AFSCME Council 73

 

Legislative Update: May 18, 2010

 

 

 

A-557 (Handlin)

Increases disciplinary penalties for sick leave violations. Assigned to State Government Committee. (OPPOSE)

A-662/S-1255 (Greenstein/Madden/Van Drew)

Non-Imposition: prevents public employers from unilaterally imposing a contract. Assigned to Labor Committees.   (SUPPORT)

 

A-664  (Greenstein/Scalera)

Guarantees Health benefits for eligible employees after 25 years of service. Assigned to State Government Committee. (SUPPORT)`

A-672/S-1117  (Greenstein/Spencer/Van Drew)

Scope of Bargaining: Increases and expands the issues that public employee union can negotiate. Assigned to Labor Committees. (SUPPORT)

 

A-2620 ( O’Scanlon) . This bill would change the PERS pension formula for all time earned after Jan. 1, 2011. It reduces the calculation from n/55 to n/60 resulting in an approximately 9% reduction in PERS benefits for years of service after 1/1/11. (OPPOSE)

S-1730/A-2478……..Residency Requirement. Spearheaded by Senator Donald Norcross (D), the President of the Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO, the initiative would require all new public sector workers to live in NJ or move in within one year. Also if a current employee takes a promotion or voluntarily changes job they may be required to move to NJ if not already a resident. The bill passed the Senate State Government Committee 4-1 on May 13, 2010. (OPPOSE)

A-1673……….DDD Center Closing.   (Greenwald) This bills calls for the closing of five DDD Centers in the next five years! It mandates that all funds spent on DDD Centers be used to care for patients in the community. A recent hearing on this initiative drew hundreds of supporters and opponents. Council 73 attended the hearing and lobbied legislators to not support any further institutional closings. (OPPOSE)

A-10/S-10 (Oliver/Sweeney) Millionaires’ Tax: Retains the higher income tax rates on taxpayers earning a million dollars or more. Passed appropriate committees, awaiting floor votes. (SUPPORT)

STATE BUDGET: Governor Christie’s proposed budget is an attack on public services, public schools and public workers. In particular, the proposed closing of Hagedorn Psychiatric Center, and severe cutbacks to local government aid and state programs threaten vital public services and the jobs of all public workers.

THE CHRISTIE “Toolbox”

Under the guise of helping local governments survive the Christie cuts, the Governor’s allies in the Legislative plan to introduce 33 bills that attack public sector collective bargaining rights, public employee employment rights and funding for public services. When introduced these bills will propose :

1.   2.5% cap on state government spending

2.   Cap sick leave and vacation carryover for “current”    

         employees”

3.   Civil service opt-out by local government units (would weaken

      Merit System statewide)

4.   Reclassification of major disciplines from 5 to 30 day suspensions

          (will weaken appeal rights)

5.   Revision of seniority rules allowing less senior employees to

      bump (essential employees) 

6.   Increase testing and appeal fees

7.   Change PERC rules regarding Factfinding and Interest Arbitration

8.   Elimination of civil service protections under shared services

9.   Use of furloughs in local government