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Election 2010 Postscript Issue: What Voters Sought, Change, Appears to be in Store
From Pennsylvania to Arkansas, New Hampshire to Ohio, the electorate turned over incumbents Election night like a gardener turns over
earth. Republicans reaped an impressive harvest nationwide, but in some places their sweep reversed balances of power where
Democratic roots run deep.
The GOP's reward: Governing a fickle, angry electorate in a time of busted state budgets and
high anxiety about jobs and joblessness. And for voters in states that flipped from Democratic
to Republican control, what they sought — change — is definitely in store. In Ohio and
Wisconsin, high-speed rail projects may be scuttled. In Pennsylvania, privatization of the state
liquor stores is back on the table.
In the Democratic stronghold of Minnesota, long-dormant GOP proposals to establish
racetrack gambling, require a photo ID for voting and amend the state Constitution to ban gay
marriage may find new life. And everywhere, Republicans promised to focus on the economy.
The GOP seized control of about a dozen statehouses Election night, including double upsets
in four states in which they wrested both Senate and House legislative chambers from the
Democrats.
Republicans nationwide promised to wield their newfound power to restrain the size and
scope of government and jolt the economy — and said they understand that voters will hold
them responsible if they fail to deliver.
Perhaps the biggest electoral surprise came in Minnesota, where Republicans took control of both legislative chambers for the first time
since 1972 and ousted House Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar, a 36-year incumbent and dean of the state's
congressional delegation.
Oberstar's loss was a stunner because it came in Minnesota's northern Iron Range, one of the most Democratic parts of the state and one
that hadn't gone to a Republican since Harry Truman was president.
Even with Minnesota's too-close-to-call race for governor between Democrat Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer, the statehouse
party shift is momentous. If Dayton ends up winning, the new GOP majorities are poised to block his plan to raise income taxes on the
highest earners. If Emmer prevails, obstacles to tax cuts, deep spending reductions and sweeping policy changes would fall away.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i_evjGdhC1jMn2xxih9ybGMhSJZA?docId=d2ffae6866e64c32ad6673bda039c802
Inside this Issue:
DAYTON LEADS – RECOUNT WILL SETTLE RACE
REPUBLICANS TO CONTROL LEGISLATURE IN 2011-2012
CITIES, COUNTIES, SOCIAL SERVICES SEEN AS BIGGEST LOSERS
1
Courtesy of MinnPost.com – Brian Lambert,
The Daily Glean - November 4, 2010
http://www.minnpost.com/dailyglean/2010/11/04/23052/a_pawlenty_
opportunity_in_the_latest_recount
We are girding ourselves for yet another round of hyperbolic accusations
of fraud and malfeasance over a recount. Meanwhile, the Washington
Post picks up Brian Bakst and Patrick Condon’s AP story on the possible
twists if Tim Pawlenty remains in office if the counting/legal slog continues
on into January and beyond: “Democrats fear that Republicans newly in
charge of both chambers will combine with Pawlenty to push through
massive spending cuts and pursue long-held goals on things like gay
marriage, photo ID for voters and expanded gambling. It's a scenario that
could also benefit Pawlenty, who had planned to spend January rolling out
his memoir and deciding whether to run for president. Staying in office,
especially with the backdrop of a nationally watched recount, would
endear him to Republicans and give him a highly visible perch to polish
his credentials as a fiscal watchdog. ‘Any of my personal plans or concerns
are secondary to the fact I have a duty and responsibility to fulfill under
the constitution,’ Pawlenty told The Associated Press in an interview. ‘I'm
not going to walk away from that.’ “Is that a shot at Sarah Palin?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/04/AR2010110400511.html
The Strib’s Jill Burcum looks at Michele
Bachmann’s easy victory over Tarryl Clark and
says: “Bachmann makes no apologies for who
she is. Clark, in contrast, seemed to distance
herself from her party's foundations. When
it came to health reform, Clark stuck to the
middle ground when she should have touted
its benefits — helping sick kids get insurance,
for example.
Another misstep: ducking a debate question
about "card check,'' a bill that would help unions
organize. Clark should have come out swinging
for labor. Bachmann nailed her for the mealymouthed response.” Clark never really had a
chance, but Burcum’s point is worth digesting.
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/1066
49633.html
State Republican Chairman Tony Sutton is the Ozzie Guillen of
political flacks. He knows how to serve up flaming quotes.
MinnPost’s Jay Weiner captures Sutton in full pre-recount
dudgeon: “Sutton couldn't contain himself. And, of course,
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, the left-of-center elections chief
who was re-elected Tuesday, was Sutton's favorite punching bag.
Sutton called the election process ‘quite frankly, a disgrace ... I'm
to the point now, I don't think it's any coincidence that Mark
Ritchie is administering this process and here we stand today ...
We are going to be very, very aggressive through this recount
process ... We owe it to this state that this is done right and not a process that is dominated by an ACORN
activist who happens to be secretary of state ... We're going to put his feet to the fire. We're not going to get
rolled this time.' Such is the climate of this recount in its opening hours.” How soon do you think before the
first Joe Goebbels analogy? http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2010/11/03/23035/gops_saber-rattling_tony_sutton_vows_aggressive_recount_fight
One of the greater ironies of the nasty fight over that 5-cent-a-gallon
increase in the gas tax — the one that six Republican legislators opposed
and for which they incurred the wrath of party operatives — is that the
state actually needs a $2-a-gallon tax to repair and improve all the
projects identified for work. Now though, the Met Council has effectively
conceded defeat, according to MPR’s Dan Olson. “The Metropolitan
Council approved a plan Wednesday to cut back on transportation projects
in the Twin Cities metro area over the next two decades. Lack of money is
the main reason for the change. Met Council officials say the wish list of
projects that would add lanes and new interchanges to relieve congestion
total $40 billion over the next 20 years.” Olson also says: "Among the
projects that are no longer part of the transportation plan is a longstanding
goal to add a third lane of traffic to the Twin Cities' beltway system,
Interstates 694 and 494. Another project that's been dropped from the plan
is the widening of State Highway 5 through the southwestern Twin Cities.”
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/10/met-council-report/
Four Landslides in Hennepin County
Four DFL-endorsed Hennepin County commissioners scored
landslide victories Tuesday, easily beating back challengers.
In the First District, Board Chair Mike Opat of Robbinsdale
won a rematch with Mary O'Connor, a former Brooklyn
Center City Council member.
Commissioner Mark Stenglein of Minneapolis, a former
independent who represents the Second District, defeated
former Golden Valley Mayor Blair Tremere.
Third District Commissioner Gail Dorfman of St. Louis Park
defeated Barry Lazarus, a retired lawyer and Minneapolis
Charter Commission vice chair. Lazarus was Dorfman's first
opponent since she won a special election in 1999.
In the Fourth District, Commissioner Peter McLaughlin easily
won his seventh term in a lopsided victory over Blake Lewis,
a community volunteer.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and Sheriff Rich
Stanek were unopposed in their reelection bids.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/106577938.html
2
Election 2010 Highlights
Dayton Won!
We elected the first worker-friendly governor in 20 years. Bucking a
Republican tidal wave that took control of the Minnesota House and
Senate, we proved that Mark Dayton could win by saying he believes in
government and will tax the rich to save services and jobs. Every voter
we called and every door we knocked made the critical difference for
Dayton, who is ahead by more than 9,000 votes. It will take several weeks
before his election is certified, but it appears the difference in votes
between Dayton and Emmer will be within the 0.5 percent that requires a
recount.
The Secretary of State will conduct the recount as quickly as possible,
consistent with accuracy and fairness. But, the Republican Party’s
strategy is clear. They want to stall the process so that Governor-elect
Dayton cannot take office on January 1. Gov. Pawlenty would remain in office until the recount is completed. During that time,
we believe Pawlenty and a Republican-controlled legislature will try to eliminate our pensions and limit our right to bargain.
Also at stake is the potential loss of $1.7 billion in federal Medicaid money that the governor must accept by January 15, 2011.
Today, let’s all take a breath. Tomorrow, we continue the fight to protect public services and our jobs. Be proud of our efforts.
With Mark Dayton’s victory, AFSCME took back the Governor’s Office after 20 long years with Pawlenty, Ventura and Carlson.
Now, we battle for a better Minnesota that works for everyone, not just the rich and powerful. ~ AFSCME Council 5
Republicans Take Over the Minnesota Legislature After 38 Years!
Republicans will take over the majority of the Minnesota House of Representatives when the 87th Legislature convenes Jan.
4, 2011. The DFL held an 87-47 majority heading into Election Day, but Republicans now hold a 72-62 edge. All totaled the
