mike Kwashnik, Business Manager of Local 163, said unlike most building trades union members, which did get some of the work of the project(s), no IBEW members were hired.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Employer using “delay tactics” in AFSCME requested election

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, May 1st- The operators of a Hazleton nursing home are pulling out all of the stops in attempting to keep employees of the facility from voting on whether they want to be represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union District Council 87 in Dunmore. Council 87 represents AFSCME members throughout nine counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

AFSCME filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region Four office in Philadelphia on March 18th, 2013 requesting the agency conduct a election to determine if full-time and regular part-time Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s) and other professional employees of the Manor and Pavilion at St. Luke’s Village nursing home on Stacie Drive in Hazleton want to be represented by AFSCME. District Council 87 represents other employees including aids and food service workers, of the nursing home.

The newspaper discovered the petition while reviewing representation petition’s filed by labor organizations and any Unfair Labor Practice’s (ULP’s) labor complaints filed at the NLRB office in Philadelphia. The newspaper is the only member of the media in Northeastern Pennsylvania that reviews the information, including other newspapers, television stations and radio outlets.

The petition was filed by Robin Calabria, a union organizer for AFSCME Council 13 in Harrisburg, which District Council 87 is affiliated.

AFSCME withdrew the petition on April 1st, 2013 but refiled it on the same day. However, the employer has challenged the right of whether the LPN’s have the right to become union members claiming they are supervisors and under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRAct) are ineligible from joining unions, something AFSCME is disputing.

The employer’s legal representation has objected to the attempt by the union to represent the LPN’s and have challenged the right of the workers to participate in the election.

The NLRB has instructed both sides to file legal briefs by May 1st and will make a determination if the employees should be allowed to participate in a NLRB conducted election. Under NLRB rules a labor organization must receive 50 percent plus one of the eligible to participate employees in a election to become their bargaining representative for the purpose of collective baragining.

Often employers fearing they would lose an election will challenge the right of workers from participating in elections or made other challenges to delay a election hoping to be able to influence workers not to support unionization.

According to the petition, AFSCME requested that approximately 42 workers participate in the NLRB conducted election.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Wilkes-Barre Labor Council conducts event to mark OSHAct of 1970

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 29th- The Greater Wilkes-Barre Labor Council (GWBLC) labor federation, which is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in Washington DC, and its Community Services Committee recently held their “9th Annual Workers Memorial Candlelight Vigil” at the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 1776 building on Highway 315 in Pittston.

The ALF-CIO request their affiliated labor councils to conduct an event each year around April 28th to mark the anniversary date of the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) in 1970.

According to Walter Klepaski, the AFL-CIO United Way Community Services Liaison, the go-between the labor community and the community based organization, the virgil is held each year by the labor federation to memorialize Luzerne County residents who died in work related accidents or incidents.

In addition to honoring the hundreds of local individuals who died over the years, many in coal mines, special honor was paid to those who lost their lives since last year’s program.

Those individuals include: Charles Kratz of Plymouth, died in September 2012 as a result of a fork lift accident at Core Mark in Hanover Township; Shailskumar Patel of Duryea, died September 2012, when struck by a piece of equipment at Letica Corporation of Pittston; Michael Martin of Hazleton, died in November 2012, while participating in a fire brigade training exercise at Luzerne County Community College (LCCC); and Eric Williams of Wapwallopen, died in February 2013, a federal Corrections Officer (CO) after being killed by an inmate at the Federal Penintentiary at Canaan.

Ed Harry, President of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Labor Council, Wayne Namey, a UFCW Local 1776 member, and Joe Padavan, President of the United Steelworkers of America (USW) Union Local 15253, were principal speakers and called on elected officials to strengthen job safety laws. They stated that although workplace safety has improved since congress enacted the OSHAct still too many workers remain at serious risk of injury, illness or death.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,690 workers were killed on the job, an average of 13 workers each day, and an estimated 50,000 died from occupational diseases, in 2010, the latest data available.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Anti-Prevailing Wage legislation out of labor committee

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 24th- Legislation was voted out of committee by the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee so they may be considered by the full Pennsylvania House of Representatives that could effect labor organizations affiliated with the building and construction trade unions.

