Healthcare

Statement of AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee on tonight's vote in the U.S. House of Representatives:

Washington, DC — "Tonight's historic vote marks a major milestone in the struggle to break the power of the insurance industry and provide quality, affordable health care for millions of American families. Democrats in the House, with the determined leadership of President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demonstrated the courage that is necessary to defeat the special interests and do what is right for the American people. AFSCME members will remember those who stood with us and those who stood with the insurance industry. I have told Senator Harry Reid that we intend to continue our efforts as the battle moves to the U.S. Senate. Together, we will not fail. Tonight, we celebrate a monumentally important victory for our country. Tomorrow, we get back to work in the fight to make health care reform happen."

AFSCME's Make America Happen campaign for health care reform has been the largest issue mobilization campaign in the union's history, generating more than 400,000 phone calls and letters to Congress. In addition, the 1.6 million member union has invested in an aggressive $10 million television, online and print advertising campaign, along with an unprecedented use of texting and new media.

First Day of Spring and it Snowed

Sorry that I missed everyone who went to Johnson Creek for the District Conference.  It snowed and I had to work.  Hope all went well....we will see each other soon.

Congratulations!

To Brother Lupton of District 7 - he has accepted the challenge of PEOPLE and has run for Public Office.

District Conference This Saturday

To All AFSCME Members in Districts 1 & 2:

This Saturday, March 20th in Johnson Creek join fellow members at our annual District Conference where Progressive Dues, Annual Council 40 Convention, and International Convention will be discussed.

This is a free Conference where rolls & beverages will be served and lunch will be provided.

Location: Johnson Creek Comfort Suites, 725 Paradise Lane, Johnson Creek, WI 53038. (920) 699-2800.

Registration begins at 8:30A and Conference starts at 9:30A.

Retiring Together We Can Website

As we approach the 2010 Council 40 Convention we need to look forward and support the needs of our members. I have posted one final message on the Together We Can website before it will be retired. http://council40election2009.blogspot.com/

I continue to believe in Together We Can and through my work with local candidates have suggested to individual campaigns that by working together and combining their efforts and resources and using this message "Together We Can" they will promote "Community." All Politics is Local. Think about this last sentence and you will understand why I am a VIP member of PEOPLE and will continue to work hard getting the right people elected.

In the 1st CD we do not have the right person speaking for all constituents in Washington. During the next 6 years both parties need to find a person of the people not a career politician to represent us appropriately. Mr. Ryan's newest proposal to eliminate Medicare is just one reason we need to work very hard on this project. Thru his proposal to decrease taxes on the wealthiest 1% of our population is just another example of more of the same......

TDA Fly-In

Just got in from a quick trip to D.C. for the Transportation Development Association Fly-In. We had 25 people in our delegation meet with Senator Kohl's staff. I had the opportunity to speak with Senator Kohl one on one after lunch in the Rotundra. This is a great opportunity and a terrific event. A detailed report of the event is being created and will be reported at the next Street and Highway Advisory Committee. For all of you planning to attend the convention in April you are welcome to join our Committee Meeting as observers. If you have anything you would like our Committee to discuss, please just send me an e-mail. I will put it on the agenda and will personally notify you after the Committee Meeting the answers to all questions, suggestions, or concerns.

More AFSCME Jobs Going to Private Sector

AFSCME Rally in Milwaukee on Friday, March 12, 2010 11:30-1P at the South end of the Milwaukee County Courthouse 10th & Wells.

Where something Red to show your support in saving our brothers and sisters jobs in Milwaukee.

Welcome Back!

This past week I was given the official notification from Doug Burnett at AFSCME that my blog is approved and that I may continue to use this as an official informational tool from me to you. Please click on the Scott's bio page also because I will be placing information on it as well.

It feels good to be back in the saddle and I will provide you with results from Candidate Screenings who your local elected leaders have agreed to support. I will be creating a sidebar tool that lists upcoming events in your areas. Please check back often because as all of you provide me with information I will post.

On February 26, 2010 Labor held its' Candidate screening in Racine. We were disappointed in how many candidates failed to accept our invitation. Our conclusions are that we have quite a few people running for office in Racine and Racine County who are not Labor friendly candidates. So each of us needs to be aware of this when we go to the polls on April 6, 2010.

The entire County Board is up for re-election in Racine County and all Even Aldermatic positions are up for re-election and will be on the April 6, 2010 ballot:


Monte Osterman County Board D 3
Michael Gabbey County Board D 3 No response
James Kaplan County Board D 4 No response
Kenneth Lumpkin County Board D 4 10:30
Mark Hjortness Country Board D 14
Ronald Molnar County Board D 14 No response
Ken Hall (I) County Board D 15 1:00
John Leiber County Board D 15 No response
Joseph Bellante County Board D 19 No response
Donna Deuster County Board D 19 No response
Gilbert Bakke County Board D 21 No response
Patrick Lee Haley County Board D 21 No response
Jameel Ghuari Racine Common Council D 2 9:30A
Eric Marcus Racine Common Council D 2 unable to attend
James Kaplan Racine Common Council D 4 No response
Sherrie Lawson Racine Common Council D 4 10:50
Dwight Mosby Racine Common Council D 6 11:10am
Sandy Weidner Racine Common Council D 6 No
Donald Dwyer Racine Common Council D 10 Responded
Dennis Wiser Racine Common Council D 10 12:10pm
Fran Eulingbourgh Racine Unified School Board 12:30pm
Susan Kutz (I) Racine Unified School Board
Julie McKenna (I) Racine Unified School Board 10:10am
Bill Van Atta (I) Racine Unified School Board 9:10 AM
Gene Racine County Judge 9:50am
Georgia Racine County Judge 12:45