House will see 36 new members - 33 Republicans and three DFLers. According to the Office of the Secretary of State, three
races may be subject to recount. The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m., November 23rd, in the State
Office Building, Room 10, to certify the election results. The party that controls the Legislature will decide what to do on state
taxes, determining how far the new governor gets with his agenda. Legislative majorities will confront a projected $6 billion
deficit and redraw political boundaries before the 2012 election.
GOP Wins the House, Falls Short of Senate in Congressional Elections!
Republicans won control of the House and cut deeply into the Democrats' majority in the Senate in midterm elections
shadowed by recession, ushering in a new era of divided government certain to complicate the final two years of President
Barack Obama's term. Congress will reconvene on November 15th. Lawmakers return to the Capitol in just two weeks for a
post-election session to wrap up loose ends from the past two years, and a vote is expected on extension of tax cuts passed
during the Bush administration that are due to expire on January 1st.Obama and fellow Democrats have said they want to
extend cuts for individuals at incomes under $250,000, while Republicans want cuts kept in place for all income levels.
What's Next?
The election results are deeply disappointing to the millions of voters who supported working family candidates this year.
Voters in this election were angry, and for good reason. They’ve felt the pain of economic collapse. And they’ve paid for it
with their jobs, their homes and often their hope. Many working people knew in their gut that Washington insiders did too
much to help Wall Street and the banks, and not enough to help average people.
But this election was not a mandate for an anti-worker agenda. Voters in swing congressional districts overwhelmingly reject
privatizing Social Security and raising the Social Security retirement age, they oppose tax cuts for the top 2 percent who
make more than $250,000 a year, they reject abolishing the Department of Education and they oppose reducing or eliminating
the minimum wage.
The election was a mandate to fix the economy and create jobs. It wasn’t a mandate for the policies most Republicans
campaigned on.” An election night survey for the AFL-CIO bears that out. Union members proved to be the firewall that
ensured anti-worker candidates didn’t prevail in California, Nevada and West Virginia. Now that Republicans will be in control
of the House of Representatives, their leaders have to step up to the plate. If they keep saying “no,” we’ll make sure voters
know exactly who failed them on jobs and fixing the economy in 2012.
http://afscmelocal34.org/index.htm
http://afscmemn.org/dayton-won%21
AFSCME Local 34 is on Facebook! Become Facebook friends with us by visiting our page and making a
friend request. And visit Next Wave Minnesota on Facebook, too!
3
PELRA (Is PELRA at Risk from the Republicans?)
The Public Employee Relations Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 179A, regulates the relationship between
public employer and employee in Minnesota. PELRA, like other similar statutes in other states, seeks the
balance the legitimate desire of labor to organize against the need of the public to maintain essential services.
Public labor relations carry over many issues from private employment, but with special public sector wrinkles.
Public employees actually have two separate areas of influence over their working conditions. One arises
from their rights and obligations as employees of their public employer. The second arises from their voting
power as citizens, and their ability to organize powerful political action and lobbying organizations.
Fifty years ago, this was not the case. Public employees were not effectively organized. The teaching
profession viewed the union movement with suspicion, and regarded collective bargaining as inconsistent
with professional obligations. Public employees lacked the right to strike or to engage in collective bargaining,
for national labor laws did not extend their protection to public employees. PELRA now establishes the right
of public employees to engage in collective bargaining. It also contains some modest protections for
public employees who are not in collective bargaining units.
Pensions Take Center-Stage in Gubernatorial Races
Posted By admin On October 12, 2010
http://watchdog.org/6888/pensions-take-center-stage-in-gubernatorial-races/
Projected budget shortfalls and ballooning retirement costs have placed public pensions at center-stage in many state elections this year. Defined
benefit plans, long a staple of public employee compensation, have been targeted by more than a dozen Republican gubernatorial candidates,
including hotly contested races in California, Minnesota and Illinois. In Wisconsin, Representative Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, says he
can’t recall a tougher environment for Democrats in his forty years in office. “The tea-baggers are all riled up,” Schneider said. “There is so much
vitriol out there. I’ve never had so much hate mail.” The state has not elected a Republican Governor since home-state favorite Tommy Thompson,
who was first elected in 1987, but Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who has proposed phasing out defined contribution in Milwaukee
County, currently leads Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Wisconsin is not alone. Barring a pickup in Minnesota, where former Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Dayton leads Republican Tom Emmer and
Independent Tom Horner, the entire region could flip to the GOP if current polls hold. In a recent debate, Dayton chastised Emmer, who has voiced
support for transitioning public employees into 401k-style plans, for saying public employees get “the guarantee of their future, while the rest of
us…(are) lucky to have a 401k plan.” “To denigrate people because they want retirement security is really misguided,” said Dayton, who has won
endorsements from the state’s public employee unions.
Republican candidates in Florida, Rhode Island, Michigan, Maine, Nevada and New York have also proposed phasing public employees out of
defined benefit plans, estimated to be underfunded by $1 trillion, according to a Pew Charitable Trust study, or as high as $3-4 trillion, according
to Northwestern University Professor Joshua Rauh. Pension politics has proven especially contentious in California, where pensions systems are
officially estimated to be $55 billion underfunded and a recent Stanford University study estimates the total closer $425 billion. Republican
gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has proposed offering all new government hires 401k-styled defined contribution plans in lieu of defined
benefits plans and increasing the retirement age for current employees, a position she modified in March in a speech before the Alliance of
California Law Enforcement. "We should preserve the defined benefit for the people who are keeping us safe every day," said Whitman, the
former CEO of EBay. Marcia Fritz, President of California Pension Reform, said the state’s total unfunded obligations amount to between $10,000
and $27,000 per resident, depending on the city one lives in.
PERA – Defined Benefit Pension Plan for MN Public Employees
PERA serves over 250,000 current and former public employees from over 2,000 local units of government throughout the state of
Minnesota. PERA also provides monthly benefits to over 66,000 retirees and other benefit recipients. Established in 1931, PERA
administers three statewide retirement plans providing defined benefit plan coverage to employees of local governments and school
districts, as well as the the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund. The Association also manages a statewide retirement plan providing
defined contribution (DCP) coverage to elected officials, city managers, and ambulance service and medical personnel.
Finally, PERA oversees a lump-sum defined benefit fund for volunteer firefighters in the state.
4
If Recount Lasts into 2011…
With the governor's seat in limbo, the state's budget could get
caught in some intriguing maneuvers.
What’s Next in
Minnesota?
By PAT DOYLE, Star Tribune Last update: November 4, 2010
Republicans Celebrate,
Outline Legislative Goals
After Winning the Minnesota House and Senate, the GOP Promises to
Create jobs and Trim Government.
By MIKE KASZUBA1, Star Tribune Last update: November 4, 2010
Triumphant Republicans, contemplating legislative power they have not held in
decades, began to sketch out their goals, while
despondent DFLers considered the aftermath of
the historic Republican takeover of both the
Minnesota House and Senate.
With a tentative majority of 72 to 62, House
Republicans talked ambitiously of an agenda to
keep and create jobs, strip away government
obstacles to business and eliminate what they said were the many duplicative
committees at the State Capitol. "If we have five agencies that deal with clean water,
can you do it with two or one?" said House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, who will
likely be the new House speaker.
Zellers sidestepped whether Republicans would push key conservative issues such
as gay marriage and voter identification, or whether the new majority would address
the state's $6 billion deficit in the Legislature's first days and weeks in January.
Members of both parties, however, were still taking stock of a new reality. With the
governor's race headed toward a recount and with three House races headed for a
review, the scope of the Republicans' victory remained in doubt. DFLers, meanwhile,
speculated that they lost control of the House by a total of just 700 votes statewide.
Perhaps the starkest difference for DFLers occurred within a one-hour span at the
Capitol: Just as a beaming Zellers stood surrounded by new Republican legislators at