On April 16th the House Labor and Industry Committee voted two anti-prevailing wage bills out of committee that adds to the number of bill’s that have been introduced in this legislative session in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that attacks provisions of Prevailing Wage Agreements (PLA’s) that help state building and construction union workers gain employment that is at least partially funded by taxpayer money.

A PLA is a comprehensive agreement signed between a builder and local craft unions under which a defined construction project is agreed to be completed by workers from local union halls, in return for the union’s guarantee of no strikes, a steady well trained labor supply, and general labor peace.

Under a PLA, a nonunion contractor could still be hired for a project, however if they are selected, local unionized workers must be hired.

The legislation is supported by the anti-union, pro-business members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Frank Sirianni, President of the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council in Harrisburg, which is a labor federation representing labor unions that members are employed within the building and construction trade industry, stated the bills are just two of a large package of new anti-PLA bills that have been recently introduced and represent a bold new set of attacks on workers by this misguided anti-worker agenda.

House Bill (HB) 665 would change the definitions of “construction” and “maintenance” projects so that more public projects would be classified as “maintenance” and therefore be exempt from prevailing wage laws. “Maintenance” projects under this proposed legislation would include full replacement of guide rails, curbs, pipes, and other road equipment as well as repaving up to 3 1/2 inches of road surface, including associated milling. This would exempt a huge number of construction crews from prevailing wage protections.

HB 796 would amend the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act to raise the threshold from $25,000 to $100,000 for projects that would be subject to prevailing wage laws. This bill is a transparent effort to undermine prevailing wage laws in the commonwealth.

The Keystone Research Center (KRC), a progressive economic think tank in Harrisburg, released a study that indicated prevailing wage laws help prevent the construction industry from degenerating into destructive wage and price competition, which drives skilled and experienced workers from the industry, reduces productivity, and quality, and leads to poverty-level jobs, without saving construction customers any money.

The Keystone Research Center stated claims by opponents that prevailing wage laws costs as much as 30 percent is implausible hypothetical calculations and not based on actual numbers.

In Pennsylvania labor compensation on construction projects accounts for only 24 percent of total costs on average. Also, the hypothetical calculations assume that when wages and benefits drop, everything else, including worker skill levels and productivity, remain unchanged.

Mr. Sirianni stated that if Pennsylvania policy makers want to save money of public construction, the best route would be to shift public construction to periods of higher unemployment. Pennsylvania should launch a “Buy Low” initiative by increasing the state’s bond-financed investments in schools, transportation, and infrastucture.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Scranton City Council candidates support labor issues

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 27th- There are six Democratic candidates vying for the nomination of their party for three four-year seats on Scranton City Council for the May 21st primary election and the three that were interviewed all stated they did not support the privitization of the Scranton Department of Public Works (DPW) and would not vote to rescind the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) law.

The only incumbent council member seeking re-election is Democrat Pat Rogan.

Most recently the newspaper interviewed Democratic party candidate Bill Gaughan, age 26 from the Minooka section of Scranton, and he told the newspaper that he onced worked within the Doherty Administration as the Equal Opportunity Specialist in the Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD). He stated part of his job was to make sure construction workers on city building projects were paid properly under the David-Bacon Act.

Mr. Gaughan stated if elected he would not support the privitization of the DPW, which has been discussed in recent years at Scranton City Council meetings. The DPW workers are represented by the International Association of Machinists Union (IAM) Union Local Lodge 2305.

Mr. Gaughan is a substitute teacher in the Scranton School District. His parents were also employed by the Scranton School District in the maintenance department and members of the union. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers represent the maintenance department of the Scranton School District.

