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State APSCUF headquarters
in Harrisburg. |
MARCH 11, 2010
CAPITOLWIRE REPORTS...
The political action committee of the state’s largest teacher’s union is recommending that its members vote for Democrat Dan Onorato for governor in the May 18 primary election.
The support of the Pennsylvania State Education Association Political Action Committee for Education [PSEA-PACE] was announced by PSEA President James Testerman.
The PSEA represents about 191,000 current, former and future teachers. It represents most of the state's public school teachers outside of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton.
Auditor General Jack Wagner, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia, and Onorato, who serves as Allegheny County executive, are vying in the Democratic primary election.
Attorney General Tom Corbett and state Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, are contesting the Republican primary nomination. Rohrer did not ask for consideration for the PSEA endorsement.
The union interviewed Corbett but declined to endorse any Republican in the primary, Testerman said. He said many members of the 17-member board, which interviewed the candidates, “felt a disconnect with Corbett.”
Testerman said they were concerned that Corbett had signed a pledge not to raise net taxes, but would not commit as firmly to major future increases in public education and pre-K funding.
Corbett campaign manager Brian Nutt responded: "Tom's worried about reducing the tax burden on families. He is not going to recklessly agree to any of spending commitments now, until we see the economic and budget situation we are in when he takes office."
Onorato, on the other hand, separated himself during the interview process from Hoeffel and the other Democrats by convincing the board he shared and could achieve their joint educational goals, Testerman said.
DEDUCT UNION DUES OR FAIR SHARE PAYMENTS ON YOUR TAXES? IF SO, READ THIS NOTICE!
Since January 1, 1994, an amendment to the Internal Revenue Code prohibits the deduction of that portion of union dues or fair share payments which is used for lobbying purposes. APSCUF has learned that for 2009 the non-deductible percentage of union dues which was used for lobbying was nine percent (9%). Therefore, ninety-one percent (91%) of union dues are deductible. Non-member fair share payments equate to ninety percent (90%) of union dues and all of these payments are deductible.
PSEA, AFL-CIO SIGN SOLIDARITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The presidents of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania State Education Association Tuesday signaled the beginning of a new, stronger bond when they signed a historic agreement to allow for greater solidarity and advocacy on behalf of working Pennsylvanians.
William George, president of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, the state's largest union, and Jim Testerman, president of the PSEA, the state's largest school employee union, signed the labor solidarity partnership agreement Tuesday at a Harrisburg news conference.
"We believe it is in the mutual best interest for PSEA and our local affiliates to participate in the broader labor movement through joint efforts with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates at the national, state, and local levels," said Testerman. "The strength of unions working to improve the lives of working Americans is in our solidarity. We support each other. Today we re-affirm to the members of the AFL-CIO and they re-affirm to us: your fight is our fight, your struggle is ours also.
"Unions continue to play a critical role in our society - and one that extends well beyond those people who pay dues," Testerman said. "Unions give workers a voice through the collective bargaining process to shape decisions regarding compensation and benefits, working conditions and job security. Almost always, the result is higher pay and better benefits, safer working conditions and greater job security for their members, just as it has been throughout the history of the labor movement."
"This is a historic moment for the labor movement as well as for every working person in this state. By joining together we can build an even stronger and more vibrant voice for working people throughout Pennsylvania," George said. "We will be able to wage stronger campaigns to fend off escalating assaults on family incomes, health care, pensions and public services. And we'll be stronger to fight for a great education for our children, quality affordable health care for all, and retirement security for all workers."
The agreement will allow for greater cooperation and participation by PSEA local affiliates in AFL-CIO central labor councils and state federations.
The two organizations have been working toward this moment for a few years. In 2006, the National Education Association's Representative Assembly enacted a new business item authorizing NEA local affiliates to become members of AFL-CIO local central labor councils and state federations. Since that time, PSEA and Pennsylvania AFL-CIO have been moving to develop a state agreement. On the national level, HealthCare-PSEA is already affiliated with AFT Healthcare, part of the AFL-CIO.
"Now is the time for all labor unions to work together more closely and rebuild the American dream to make it accessible to all," said PSEA Vice President Michael Crossey. "You cannot have a middle class without labor unions in America. It is imperative that unions speak in a unified voice to bring about positive change."
"The advantages of joining together are obvious: sharing of resources, better coordination, closer ties between workers and their unions for the mutual benefit of our communities and schools throughout Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Bloomingdale added. "We will be able to conduct more effective campaigns in politics and legislation, in our community services programs and in educating workers about the benefits of belonging to unions."
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'BEHIND THE HEADLINES'
A crew from the television show "Behind the Headlines" was on hand at October's APSCUF-PSEA Conference on Labor in Higher Education. A full show was created from footage taken at the conference. The show aired recently on cable systems throughout Pennsylvania. A television production of The Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy, Behind the Headlines episodes are available for viewing online. You can watch all episodes of the show by clicking here.
Behind the Headlines is taped in Harrisburg and is a production of the Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy, a non-partisan, non profit public policy research organization based in Hershey. Charlie Greenawalt, Senior Fellow for the Center, Professor of Government at Millersville University, and political analyst on WHP TV in Harrisburg, is the program host.
Faculty and coaches are invited to watch current and past episodes of Behind the Headlines online at www.thevoiceofpa.net
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Blue Shield Claim Form, Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information Form now online!!!
APSCUF members can now download the Blue Shield Claim Form directly from the APSCUF web site! To acquire a Claim Form, click here!
To download the Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information form, click here!
Save money with Nationwide General Auto Insurance!
Are you interested in getting a Car Insurance quotation from Randy Engle, APSCUF's Nationwide Insurance Agent? If so, click here!
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PROPOSED REVISION TO THE REPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE ON CLASS SIZE IN THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Read the proposed revision to the report from the Governor's Task Force on Class Size in the PASSHE by clicking here.
(Note: This posting has been present for many months. It has been kept on the site for reference purposes.)
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RETIREMENT QUESTIONS? VISIT THE SERS, PSERS AND TIAA-CREF WEB SITES!
To visit the SERS web site, click here.
To visit the PSERS web site, click here.
To visit the TIAA-CREF web site, click here.
DO YOU NEED INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STATE OR U.S. REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS? IF SO, USE THESE LINKS TO HELP!
Information about all Pennsylvania Representatives and Senators can be acquired via a web site maintained by the Commonwealth. To visit the site, click here.
Information about all United States of America Representatives can be obtained by clicking here.
Information about all United States of America Senators can be obtained by clicking here.
Finally, some higher education news briefs:
(Note: Many of the national and international higher education briefs originate with Inside Higher Education and Academe Today, a service of the Chronicle of Higher Education. For further information about these briefs, email State APSCUF using the "E-mail APSCUF" link on the main web page):
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Black science students are more likely to stay in their field if they have at least one black instructor, according to new study, which finds no similar impact based on gender. more |
Governor issues order protecting colleges' nondiscrimination policies from demands by attorney general that they be changed. more |
Why is a somewhat pathetic fictional character among the the distinguished lawyers honored on its Web site? more |
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