a packed media gathering, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller issued a fivesentence statement saying he would not seek the job of Senate minority leader. "No
matter how committed we were or hard we all worked, in the end it didn't matter,"
said Pogemiller, a DFLer who was first elected to the Senate in 1982.
House Majority Leader Tony Sertich said he was undecided whether he would seek
to become the party's House minority leader. "It's been a long four years," he said.
Sertich also said he doubted that Republicans, after years of stressing social issues,
would keep strictly to the economy. "There's pressure from the right wing to do some
of [the social issues] -- those issues that really divide Minnesotans," he said.
In the Senate, too, DFLers adjusted to a new political landscape, going from a 46-21
majority to a 37-30 minority. As Tuesday's results came into focus, the DFL's
seemingly solid majority lay in pieces: Of the Senate's 24 new members, only three
are DFLers. Of the 15 state senators who lost their seats, only one was a
Republican.
"From the first door I went to, our message was jobs, jobs, jobs," said Republican
Ted Lillie, a Lake Elmo businessman who upset a first-term DFL senator. Lillie
credited the Republican triumph to a focus on fiscal responsibility. He said that while
walking 213 miles knocking on doors, he introduced himself to voters as a "fiscal
conservative who wants to help your family keep more of your hard-earned money."
Lillie will join his younger brother, Leon, a House DFLer, as one of only a few pairs of
brothers to serve simultaneously in the Legislature.
State GOP deputy chair Michael Brodkorb said the election came down to timing,
candidates, and, frankly, breaks. "Democrats got breaks in '04 and '06 and '08," he
said. "In order for us to get the majority of both bodies we needed to catch some
breaks, too. And we caught some breaks."
Republican Carolyn McElfatrick, who stunned Rep. Loren Solberg, DFL-Grand
Rapids, the House Ways and Means chair, said she believed there was more to it
than luck. "I'm a Christian woman," said McElfatrick, who said she went to bed early
Wednesday not knowing whether she won. The final results are not in my hands."
http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/106596798.html
5
A protracted fight over the election for governor could delay action to
shrink the projected $6 billion state budget deficit -- or speed it up if the
new majority party in the Legislature sees an advantage to doing so.
GOP leaders in the House and Senate said that they haven't decided on
a strategy for passing a budget of spending cuts if a new governor has
not been seated at the beginning of the new year.
"I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves," said Rep. Kurt Zellers,
R-Maple Grove, the House minority leader. He told reporters that
lawmakers need to see economic forecasts this month and in February
before deciding on a course of action. But the prospect of a long recount
creates intriguing possibilities. If it continues past the scheduled Jan. 3
inauguration, Gov. Tim Pawlenty would continue as chief executive while
the legislative session gets underway. Republican legislators could act
quickly to send a budget-cutting bill to Pawlenty to sign rather than
waiting for a likely veto should DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton
prevail in the recount.
"It might well be that Governor Pawlenty will sign the bill," said Sen.
David Senjem, R-Rochester, this year's Senate minority leader who's
hoping his caucus will make him next year's majority leader. Referring to
possible GOP control of the House, Senate and governor's office, he
said, "If we get a budget early on ... we've got a trifecta." Senjem later
said the idea hasn't been considered, however, he said if the recount
continued well into the 2011 session, "It's not inconceivable." "We have
to do this with some level of style and dignity and involvement with the
minority party.
GOP majorities in the House and Senate could also jump-start efforts to
provide a ballot measure on a constitutional amendment to ban samesex marriage, which was blocked by the DFL. A governor can't veto or
sign such a referendum question. But Zellers downplayed such social
legislation, saying it "is not going to do anything to bring jobs back."
"We're going to move as quickly as possible to reinvigorate our
economy," he said. http://www.startribune.com/politics/recount/106657723.html
Recount Nightmare Scenario
by: The Big E - Fri Nov 05, 2010
The speculation is out there that Tim Pawlenty will set aside his
presidential ambitions for a few short months so he and the Republicancontrolled legislature can really screw over the elderly, poor, mentally
disabled, students and our transportation system. The nightmare
scenario is that Tom Emmer will fight tooth and nail to extend the
Minnesota Governor's race recount into the legislative session.
Imagine Pawlenty and the Republicans eliminating MinnCare, same day
voting registration, set a 60-day voting registration deadline, eliminating a
woman's right to choose, passing an anti-gay marriage law, slash our
transportation budget, slash LGA (local govt aid) to pennies on the dollar,
eliminate all social services and give tax breaks to companies that ship
Minnesota jobs away.
They could make MN a free-market dream like Mississippi or Louisiana.
Heck, forget them ... how about Somalia or Iraq? There's no
government interventions in the free markets there.
Fortunately, the recount is scheduled to end on December 14th, 2010.
Furthermore, Tom Emmer only has 3,000 or so rejected absentee ballots
to try to gain 9,000 some votes out of. Additionally, Republicans will
have a mighty tough time trying to prove any widespread vote fraud.
Mainly because there wasn't any.
http://www.mncampaignreport.com/diary/7732/recount-nightmare-scenario
The Results Are In: Midterm Elections Point to New
Responsibilities in Washington
What’s Next in
Washington?
Voters want to grow our economy, create jobs, and bring our fiscal house in order. That means looking
after the future of our country, not trying to tear down the president.
- By John Podesta | November 3, 2010
There is no way to miss the point of yesterday’s midterm elections. The American people are deeply frustrated with how they are being
governed. The political debate is at an all-time partisan low and the public over the last three election cycles are calling for something,
almost anything, to change that. They want to see progress on the economy, on job creation, on taxes, and on the federal budget deficit.
No matter how voters cast their ballots these are the issues that voters want their representatives in Congress to address. Now!
This overarching voter mandate to “fix it” delivers with it a set of responsibilities to the incoming Republican leadership of the House of
Representatives and their strengthened minority counterparts in the Senate as well as to Democratic leaders in the Senate and President
Barack Obama and his administration. For the Republicans this means they need to become partners in governing our nation. They can no
longer be the “party of no” after yesterday’s vote. Republican leaders must craft serious legislative proposals to match the serious
problems our country faces today and in the future.
For their part, Democratic leaders in the Senate and the Obama administration must be prepared to work with Republicans in search of
meaningful compromises. Economists from the right, left, and center may agree that the Obama administration and a Democratic-led
Congress rescued our economy from a second Great Depression but the voters made clear that is yesterday’s news in their eyes. Now they
want Republicans and Democrats together to get our economy moving smartly toward sustained recovery and a job-creating expansion.
To reach the compromises that must be made, our president and commander-in-chief will need to be open to new ideas. But he also will
have to set some clear bright lines beyond which political debate cannot stray. This may ring counter to the call to compromise but
leadership in a divided government requires not only openness to the means of moving the country forward but also clarity of principle
and purpose. With his Executive Branch powers, his Democratic colleagues in the Senate and the House, and his veto pen, President
Obama will still set the policy direction of our country. We at the Center for American Progress believe there are three bright lines to be
drawn.
First, the immediate debate to come this month and next over tax policy must be guided by twin goals: Reform must produce strong
growth and put the country on the path to fiscal discipline; and reform must be fair for the majority of Americans and their families.
Meaningful tax reform must meet both tests. President Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy failed both.
Second, the debate about our long-term federal budget deficits simply cannot include the privatization of Social Security. Yesterday’s
elections in no way constitute a mandate to gut this bedrock intergenerational American commitment to the common good. The goal of
reform must be to strengthen and secure Social Security, not privatize it.
Finally, the president and Democrats must stand firm against the Republican pledge to repeal their singular achievement of the past two
years—providing quality, affordable health care to every American. Implementation must proceed not just for the fiscal gains to be had
over the next several decades but also for the critical health and social benefits it will deliver to the vast majority of Americans as different
aspects of the law come into force. The new law deserves the time needed to make it work.
No doubt the emerging leaders of the Republican Party will have their own bright lines to present to the Obama administration and their
colleagues across the aisle in Congress. But they should understand that with their new majority in the House comes responsibility to