Meanwhile, Joe Wechsler, 54 of East Scranton, told the newspaper he would also not support the privitization of the DPW and would not vote to rescind the PLA law. The PLA was signed into law by former Scranton Mayor Jimmy Connors and is a comprehensive agreement signed between a builder or a government body and local craft unions under which a construction project(s) is agreed to be completed by workers from local union halls, in return for a guarantee of no strikes, a steady labor supply, and labor peace.

Mr. Wechsler is plant manager of the North American Manufacturing facility. The workers of the plant are nonunion.

Both candidates stated the relationship between City Council and the Mayor’s office must inprove if Scranton is to solve their financial crisis. Mr. Wechsler added the labor organizations that represent Scranton’s workers must have a seat at the table and feel like they are partners.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Nicholas DeSando seeking labor support for Sheriff

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, April 29th- Former union member and Dunmore Borough resident Nicholas DeSando, is requesting the support of the labor community in the May 21st Primary Election for Lackawanna County Sheriff.

Mr. DeSando is one of three seeking the Democratic party nomination for Sheriff. There are two candidates seeking the Republican party nomination.

The other two Democats seeking their party nomiation are Rob Mazzoni of Archbald and Mark McAndrew of Mayfield. The two Republican candidates are Dominick Manetti of Old-Forge and Joe Albert of Scranton.

Current Lackawanna County Sheriff John Szymanski announced earlier this year he would retire after this current four-year term expires at the end of the year.

The Lackwanna County Commissioners want to eliminate the citizens from electing their Sheriff and make the position an appointed position. The Sheriff Department mostly transports prison inmates, serves lawsuits, serves warrants, sells delinquent tax properties and provides security at county parks and events.

However, most political pundits believe the citizens will reject the commissioner’s proposal. During a interview by the newspaper Mr. DeSando stated he has always believed in the right of collective bargaining.

Mr. DeSando has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, including beginning his career as a Dunmore Borough Police Officer, where he was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Union Lodge 2, which also represents the Scranton Police. He was the first Police Bike Patrol Officer of Lackawanna County and was involved in the Lackawanna County Drug Task Force, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (DARE).

If elected Mr. DeSando stated a priority of his will be to provide more accessibility to the sheriff’s office and attempt to utilize it as a countywide police agency by assisting other municipalities round-the-clock.

MAY 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

MSA’s unemployment rate remain the highest in Pennsylvania

BY PAUL LEESON
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, May 2nd- According to labor data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the region’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 9.6 percent, decreasing by three-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report, which was released approximately four weeks before.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming Counties of Pennsylvania. Twelve months ago the unemployment rate for the region was 9.1 percent.

The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is 7.9 percent, decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report. Pennsylvania has a seasonally adjusted civilian labor force of 6,508,000 with 512,000 not working and 5,995,000 with employment. Pennsylvania’s unemployment increased by three-tenths of a percentage point over the past year.

The national unemployment rate is 7.6 percent, decreasing by one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report. The national unemployment rate fell by six-tenths of a percentage point from twelve months ago. The unemployment rate does not include civilians that unemployment benefits have expired and stopped looking for work. The reason the unemployment rate dropped both in the state and nation was because of civilians that have stopped looking for work and are no longer counted in the labor force.

There are 11,742,000 civilians in the nation reported to be unemployed. That number also does not include civilians that have exhausted their unemployment benefits and have stopped looking for work.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MSA continues to have the highest unemployment rate among the 14 MSA’s within Pennsylvania.

The Johnstown MSA has the second highest unemployment rate in the commonwealth at 9.2 percent, the Philadelphia MSA has the third highest at 8.4 percent with the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton MSA fourth at 8.3 percent.

The State College MSA has the lowest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania at 5.9 percent. The Lebanon MSA and the Lancaster MSA are tied with the second lowest unemployment rate at 6.5 percent. The Harrisburg MSA has the third lowest unemployment rate at 7.1 percent followed by the Pittsburgh MSA at 7.3 percent.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MSA has the fifth largest labor force in Pennsylvania with 286,200 civilians and 27,600 of them are without employment.