Labor waits to endorse School Board candidates until after their screening.
Racine County Judge Postion: Racine Candidates received a dual endorsement
For the first time in Jim Kaplan's history of running for office he was not endorsed. As a retired member of AFSCME Local 67 this was very disappointing to me. He has proven to be an unfriendly leader to labor by not responding to our questions or appearing at the screening.
Ken Hall County Board Incumbent 15th District was endorsed.
Ken Lumpkin former County Board Member, Community Activist, and Editor of Insider News of the 4th District was endorsed.
Sherrie Lawson Horlick High School Teacher and Community Activist was endorsed for the 4th District for Racine's City Council.
Jameel Ghuari was endorsed as the candidate for Racine's City Council 2nd District.
Dwight Mosby Sr. former County Board Member 15th District was endorsed.
Monte Osterman Candidate County Board No incumbent running endorsed by answers to packet sent back for 3rd District.
Mark Hjortness Candidate County Board No incumbent running endorsed by answers to packet send back for 14th District.

Good Luck to all candidates and Thank you for participating.

Do You Text While Driving?

If you visit the DOT's website you will find out the consequences for all of us who hold a CDL and is caught text messaging while driving.

Labor Can Participate

Since the McCain Feingold Bill and before Labor has been locked out of campaigning and running ads just prior to federal elections. On January 21, 2010 the Supreme Court has changed the rules. We will once again will be allowed to participate and educate the American People on what matters and during a time when it matters right before they go to the polls.

What we need to help limit is Corporate monies being spent where they have accepted bail out money. In most cases, the bail out monies went into Corporate treasuries and this money is the American People's money. We want new legislation that will protect our money from being used in this manner. Corporations should have to pay the taxpayers back before giving them cart blanche on campaigning.

Check out this website

Are you interested in lobbying activities in Wisconsin. You can search this site by organization - Check out Council 11 and AFSCME International's activities
click here

I will be attending the TDA Fly-In March 10-11th in Washington DC. It is a fast trip filled with transportation lobbying activities.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk to address Council 40 Members

At the Council 40 Convention (April 16th-18th), the Street & Highway Workers Advisory Committee will be having a workshop this year. The importance of stimulus monies to fund road projects and maintaining employment for our members is of the highest priorities during these Economic Hard Times. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk will be keynote educator along with myself and a yet to be confirmed guest.

The Street & Highway Workers Advisory Committee usually holds workshops at Education Conferences but it is imperative that we get as much information out to all members at as many events as possible.

Empowering all members will help us to regain strength and increase the momentum we will all need going into the next election cycle.

Upcoming Events

PEOPLE Steering Committee January 22, 2010 "Change in Date"
Council 40 Executive Board Meeting February 5 and 6th in Madison (any member may attend)
Regional Forum Districts 3 and 4 February 27th - Waupaca
AFSCME Lobby Day March 3, 2010
District 5 has chosen to have a District Conference on March 6th Probably in Tomah
District 6 has chosen to have a District Conference on March 13th
Regional Forum Districts 1 and 2 March 20th - Johnson Creek
Regional Forum Districts 7 and 8 March 27th - Ladysmith
WI AFL-CIO Community Services Conference March 25th-27th - Madison

Friends of Falk New Year 2010 Message

Friends of Kathleen Falk

Dear Friends,

A New Year means it is time to look back at what we accomplished and ahead to what we should do.

Despite the awful economic times, here in Dane County we didn't just hunker down; we worked hard to move the ball forward on big issues that are basic to a strong future for all of us.

A year ago, I challenged our community to work collaboratively to reduce the problems our kids and families face because of people who drink too much alcohol too often. I pulled together a first-of-its kind county coalition to work on changing cultural norms and laws.

Our pilot project in middle schools is changing kids who drink alcohol before they are 13 years old. We've lobbied the state legislature to adopt long-overdue reforms on drunk driving.

We took big steps in 2009 to clean up our lakes and create green energy and good paying jobs at the same time! Our "Cow-Power" project is a great private-public partnership, using technology to remove the phosphorous in cow manure (which we have a lot of!) to generate green electricity to run 2000 homes, help our important dairy industry expand, and serve as a model for communities across the nation.

And now we have embarked on a process to explore how to collect all the food we waste each day (30% is wasted!) in order to convert it to jobs and green electricity.

This past year we went after every federal stimulus dollar we could. As a result, we are improving our airport, fixing our roads, and building a new county nursing home – featuring solar and geothermal heat -- that will serve some of our most vulnerable citizens.

The 2010 county budget which we recently finished was the toughest in history. The key in helping us maintain essential services was our successful negations with all the unions that represent our 2500 employees. We came to the table, respectfully and honestly, to save jobs and $8.5 million for taxpayers.

As we begin 2010, I know better days are ahead. My resolution is to do as much as I can to create more jobs and more opportunity for the many who are searching for work. Together, we will all succeed.

Happy and healthy year to you all!

Sincerely,

Kathleen Falk