determine those bright lines in such a way that enables our government in Washington to get on with what the voters made clear they
want to see happen. The voters want to grow our economy, create jobs, and bring our fiscal house in order. That means looking after the
future of our country, not trying to tear down the president.
I’m optimistic this will happen because I know the American people want it to—and are clearly prepared to cast their votes to make
Washington listen.
John D. Podesta is Chairman of the Center for
American Progress Action Fund.
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2010/11/
midterm_results.html
Minnesota GOP chair, Tony Sutton:
'We're going to put the heat on!'
The John Podesta article is recommended for your reading by AFSCME
Council 5 Executive Director Eliot Seide.
If you received your Health Partners’ Board of Directors’ ballot in the mail,
please note that Eliot, who is an incumbent, is on the ballot this year –
which is due back to HealthPartners by December 3rd. AFSCME Council 5
and Local 34 recommend a vote for Mr. Seide.
An only-partly tongue-in-cheek analysis of the 2010 election from Gin and Tacos.com (http://www.ginandtacos.com/2010/11/09/the-mandate/):
Personally, I believe the 2010 midterm elections were a mandate for the new GOP sorta-but-not-really majority in Washington.
The American voter has clearly demanded:
1. Social Security reform that guarantees my current level of benefits, alters someone else's, and cuts everyone's Social Security taxes to boot.
2. A world-class national infrastructure that can be built and maintained without tax dollars.
3. A balanced budget that doesn't sacrifice any of the government programs – especially the sacred military-industrial complex and the various
old age benefits – that we like.
4. Clean air without pollution controls, clean water with a neutered and underfunded EPA, and businesses that do socially responsible things
without any regulation whatsoever.
5. Consumer goods at Made in China prices that create high-paying jobs in America...
6
GOP Asserts New Strength, Targets
Obama Programs
Many House Republicans campaigned on a platform of cutting
government spending to levels in effect in 2008, before
enactment of an economic stimulus bill and other increases that
Democrats passed. Rep. Jerry Lewis of California, the senior
Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, notified
Democrats during the day that GOP lawmakers will try and
implement the cuts when Congress considers the spending bill
needed to keep most agencies running for the next eight months.
The estimated savings total $100 billion. "The unmistakable
message sent by the American people on Tuesday is that they are
justifiably angry at Washington. They want Congress to cut
spending," wrote Lewis, who faces an internal challenge in his
attempt to become chairman of the panel next year.
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent Thu Nov 4, 9:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Victorious at the polls, congressional Republicans
asserted their newfound political strength, vowing to seek a quick
$100 billion in federal spending cuts and force repeated votes on
the repeal of President Barack Obama's prized health care
overhaul. At the White House, Obama said his administration was
ready to work across party lines in a fresh attempt to "focus on the
economy and jobs" as well as attack waste in government.
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, in line to become the new speaker of
the House, brushed aside talk that the No. 1 GOP goal was to make
sure Obama is defeated at the polls in 2012. In a speech at the
conservative Heritage Foundation, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell
said the only way to achieve key party legislative goals such as
ending government bailouts, cutting spending and repealing the
health care law "is to put someone in the White House who won't
veto" them. "There's just no getting around it," he added.
At a news conference, the president signaled he was ready to
jettison his campaign-long insistence that tax cuts be extended
for earners at incomes up to $250,000 but be allowed to expire for
higher-income people. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs
made the hint explicit on Thursday. He said extending tax cuts
permanently for upper- income earners "is something the
president does not believe is a good idea," but that Obama would
be open to the possibility of extending the cuts for one or two
years. Republicans responded coolly to the overture. "I take any
signal that the president may be backing off his pledge to raise
taxes on small businesses as a good sign, but we have to see
where this discussion goes," said Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, in
line to become the chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and
Means Committee. He and other Republicans say that the
expiration of some income tax cuts would be felt on numerous
small business owners.
Obama has ruled out accepting repeal of the health care measure,
and Senate Democrats responded quickly to McConnell. "What
Sen. McConnell is really saying is, `Republicans want to let
insurance companies go back to denying coverage to people with
pre-existing conditions, let them go back to charging women
twice as much for the same coverage as men, and let them push
millions of seniors back into the Medicare doughnut hole," said
Jim Manley, spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
The maneuvering unfolded two days after elections that swept
Democrats out of power in the House and cut deeply into their
Senate majority, scripting an uncertain new era of divided
government for the final two years of Obama's term. In the House,
Boehner asked members of the Republican rank and file to
support him for speaker when the new Congress convenes in
early January. His victory is a formality, given the huge 60member gain he engineered as party leader. Nor did there appear
to be any competition to Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia as majority
leader, the second-most powerful position in the House.
McConnell's speech reflected his status as leader of a minority
unable to originate legislation, a position different from the one
Boehner will soon hold. "We have to be realistic about what we
can and cannot achieve, while at the same time recognizing that
realism should never be confused with capitulation," the
Kentucky senator said. "On health care, that means we can — and
should — propose and vote on straight repeal, repeatedly. But we
can't expect the president to sign it."
Boehner, in his ABC interview, said he's not sure the president and
other Democrats fully understand the
message delivered by the voters on
Tuesday. "When you have the most
historic election in over 60, 70 years, you
would think the other party would
understand that the American people have
clearly repudiated the policies they've put
forward in the last few years."
Even before the new Congress comes into office, the old one is
scheduled to meet the week after next for a post-election session.
In remarks to reporters after meeting with his Cabinet at the
White House, Obama urged lawmakers to avert an income tax
increase that could take effect Jan 1, ratify a new arms-reduction
treaty with Russia, provide unemployment aid to victims of the
recession and extend expiring tax breaks for business. Congress
also must enact a spending bill that permits government to
remain in operation, and the issue already has emerged as a
likely flash point in the post-election meeting of Congress.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_washington_new_reality
Pawlenty: Freeze Federal Worker Salaries
By Derek Wallbank | Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010
WASHINGTON — On the heels of a report showing the number of federal workers making more
than $150,000 a year has doubled over the last two years, Gov. Tim Pawlenty today called for a
freeze of federal salaries. It might be a trickier task than anticipated though. "Federal workers
making $150k has doubled under Obama. New GOP Congress should freeze salaries," Pawlenty
wrote. USA Today reported that more than 82,000 federal employees earn $150,000 or more a year now — double how
many did two years ago and more than ten times the 7,400 who did in 2005.
http://www.minnpost.com/derekwallbank/2010/11/10/23255/pawlenty_freeze_federal_worker_salaries
7
More Election Day & Its Aftermath Observations
From Hal Kimball, MN Senate District 18 (Wright County):
Elections have consequences… We all know we’re facing a $6
billion budget hole. During the campaign, Republicans across the
state questioned whether or not we really have a deficit… Now, in
nine debates and forums across my Senate District, Senator-elect
Newman couldn’t name a single budget area in which he would
cut. Not one… After Tuesday, the party with no answers or
solutions cannot be the party of “no” any longer… One of the
talking points that emerged out of the craziness dealt with the
size of government. Now, I don’t dispute that the growth of
government is sustainable, but we don’t need to overstate claims
to make a point. Senator-elect Newman has stated on countless
occasions that “in 1960, the State of Minnesota had a budget of
$500 million and 3.5 million people. In 2010, it has a budget of
more than $30 billion and 5.5 million people.” Check out a simple
inflation calculator and you’ll find that $500 million indexed for
inflation in 2009 is actually $35.81 billion… Look at the
demagoguery over Health and Human Services. Newman and
other Tea Party elites claim we spend more on welfare than we do
educating our kids. They’re out of touch with reality; in fact, out
of $10 billion spent in Human Services, more than $4.4 billion is
spent on long term care and nursing homes. Is that ‘welfare?’
http://buildourparty.blogspot.com
From Eric, a blogger at MN Progressive Project:
Observations on the election:

Demographic trends remain in our favor

The stimulus was far too small

All politics are not local – midterm elections remain
nationalized

Defying your own President never works

The enthusiasm gap was spotty

There’s a base vs. swing district dilemma facing Dems

We need to revive Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy –
and revive it across every district in Minnesota

Republicans successfully microtarget Republican voters
in Democratic districts

Chairman Tim Kaine of the DNC must go

Minneapolis School Board candidate Rebecca Gagnon
won with seemingly no campaign – no lawn signs, a
minimal web site, no party endorsement

Voter intimidation tactics failed – and there was no
voter fraud

The blowback on health care reform was predictable

“Maccacca” moments mattered much less – but attack
crazy comments like Tom Emmer’s $100,000 waiters
early and often

Poll the legislative races

Negative ads had diminishing returns

Bye bye Blue Dogs in Congress (conservative Democrats)
http://www.mncampaignreport.com/diary/7719/oservations-on-the-election
MinnPost.com remains the best news organization-style, neutral
observer of the Minnesota political scene. Here are three recent
takes on the post-election environment in the State:
Eric Black – “Will GOP Try to Amend the Minnesota Constitution (to
Ban Same-Sex Marriage)?
http://www.minnpost.com/ericblack/2010/11/08/23150/will_gop_try_
to_amend_the_minnesota_constitution_to_ban_same-sex_marriage
Cyndy Brucato – Recount Strategy: Why GOP is Taking a Hard Line”
and “GOP Leaders in Legislature Embracing Changes Proposed by
Business Community”
http://www.minnpost.com/cyndybrucato/2010/11/11/23302/recount_
strategy_why_gop_is_taking_a_hard_line
http://www.minnpost.com/cyndybrucato/2010/11/09/23174/gop_lead
ers_in_legislature_embracing_changes_proposed_by_business_community
Why Health Care Repeal Just
Won't Happen
by Joan McCarter - Thu Nov 04, 2010
Mitch McConnell wants to have a one-issue fight for the
next two years, convinced that that's what will bring
Obama down in 2012. There are a lot of reasons why that
won't work, and here are some of the reasons why.
 Obama Isn’t Interested in 'Re-litigating' Health
Care, Washington Monthly's Steve Benen observes.
The president might have said he’s humble in his
post-election press conference, but on his signature
legislation, he "clearly doesn't seem inclined to budge
on this. If Boehner & Co. think Obama will be pushed
around on health care and that with the right
leverage, repeal is an option, they're mistaken.”...
 Defunding Health Care Isn’t Really an Option,
Either, The Wonk Room’s Igor Volsky explains.
Boehner and Newt Gingrich have come out in favor of
this option, but “that may be easier said than done. As
former Senator Tom Daschle explained in a recent
interview, ‘a lot of what we did in health care reform
has more of an entitlement than a discretionary
funding base. So as an entitlement, they would really
have to change the law rather than simply not fund in
order for it to be effected. The entitlement sections of
the legislation are going to be fairly immune from
defunding.’"....
 And GOP Interest Group Allies Love It, Steve Pizer
and Austin Frakt argue at The Incidental Economist.
“The Republican base hates health reform because it’s
a symbol of Obama. They think it’s a product of the
far left, when in fact it’s chock full of Republican
ideas. ... When the new Republican House majority
starts legislating on health care, they will be more
concerned with what the relevant interest groups
want. The insurance industry, hospitals, and drug
companies want looser regulation and lower taxes.
That is, the big players want what they always want–
more control over implementation and establishment
of favorable regulations–even if it’s at the expense of a
more efficient health system for the rest of us. But
they also want the mandate, which can’t work
without the subsidies and insurance reforms....
There is one--and only one--tweak that Dems should
consider a willingness to work on--the law’s 1099
provision. That's one provision that there's broad,
bipartisan agreement on fixing. Beyond that, Dems
should draw the line. Because, as Dave Weigel points out,
they've now got the numbers, since so many GOPenabling Blue Dogs are gone, to fight off a veto-override.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/4/917441/-Why-health-carerepeal-just-wont-happen
8
Fox Scapegoats Unions for California Budget Problems
California’s
Bureaucrats:
A Bargain?
Civil servants have emerged as
political bogeymen, scorned for
their
supposedly
outsize
compensation packages. In New
Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie wants
to cap their raises at less than
3 percent,
while
New
York
Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo
warns that current pay levels are
“unsustainable.” Support for state
workers is perhaps weakest in
California, where they were
furloughed this year so the state
could save about 15 percent in
salaries. According to a new
study, however, the wisdom of
such policies may be lacking: the
lowly government employee, it
seems, is a pretty good deal.
That’s the conclusion of a recent
report by the University of
California, Berkeley. It crunched
census data on 5,000 Golden
State employees, and found they
make about 7 percent less than
their peers in the private sector.
The gap is widest for jobs in law,
finance, and engineering. But it’s
apparent across the board, even
though public employees are, on
average, more experienced and
better educated.
Though benefit packages bring the
compensation to about even,
economist Sylvia Allegretto, who
coauthored the study, says there’s
no justification for targeting public
employees;
they’re
“neither
overpaid nor overcompensated,”
she says. (A University of
Massachusetts Amherst study
reported similar findings for New
England workers.) But, of course,
while state laborers may be
affordably salaried, they may also
be too numerous—one criticism
they can’t easily shake.
November 10, 2010 http://mediamatters.org/research/201011100032
Fox figures have repeatedly blamed unions, and specifically union pensions, for
California's ongoing budget problems. In fact, experts have attributed California's
budget shortfalls to the state tax system, budget process, and economic downturn.
On the November 8 edition of Fox News' Hannity, Fox News correspondent Dick
Morris claimed that states like California are going to come to Washington
begging for bailouts because their budgets are so out of whack and they need
the same massive stimulus money they got last year." Morris claimed
"abrogat[ing] your union contracts" is how "you can solve your own
problem." On the November 10 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Morris
repeated his claim that states like California "are the new Greece" and said:
"What I hope that the Republicans do -- and I'm pushing this concept -- is that
they should go to these states and say, look, the reason you're in trouble is
because of your union contracts -- the pensions, the wages, the fringe benefits.
We'll let you go bankrupt just like Delta did or Chrysler did - GM -- if you abrogate
your union contracts just like the corporations do. And that way you can solve
your own problem you, and don't need a bailout."
On the October 20 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Fox Business host Stuart
Varney claimed that "huge service cuts are coming at the state level to a big city
and a big state near you." Varney continued: "So to pay those pensions, they've
got to cut elsewhere. In California, in Illinois, in New York ... they are going to
cut government services so that they can pay the lavish pensions that are
in the Constitution that we've got to pay."
On the November 10 edition of Hannity (accessed via Nexis), Fox News
contributor Ann Coulter claimed: "[F]or Americans who don't know, California is
completely bankrupt. Mostly thanks to the policies of Jerry Brown when he was
governor 30 years ago when he passed the Dill Act which allowed state
employees to unionize." Later, Coulter said that Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) is
"sticking it to the public sector unions -- which Jerry Brown did not and
thus California is bankrupt."
Experts, news reports trace CA fiscal crisis to state's tax structure, economic downturn
The New York Times reported on the "[o]rigins" of California's fiscal crisis, stating
that "[w]hile the state's property taxes are below average, its personal income tax
rate and levies on capital gains are among the highest; so unlike states that pass
the tax burden around, California can become disastrously imbalanced."
The Times further reported that "the protracted national recession delivered a big
hit on the state's greatest source of revenue, income taxes on rich people": All of
this did not creep up overnight. Expansive growth in the first half of the 20th
century led to rising housing prices and infrastructure growth, which came with
higher taxes to pay for it all. Those increases created an anti-tax rebellion that
begot Proposition 13 in the 1970s, a voter-led initiative that artificially depressed
property taxes and shifted school financing burdens to the state. It also led to the
onset of a culture of ballot initiatives that have hamstrung state budgeters by
earmarking money for programs with one vote and taking away the ability to pay
for them with others.
The state's population -- over 38 million today from 23.6 million in 1980 -- has
also meant a growing need for costly services for the poor, especially when