The Philadelphia MSA has the largest labor-force in Pennsylvania at 3,023,700 with 254,700 not working; the Pittsburgh MSA has the second largest labor-force at 1,257,900 with 91,300 without jobs; and the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton MSA has the third largest labor force at 437,400 with 36,200 not working.

The Williamsport MSA has the smallest labor force in Pennsylvania with 64,300 civilians and 5,200 of them have no jobs. The Altoona MSA has the second smallest labor-force with 65,200 civilians with 4,700 without employment and the Johnstown MSA is third with a labor-force of 68,800 and 6,300 of them are not working.

Lackawanna County continues to have the lowest unemployment rate in the MSA at 8.4 percent, decreasing by two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report. Lackawanna County has a civilian labor force of 107,100, and 9,000 civilians are without employment.

Luzerne County has the highest unemployment rate within the MSA at 9.5 percent, decreasing by five-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report and rising by two-tenths points from twelve months ago. Luzerne County has the largest civilian labor-force in the MSA at 161,600 and 15,400 of them are unemployed.

Wyoming County unemployment rate is 9.4 percent, decreasing by eight-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report. Wyoming County has a civilian labor-force of 14,500, with 1,400 unemployed.

MAY 2013, LEHIGH VALLEY Edition of The Union News

Department of Labor releases fiscal year 2014 budget request

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, April 11th- Acting United States Secretary of Labor Seth Harris recently released the United States Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) fiscal year 2014 budget request, which supports President Obama’s plan to strengthen the economy and grow the middle class through continued investments in training and resources for job seekers. “The DOL’s fiscal year 2014 budget request is a critical ingredient in the Obama’s administration’s plan to grow the economy from middle class out, not from the top down,” said Secretary Harris.

The budget for the DOL requests $12.1 billion in discretionary funding. It invest in programs in services for workers and job seekers by modernizing the federal job training system and creating employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed and low-income adults and youths. The request devotes significant resources to putting veterans, particularly those with disabilities or other significant barriers to employment, back to work. It also provides improved re-employment services that enable individuals newly separated from the military to successfully transition into civilian careers.

The budget also proposes a new Universal Displaced Worker program that will reach more than a million workers a year with a set of services, replacing two more narrowly-targeted programs and ensuring that all dislocated workers receive high-quality job search assistance.

In addition, the budget provides $150 million for a competitive Workforce Innovation Fund to test new evidence-based workforce development strategies and bold systemic reforms from states and localities. Of that amount, $50 million will be used to identify strategies to help veterans, military family members, and members of the National Guard and Reserve, and $10 million will be focused on identifying effective strategies to improve outcomes for disconnected youths. The budget proposals $8 billion for a Community College to Career Fund, to be administered jointy with the United States Department of Education, that will invest in partnerships between community colleges and business to train workers in high-growth and high-demand industries. It would begin in 2015 as a successor to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training program.

The budget also includes a $4 billion Re-employment NOW program, which incorporates a number of reforms to help Unemployment Insurance claimants and other-term unemployed individuals get back to work more quickly.

The budget request will surely face obstacles by Republicans that oppose any budget request that provides funds for unemployed workers.

MAY 2013, LEHIGH VALLEY Edition of The Union News

USPS plan to eliminate Saturday mail delivery delayed

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, April 12th- The United States Postal Service (USPS) delayed its plan to discontinue Saturday mail delivery because of mandates passed by the United States Congress. The USPS announced several months ago five-day mail delivery will begin in August 2013, Monday through Friday.

The USPS operates as an independent agency but is subjected to Congress oversight. The House of Representatives passed legislation to force the USPS to continue the Saturday mail delivery, which was wrapped into a government spending bill. Congress passed the Postal Service Protection Act of 2013, which has a six-day-a-week mandate.

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Democrat-17th Legislative District) supported the legislation and publicly voiced his support for the labor organizations that represent workers of the USPS. Mr. Cartwright has a legislative office in Easton.

