Wednesday, January 27, 2010

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.

Friday, January 22, 2010

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.

Friday, January 8, 2010

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

Thursday, January 7, 2010




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

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

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