revenues are declining. While the state's property taxes are below average, its
personal income tax rate and levies on capital gains are among the highest; so
unlike states that pass the tax burden around, California can become
disastrously imbalanced. And the protracted national recession delivered a big
hit on the state's greatest source of revenue, income taxes on rich people.
Further, the state's structural deficit has become exceedingly pronounced after
years of accounting tricks and borrowing.
California's system of governance seems designed to thwart any solution its
lawmakers propose. With a two-thirds majority required to raise taxes or pass a
budget, 40% of public funds earmarked for public schools and no method of
overriding voter initiatives, California seems stymied by a complex puzzle that no
one can solve.
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/06/dobureaucrats-make-too-much-money.html
9
Do-It-Yourself Public Transit
November 9th, 2010 at 12:49 pm By Natalie Camplair http://www.mn2020hindsight.org/?p=7784
Blame it on the weather or on the large number of commuters between the suburbs and the Twin Cities, the average
Minnesotan drives almost 2,000 more miles per year more than the average American. In Minnesota (especially during the
winter), people need to get to where they want to go in a way that is fast, comfortable and convenient, but those extra miles
have negative consequences. Each extra mile traveled is more time wasted in traffic, more pollution in the air and higher chance
of deadly car accidents.
Last month, Minnesota economic think-tank Growth and Justice published a transportation report on how to reduce the
number of miles driven while at the same time increasing the speed and convenience of travel. The report points out that a
number of combined strategies are necessary to create an effective transit system. City planning that encourages mixed-use and
compact development can decrease the distance that Minnesotans need to travel from home to work or the store. State
investment in transportation projects has benefits that last long into the future.
Projects can be funded through cost-effective incentives, such as a highway use fee or
subsidies and rebates to use public transit.
The problem right now is that big infrastructure projects and transportation
programs are going to have a tough time getting funding when there is a state
legislature set on budget cuts. To build momentum to create transit systems that
benefit communities, we’re going to have to start looking at business and non-profit
avenues more closely in order to set the stage for state- and nation-wide policies that
affect transit development. Insurance companies can create packages that are based
on the number of miles driven. Employers can offer subsidies for living close to work
or taking the bus or light rail. Municipalities and neighborhood associations can enact their own small-scale policies. Moving
Minnesota forward means that we must also consider other ways to get things done.
Going ROWE: Still ROWE-ing in Minnesota County
Human Services and Public
Health Department
Best Buy, a Minnesota-based company, went ROWE
in 2003, giving visibility to the concept. The Human
Services and Public Health Department in Hennepin
County, Minneapolis’ largest county, decided to go
ROWE in April 2009.
For Our Stewards and Members Who Need Assistance:
Putting Performance Reviews on Probation
NPR | November 9, 2010
http://news.opb.org/article/17918-putting_performance_reviews_on_probation/
http://steveboese.squarespace.com/journal/2010/8/18/get-rid-of-the-performance-review.html
Performance reviews are a predictable part of office life. Whether
the employees write their own, or sit before a panel of bosses, it
can be a grueling process. Often, managers only conduct them
because they're told to, and workers embellish and obscure their
accomplishments and failures. Some business leaders argue
they're all but worthless.
By Gadi Dechter | November 10, 2010
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/11/rowe111010.html
excerpts from a conversation between the author and Deb Truesdell
G: Have you seen any results from ROWE so far? What are they?
D: Anecdotally, we’ve seen strong results of better customer service, like faster
eligibility processing time, fewer clients dropping in and calling to check on their
benefits, and reduced case backlog. We are in the process of developing a
massive project that will track results with hard numbers, because we do have a
responsibility to report to our leadership and to the commissioners. I anticipate
that we will have some hard data within one year.
Other areas in which we have seen anecdotal progress include:
 A reduction in our infrastructure costs (mileage, parking, and space).
 Becoming an employer of choice. We have several examples of highly
qualified hires who stated that they wanted to work for us because of
ROWE.
 An engaged workforce. We have heard many stories about how staff were
able to continue contributing while needing to be offsite. We also hear from
staff who are pleased to be able to be more flexible so they have time for
their children, home-related issues, or caring for elderly parents.
G: What have some of the biggest challenges been?
D: One challenge has been letting go of our “command-and-control” mindset. For
years, people were rewarded and promoted for being able to manage adherence
to a very rule-based environment. Also, a segment of our staff had never been
given any real autonomy or allowed flexibility, and there have been some
struggles around that. People did not necessarily have the confidence to believe
in the concept and to actually be asked for the ideas about how to do the work
differently. It all takes time.
10
Samuel Culbert, author of Get Rid Of The Performance Review!
couldn't agree more. "It's the most ridiculous practice in the world,"
he tells NPR's Neal Conan. "It's bogus, fraudulent, dishonest at its
core, and reflects stupid, bad, cowardly management."
Culbert sees performance reviews as a tool management uses to
intimidate employees. "They know what it takes to get a good
review," he says, so they tell bosses what they want to hear,
instead of giving them "the real story." Allan Polak, president of
ALP Consulting Resources, agrees with Culbert. "It's much more
often a nightmare than anything that's valuable," he says.
Polak traces performance reviews back to collusion between HR
and legal departments at companies, "in order to create a written
trail when somebody isn't doing their job well." But over the years,
"it’s morphed into the annual ritual that is inflicted upon everybody.
Nine times out of ten, it's more harm than good," concludes Polak.
Polak and Culbert both realize there needs to be a way for
management and employees to communicate about goals and
accountability. But, says Culbert, performance reviews are the
wrong solution. "It makes it impossible for people to have
authentic, honest conversations about what we need to be doing
differently" and what's imperfect in a workplace. And "if it really is
intended to be a valuable conversation for the employee," clarifies
Polak, the annual review needs to be wholly separate from
conversations about money -- raises, promotions or bonuses. That
way, the frame for the conversation is that of a boss wanting to
help an employee succeed.
Announcements:
1) We will hold a special contract vote at the 12/1/10 General Assembly on the Employer's
proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the issue of reduced co-pays. A
letter with proposed MOU was mailed to your home address around November 22, 2010. As
noted in that letter, this will be the first order of business with discussion beginning at 5:30
PM. Voting will not begin until 5:45 PM in order to give members time to participate in the
discussion. You must be a member in order to vote so you will need to bring a photo ID or
your union card to check in. If you are currently a fee payer and wish to become a member,
dues authorization cards will be available.
2) Please remember to bring an unwrapped toy to the meeting for the Council 5 Child Care Providers Together (CCPT) Toys
for Tots drive. All toys will be presented by our CCPT members to the KARE 11 Toys for Tots drive.
3) This is our Local 34 annual holiday meeting. Food will be provided. Bring your own beverage. The meeting will be held
in HSB L15 - the room right across from the elevator in the lower level (LL) of HSB.
I decided to turn my column for this month over to two of our members who are taking advantage of the PERA Phased
Retirement Program. I feel very strongly that this program has many benefits for those of our members who are closing in
on retirement as it can be a great way to ease into the world of retirement. Thank you to Mary Finstad and Don Nikkola who
graciously agreed to write the following article.
PRO (Phased Retirement Option) for PERA members - May, 2009 Omnibus Pension Bill
The Baby Boomers are reinventing retirement! We are living longer; we do not want to retire abruptly; our sluggish economy is boosting the
option of Phased Retirement and the tight labor market has increased the interest of many employers in retaining their older, experienced
workers.
What is PERA Phased Retirement? As defined on the PERA website, this “program is intended to facilitate a transition into retirement for
a PERA member who is approaching full retirement while providing employers with a workforce planning tool that can for example, help
transfer knowledge from the long-time employee to a new worker.”
Requirements:

Must participate in PERA’s coordinated fund, or Basic fund,

Must have worked at least 1,044 hours per year for the past five years,

Must be 62 years of age.

Employees do not need to be eligible for PERA’s rule of 90 to participate in the PRO.

Need to reduce work hours to half-time.
Benefits:





Allows employees to elect a slower, or phased retirement,
Allows public employers to retain the services of their retirement-eligible employees “a little longer,”
Incurs lower payroll costs,
Eliminates several of PERA’s administrative burdens,
Neither the PERA member nor the County is required to make any further contributions to PERA.
Phased Retirement is used to retain skilled older employees who would otherwise retire, reduce labor costs and to arrange training of
replacement employees by older workers….and there is a shortage of entry level job applicants. (Investopedia.com). “There seems to
simply be an increased desire among individuals to stay active and stay involved and do it through the workplace in later years”. (Paul
Yakoboski, Employee Benefit Research Institute-2000). Requirements vary industry wide. Corporations, universities and colleges,
hospitals, Federal and local government have initiated Phased Retirement programs since at least 2000.
Benefits for employers:

Retention of trained and qualified personnel,

Reduced costs associated with training new employees to replace retiring employees,

Reduced costs achieved through lower salary and benefits expenses, made possible by employee shifting from full-time to parttime status.
Benefits for employees:

Flexible work arrangements,

The opportunity to gradually transition into retirement rather than making a sudden, abrupt shift,

The opportunity to supplement retirement income or to increase future retirement benefits by deferring current retirement income.
(National Association of State Retirement Administrators [NASRA] 2002 IRS Request for Comments)
August 26 2008 - A survey by global HR consulting and outsourcing company Hewitt Associates showed that an increasing number of U.S.
employers are considering implementing phased retirement programs to address an impending talent shortage as a quarter of the workforce
nears retirement age.
11
Allen Steinberg, a principal at Hewitt Associates, commented: "With the rising tide of boomer retirees, employers will be losing key talent at
a time when attracting and retaining skilled workers will be more important than ever. At the same time, rising medical costs, lengthening life
spans and the declining prevalence of traditional pension and retiree medical benefits mean that employees will either have to work longer,
save more or live with significantly less than they are accustomed to. As these trends converge, we believe phased retirement programs
will continue to become more attractive options for both employers and employees - they provide employers with new ways to retain critical
talent and, at the same time, help employees meet their needs."
The Hennepin County board of Commissioners encourages County departments to consider this program for it employees.
We decided to participate in the Phase Retirement Option:

in order to gradually exit extensive careers at Hennepin County –we are not ready to completely retire;

reduced our hours to 40 per pay period;

continue to contribute to Social Security;

no longer contribute to PERA – nor does the County, thus reducing costs.

are willing and able to provide tacit knowledge to colleagues by virtue of accumulated years of practice.