After the USPS announced their plan to eliminate six-day mail delivery, the National Association of Letters Carriers (NALC) Union held several rally’s throughout the state to inform the public why it is a bad idea to cut mail delivery service to five-days a week. The NALC members held signs stating “Don’t dismantle our postal service.” The reason the postal service gave for cutting the mail delivery to five-days was because of financial losses.

The NALC represents the postal service mail carriers.

The major reason the USPS loses money is because of legislation that was passed in 2006 that forces the agency, which is not funded through any government program but only through postage income, to fund pensions for workers that have not even been born. The pensions for the future workers must be funded 75 years in advance, something no other business, private or public, needs to do.

The USPS management suggest cutting Saturday mail delivery would save as much as $2 billion a year. They claimed the agency lost $15.9 billion last year, however, without the pension funding requirement the agency would have made money.

The NALC stated should mail delivery be cut to five-days approximately 22,500 jobs will be lost immediately.

The USPS announced last year it would consolidate 48 mail processing centers throughout the nation including moving their operations from Scranton to the Lehigh Valley. The plan would save the agency nearly $1.2 billion a year.

The USPS first stated it would close about 250 processing centers after their plan is fully implemented. Overall, approximately 5,000 workers would be affected by the consolidation. The plan was to consolidate 92 mail processing centers in February 2013, and 89 more in 2014.

The anti-union pro-business Republican House of Representatives stated the USPS agreed to keep six-day mail because of “special-interest (labor organizations) lobbying and intense political pressure.”

However, many small businesses that are opened on Saturdays disliked the elimination of Saturday mail delivery. Should Monday be a federal holiday with no postal service businesses would have no mail delivery from Friday to Tuesday.

The National Association of Letters Carriers Union and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) represent the majority of the USPS workers with a combined membership of nearly 410,000 workers.

MAY 2013, LEHIGH VALLEY Edition of The Union News

Lehigh Valley unemployment rate at 8.6 percent

BY PAUL LEESON
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, April 5th- According to labor data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Center for Workforce Information and Analysis in Harrisburg, the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 8.6 percent, decreasing by one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report, which was released approximately four week before. The Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon Counties of Pennsylvania and Warren County, New Jersey. Twelve months ago the unemployment rate for the region was at 8.2 percent.

There are fourteen Metropolitan Statistical Area’s in Pennsylvania and the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton MSA is tied with the Philadelphia MSA for the third highest unemployment rate.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton MSA continues to have the highest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania at 9.8 percent. The Johnstown MSA has the second highest unemployment rate at 9.4 percent.

The State College MSA has the lowest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania at 6.0 percent. The Lebanon MSA has the second lowest rate at 6.7 percent and the Lancaster MSA has the third lowest at 6.8 percent. The Harrisburg MSA has the fourth lowest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent while the Pittsburgh MSA has the fifth lowest at 7.4 percent.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is 8.1 percent, dropping by one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report and increasing by five-tenths of a percentage point from twelve months before.

There are 532,000 Pennsylvania residents without jobs, but that number does not include residents that have exhausted their unemployment benefits and stopped looking for work.

Pennsylvania has a seasonally adjusted workforce of 6,540,000 and 6,009,000 of them have employment.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was reported to be 7.7 percent, decreasing by two-tenths from the previous report. That number also does not include civilians that have exhausted their unemployment benefits and have stopped looking for work. The national unemployment was down six-tenths of a percentage point from twelve months before, because of a decrease in the workforce.

The Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton MSA has the third largest labor force in Pennsylvania with 436,800 civilians, increasing by 1,000 from the previous report and rising by 13,800 during the past twelve months.

The Philadelphia MSA has the largest labor force at 3,037,800 with 262,600 not working; the Pittsburgh MSA has the second largest labor force at 1,265,100 with 94,000 without jobs; and the Harrisburg MSA has the fourth largest civilian labor force in the commonwealth at 290,800 with 21,300 civilians without jobs. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MSA has the fifth largest labor force in Pennsylvania with 290,100 civilians and 28,500 of them are without jobs.

Northampton County has the lowest unemployment rate in the MSA at 7.9 percent, dropping by one full percentage point from the previous report and decreasing by one-tenth of a percentage point from twleve months ago.

Carbon County has the highest unemployment rate in the MSA at 10.1 percent, decreasing by six-tenths of a percentage point from the month before and rising by one and six-tenths of a percentage point from twelve months ago.

Lehigh County has a unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, dropping by six-tenths of a percentage point from the previous report but increasing by three-tenths of a percentage point from twelve months ago.

MAY 2013, LEHIGH VALLEY Edition of The Union News

IUOE Local 542 unsuccessful in NLRB conducted election

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, April 4th- The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 542, Virginia Drive, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, was unsuccessful in their attempt to represent several workers of a local heavy equipment contractor.

Local 542 represent members of the IUOE throughout the Lehigh Valley. IUOE members operate heavy construction equipment on construction sites, including cranes and bulldozers.

The IUOE filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region Four office in Philadelphia requesting the agency conduct a election to determine if two employees of Great Western Services Inc., 3rd Street in Allentown, wanted to be represented by Local 542 for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Frank Bankard, Local 542 Organizer, filed the petition on behalf of the Union on March 1st, 2013.

According to the NLRB, the Union received one vote while one employee voted against unionization.

Under NLRB rules, a labor organization must receive 50 percent plus one of the eligible to vote employees to become their bargaining representative for the purpose of collective bargaining. Therefore, the tie vote indicates the union was unsuccessful in their attempt to represent the Great Western Services workers.

According to the petition, which was reviewed by the newspaper, the Union requested all mechanics employed in the shop and or doing field repair work participate in the election.

Local 542 requested that all other employees, including supervisors, managers, clerical and guards be excluded from participating in the election.

The NLRB conducted the representation election on March 21st, 2013.

MAY 2013, LEHIGH VALLEY Edition of The Union News

SMWIU Local 19 alleges company violated NLRAct

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, April 5th- The attorney that represents the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) Union Local 19 in Philadelphia, which represents SMWIA members throughout the Lehigh Valley, alleges numerous violations were conducted by management of a Lehigh Valley construction company of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRAct).

The newspaper in previous editions have reported Local 19 filed multiple Unfair Labor Practices (ULP’s) against M.B.I. HVAC Inc., 450 Business Park Lane in Allentown with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region Four office in Philadelphia alleging the company violated several sections of the NLRAct.

The agency conducted a representation election of employees of M.B.I. HVAC Inc., on November 16th 2012. There were 8 eligible to vote employees and 3 workers voted for union representation and 3 voted against. Under NLRB rules a labor organization must receive at least 50 percent plus one of the voting employees to become their bargaining representative. However, Local 19 challenged two of the workers eligibility to participate.

Attorney Martin Milz, who represents Local 19, has filed at least four ULP’s against M.B.I. HVAC Inc.

Mr. Milz alleges the employer stated on multiple occasions that it would “never sit down with Local 19″ and “never reach an agreement if the Union were successful in the election”. Also, the employer told a group of bargaining unit employees they would “lose pay and be made apprentices in the event the Union was successful”.

APRIL 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Job market improves, but may have more to do with weather

BY PAUL LEESON
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, March 28th- The decline in the national unemployment rate has more to do with a drop in the labor force participation than a huge inprovement in the economy. The Labor Department reported recently the economy added 236,000 jobs in February, with a small downward revision in job growth over the prior two months.

The employment-to-population ratio (EPOP), was unchanged at 58.6 percent, exactly the same as the rate in February 2012 and 0.4 percentage points above the summer of 2011. This compares with an EPOP of 63.0 percent in 2007. The 54.8 percent employment to population ratio for women is 0.2 percentage points above the low hit last month.

According to Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Ecomomic and Policy Research (CEPR) in Washington, DC, an progressive economic think-tank, the decline in labor force participation in this cycle has been striking.

While the unemployment rate has dropped more than 40 percent of the way back to its pre-recession level, the unemployment-to-population ratio is still far closer to its trough than its pre-recession peak. While women have fared better than men, this is because they did not see the same sort of steep hit to employment at the start of the downturn. In the last couple of years the gap in performance has been closing with the EPOP for men rising and the EPOP for women drifting lower.

Also, African Americans have fared much worse than whites in the downturn. The fall in the EPOP for black women has been almost as sharp as for men. The drop in the EPOP for black men has been by far the sharpest. Their EPOP has edged up slighly in the last two years but is still almost 8 percentage points below the pre-recession level, Mr. Baker stated.

Among the big jobs gainers during the month of February was construction, which added 48,000 jobs after adding 25,000 in January. Given the uptick in housing the economy should expect to see more construction employment, but this jump was likely driven in large part by unusually good winter weather. Good weather likely also contributed to the 23,700 jobs added in retail after an increase of 29,000 in January.

The healthcare sector added 32,000 jobs, offsetting a weak rise of 13,000 in January. Restaurants added 18,800, roughly their average over the last year, while the employment services sector added 21,100 jobs. Mr. Baker stated this could be a sign of increased permanent hires in the future, but may also just be an anomaly. The motion picture industry added 20,800 jobs.

The CEPR reported there was some modest good news on the wage front with the average hourly wage increasing at a 2.85 percent rate in the last three months compared to the prior three. This would indicate some acceleration and actual real wage growth, but it is too early to assume the pattern with continue.

The EPOP with less than a high school degree is almost back to its pre-recession level. It rose by 1.9 percentage points in February to 41.9 percent. This compares with a 43.3 percent average for 2007. As the aging of the population is a factor depresses EPOP the decline should show up clearly among those less than a high school degree since these are disproportionately older workers.

The fact that EPOP’s have not fallen much for this group suggests that the aging of the population is not an important factor behind declining EPOP’s.

Mr. Baker added that the new jobs reported for February is a good sign but there is the risk that this is being driven by unusually good winter weather. This could lead to a situation like we saw last year with the very weak job growth in the spring as the result of hiring being pulled forward.

APRIL 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

USW Union files labor complaint against InterMetro

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, March 29th- The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers Union (USW), Local 5652-00 filed a labor complaint against a Luzerne County employer.

The Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge was filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region Four office in Philadelphia and alleges InterMetro Industries Inc., North Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre, violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRAct).

InterMetro principal product is the manufacturing of stainless steel utility shelving trays.

The ULP was filed by USW District 10 Sub-District Director Joseph Pozza III, Berwick on March 1st, 2013.

According to the ULP, which was reviewed by the newspaper, the USW alleges the Company has refused to bargain collectively with the Union regarding provisions of Section 9(a), and Section 159(a) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the parties.

The newspaper is the only member of the media that reviews ULP’s and Representation Petitions filed at the NLRB office and publishes their findings.

“About December 2012, Union President Dave Carey, was handed a paper titled “Powered Material Handling Equipment”. On January 3rd, 2013, his Union Representation sent a letter to the Company Safety Director. Shortly thereafter the Company required a bargaining unit employee to take a full physical. A grievance has also been filed,” states the labor complaint.

The Employer Representatives identified on the ULP to be contacted is Darrin Woodruff, Vice President/Human Resources officer.

APRIL 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Lackawanna County Public Defenders become IBT members

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, March 25th- Lackawanna County Public Defenders, First Assistants and Assistant Public Defenders have become members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Union Local 229, North Main Avenue in Scranton.

According to Craig Pawlik, Secretary/Treasurer and Principal Officer of Local 229, which represents IBT members throughout Lackawanna County, the County Democratic Majority Commissioners, Corey O’Brien and Jim Wansacz, agreed to recognize IBT Local 229 as the employees collective bargaining representative after first refusing to do so.

The issue of the approximately ten employees of the Lackawanna County Public defenders office attempting to become members of the IBT for the purpose of collective bargaining was exclusively published in the February edition of the Union News.

The Union filed a Representation Petition with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) in Harrisburg after first requesting the Lackawanna County Commissioners Office recognize Local 229 as the employees bargaining representative.

Mr. Pawlik told the newspaper Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Wansacz were asked to recognize Local 229 as the employees bargaining representative however they first refused. The request was made on January 8th, and was refused on January 9th, Mr. Pawlik stated.

Nine of the ten employees of Lackawanna County Public Defenders office signed authorization cards requesing the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board conduct a representation election to determine if they wanted Local 229 to represent them for the purpose of collective bargaining.

A labor organization must receive fifty percent plus one of the participating eligible to vote employee to become their bargaining representative.

Mr. Pawlik told the newspaper there are employment issues currently within the Lackawanna County Public Defenders office that have resulted in the employees seeking the protection of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Lackawanna County.

Officials of Local 229 and Lackawanna County have began to bargain for a first-time labor agreement for the employees.

APRIL 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

SEIU wins election for Wilkes-Barre nursing home LPN’s

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, March 22nd- The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania Union, North Second Street in Harrisburg, won the right to represent Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s) in collective bargaining employed at a Wilkes-Barre nursing home.

The SEIU/Healthcare Pennsylvania Union filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region Four office in Philadelphia on February 14th, 2013 requesting the agency conduct a election to determine if approximately 21 LPN’s employed at Golden Living Center Summit, 50 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre, wanted the Union to represent them for the purpose of collective bargaining.

According to the petition, which was discovered by the newspaper while reviewing labor complaints and petitions filed at the NLRB, the SEIU requested that all LPN’s who work an average of full hours or more per week be allowed to participate in the election.

Under NLRB rules, a labor organization must receive 50 percent plus one of the workers eligible to participate in the election to become their bargaining representative.

The petition was filed on behalf of the SEIU by Julia Watkins, identified as an organizer of HealthcarePennsylvania.

Before a representation petition can be filed at least 30 percent of the unit of employees must support the request.

According to the NLRB, the union received seventeen votes while two employees voted against being represented by the SEIU.

The SEIU represents other nurses throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania including the Regional Hospital in Scranton and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital in Wilkes-Barre.

The SEIU/Healthcare Pennsylvania have been negotiating since December, 2012 attempting to gain a successor contract agreement with Regional Hospital

APRIL 2013, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Edition of The Union News

Privatization of state liquor stores takes step forward

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSSWB@AOL.COM

REGION, March 28th- The last hope for the labor organizations that represent workers of the Pennsylvania’s approximately 600 state-operated wine and liquor stores to save their members jobs from becoming a casualty of Republican Governor Tom Corbett push for privatization is the state senate.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the Republican plan to phase-out the ownership of the state operated stores and sell licenses to private businesses by a 105 to 90 vote.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) currently operates the wine and spirits shops and enploys more than 5,000 workers.

The United Food and Commerical Workers (UFCW) Union represent the majority of the workers which are employed as clerks and shelve stockers.

The anti-union Corbett unveiled his plan earlier in 2013 to get the state out of the liquor business that would lead to the elimination of family sustaining jobs and having twice as many private outlets selling both beer and wine.

Mr. Corbett announced his plan on January 30th stating the expansion would create consumption and therefore more tax revenue. He did not state why the selling of more liquor would be a good thing for Pennsylvanians.

Mr. Corbett’s lastest plan of privatization included using the revenue from the selling of the system to help fund school programs that he has cut in previous budgets.

The Independent State Store Union (ISSU) represent most lower supervisors of the system and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union represent mainly office employees including the PLRB auditors.

Under Mr. Corbett’s latest plan all 600-plus state stores would be closed and the employees would be fired. In place licenses to sell wine and liquor would be sold to generate revenue, Mr. Corbett stated. Under the plan public education would be financed by booze sales.

The system currently creates more than $500 million in profits and taxes a year for Pennsylvania, which benefits all taxpayers.

The legislation will now go before the state senate where Republicans hold the majority, 27 to 23. However, at least four Republicans have express reservations of selling the state-stores. The union organizations are hoping the Republican senators do not weaken from pressure applied by their party leaders and vote to dismantle the current system.