participate in succession planning.
Mary Finstad and Don Nikkola
Please contact Benefits if you have any questions about the program and whether you qualify. You can also read more about this program
at the Benefits intranet site:
http://hennote1.co.hennepin.mn.us/HR/Intranet/GenlInfo.nsf/4dfe8e1ad9d3a21286256b9d0021cba7/119e213f9cfc1dba862575510073a2e2?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,phased,retirement
Happy Holidays to all,
Jean
Two Views on the Rising Numbers of Persons Receiving SNAP – Food Support – Food Stamps
November 11, 2010
Americans on Food Stamps Reach New High
Growing Number of Americans Rely WRITTEN BY BRUCE WALKER - TUESDAY, 09 NOVEMBER 2010
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/5132-americans-on-food-stamps-reaches-new-high
On Food Stamps
The number of Americans
forced to rely on federal
food aid, known as the
Supplementary Nutrition
Assistance
Program
(SNAP), has increased
dramatically in recent
years.
SNAP,
known
colloquially as "food stamps," give individuals and families a
small monthly allotment on a debit card, allowing them to
purchase groceries and other basic necessities.
According to AOL's Daily Finance, like unemployment and home
foreclosure rates, the number of families using food stamps should
also be used as a measure of the national economic climate.
The Wall Street Journal reports,
Some 42,389,619 Americans received food stamps in
August, a 17% rise from the same time a year ago,
according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which
tracks the data. That number is up 58.5% from August
2007, before the recession began.
Supporters can get involved helping hungry Americans by
donating or volunteering at a local food bank through Feeding
America.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/09/food-insecurity-on-the-ri_n_781020.html
The food-stamp program has grown dramatically during the last few years. The
latest figures show that an incredible 42 million Americans are receiving food
stamps — about 14 percent of the entire national population. Within the last year,
the number of households receiving food stamps has jumped from 16.2 million to
19.4 million. Since July 2007, participation in the food-stamp program has
increased almost exponentially — a 50-percent growth in just three years.
Ironically, this fantastic growth in free food for those who qualify for food
stamps has coincided with a concerted and public effort to encourage children to
eat less and exercise more. Obesity, particularly among the poor, is rapidly
becoming one of the most serious public health problems in America. While no
one wishes Americans, especially children, to go hungry, the evidence of real
hunger among the poor is slight, while the evidence of the poor eating more food
than is good for their health is significant.
The food-stamp data also reveal another interesting fact about America today.
Food stamp eligibility is connected with income eligibility, and the data indicate
that unemployment or underemployment in America has not been positively
affected by President Obama’s stimulus package. The number of Americans
receiving food stamps is much higher than when the President began his multitrillion-dollar effort, using borrowed federal dollars to fund activities intended to
increase employment. The growth in the food-stamp program also reflects a
troubling decline in the traditional and natural impulse of Americans of faith to
help out their coreligionists or the average American in need. Orthodox Jews,
Mormons, Catholics, and many Protestant denominations look after members of
their faith or, in many cases, anyone who is hungry or in other need. The
Salvation Army long has made care of the less fortunate a centerpiece of its
mission. Charity ennobles the giver without humiliating the recipient. But welfare
and food stamps are not charity. It is dependence administered by bureaucrats
who are just as dependent upon people needing help as the food-stamp recipients
are dependent on others for food.
12
- Wes Volkenant
Many of you have told me that you were pulling for my
success in my race for Andover City Council. Thank you so
much! Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, as I finished
with 1400 votes, good for only seventh place out of eight
candidates for two positions. It seems that a union-member
working for a County government, with pro-government
views and plans for city/county projects just wasn’t a good fit
in no taxes, smaller government, Republican-oriented
Andover this fall.
However, I was pleased to see that my AFSCME friend from Local 1719, Aaron Printup,
who Local 34 contributed to, was successful in getting elected to the Orono City Council
– first place – with virtually the same number of votes I received in Andover! And my
fellow Council 5 Executive Board member, Karen Foreman, was successful in her run
for the Mankato City Council. Congratulations to Aaron and Karen!
I made time to attend both the Public Safety budget presentation and the Community
responses to the proposed HSPHD budget this fall. Board Chairman Mike Opat was a
key figure at both presentations. First, he led the Board’s power play against the
independent – minded Republican County Sheriff Rich Stanek and his gang of key
advisors and their very poorly-presented budget with unaccounted-for increases in the
number of administrative staff since the McGowan era. In a later session, Opat made
some very telling remarks to the community non-profits about how they’ve gone about
business in these difficult economic times.
Commissioner Opat was clearly interested in how the non-profits have reduced their
workforce and shifted the rising costs of health insurance onto their remaining
employees. Remember that Opat has long-advocated having the County’s singleinsureds have to first, begin paying a monthly premium, and later having that employee
share of the cost soar to much higher levels. It was no accident that the County
proposed $50 single premiums in the 2009 negotiations and clung to that position until
late in the final night of bargaining. We stopped those huge increases for singles, but it
was no great victory, but more a matter of bargaining compromise; premiums
remained $25 a month for Singles until this month – December 2010 – when they rose ½
of a total $15 per month increase. Premiums for singles rise to $32.50 this month, a
figure that will remain in place until December 2011, the last month of this contract
period, when the premium rises to $40 per month. Forty is better than fifty, and forty
doesn’t arrive until the very end, but now we all know the starting point for 2012, and we
all know that Commissioner Opat, for one, wants to shift even more of the responsibility
for health insurance costs away from the County to its employees. Why? Because that’s
how they do it in the private sector – which is where his voters are. But then, he doesn’t
face the voters again until 2014. Meanwhile, we’ll have to see if moderate Republican
Commissioners Callison and Randy Johnson face any internal-Republican drama from
their party’s right wing. For all of us who respect the years of service from Randy
Johnson like we appreciated the years of service from Congressman Jim Oberstar, we
can hope there is no similar surprise facing our Commissioner in 2012.
The safest Commissioner in 2012 – if the Republican turnout of 2010 is any indication –
is Jeff Johnson. Commissioner Johnson’s Hennepin County Taxpayer Watchdog blog
(http://www.taxpayerwatchdog.org/) gives us an idea of the pressing ways to get out of
the business of governing, that Republicans such as this Johnson would have you
believe is their mandate:

Golden Hydrant goes to plan for spending $342,000 on new art in Plymouth and
Maple Grove libraries

“Yesterday, I offered a resolution to place a moratorium on the requirement
that Hennepin County automatically spend 1% of every large library building
project on public art.”

County Board Votes Unanimously to Kill the Medina Wind Turbine

Golden Hydrant goes to Hennepin County for providing free non-emergency
health care to illegal immigrants

General tax levy will remain flat; rail and housing levies will increase
13
Thank You Notes
Dear Local 34 Brothers &
Sisters,
Thank you very much for
the plant I received. It
was very nice having a
beautiful plant to look at
while I was recovering
from my knee surgery.
Cathy Cowden
Dear AFSCME Local 34
Employees,
Thank you for your
generous gift of $100.00
to Alliance Housing, Inc.
With your support, we are
able to continue
achieving our mission: to
create, own and operate
housing for low and very
low income people in
Minneapolis and the
wider Twin Cities
metropolitan area. We
sincerely appreciate your
support.
Thank you.
Herb Frey
Executive Director
Alliance Housing, Inc.
Thank you Local 34 for
the generous contribution
to my campaign for City
Council. This truly means
a lot!
Aaron H. Printup,
Local 1719 and candidate
for Orono City Council
{Note: Aaron finished 1st on
November 2nd!}
AFSCME PEOPLE Fund,
Thank you for your
contribution to my reelection campaign. Your
contribution is deeply
appreciated and will be a
great help to the
campaign.
Sincerely,
Lyn Carlson
View from the Cheap Seats
Thank You Notes
Dear Friend,
I wish to express my sincere
gratitude for your trust and
financial support of my candidacy in
the Ramsey County Sheriff’s race. I
have never been more determined
to see that the Ramsey County
Sheriff’s
Department
is
transformed. The people of Ramsey
County deserve a sheriff who can be
trusted.
With my deepest appreciation,
Matt Bostrom
Ramsey County Sheriff Candidate
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your recent
contribution to the Senate DFL
Caucus. With your help we will
move forward with a progressive
agenda
which
will
help
Minnesotans find good paying jobs,
provide health insurance for all and
ensure the state provides the funds
our children deserve in order to
receive a quality education.
Sincerely,
Larry Pogemiller,
Senate Majority Leader
Dear AFSCME Local 34,
Please
accept
my
sincere
appreciation for your recent
$100.00 contribution to the NAACP
and for acting on your strong
personal commitment to ensuring
civil rights and equality for all. You
are a vital and valued partner in all
of our efforts. And the success of
every NAACP initiative depends on
the support of people of conscience,
principle and action – people like
you.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Todd Jealous
President & CEO, NAACP
Dear Jean,
Thank you for attending our 17th
Annual Wing Ding! You purchased
four tickets for $66. Because of
your support, Tubman is helping
more families than ever. On behalf
of our board, our staff, and all those
we serve, thank you for supporting
this critical work.
Sincerely,
Jennifer J. Polzin,
Chief, Resource Department,
Tubman
Vicki Moore, Local 34 Vice President
Well it looks as if we still do not know the
name of the next Governor and we don’t
know when we will know. There are so many
questions regarding what this will mean in
terms of the budget deficit and the services our clients need and
depend upon. Some would say that it really doesn’t make a difference
who sits in the Governor’s Office, given the make-up of the Minnesota
House and Senate. I really do not agree with that sentiment. If that
were the case, why have a Governor at all?
Our Electeds are faced with a daunting task come January. We need
all hands on deck to get to work on problem solving. We don’t need a
holdover Governor with Presidential ambitions thinking more about
his future and national position than what is best for the citizens of
Minnesota. Everyone that I talked with, and I talked with more than
1000 people leading up to the election, and no matter who they were
supporting, from the far left to the far right, had one common
message – let’s all stop playing games and get down to the business
of getting Minnesota back to the Minnesota of our youth – a balanced
economy between rural and urban, strong public schools, and a handup vs. a hand-out.
A recount is part of our State law given the margin between Mr.
Dayton and Mr. Emmer. However, it is not the intent of the law, as far
as I know, to use every legal maneuver to extend the recount out for
months and months and months. When I hear the spokespeople for
Mr. Emmer and/or the Republican Party announce the hiring of
lawyers and promote the idea of “wide-spread voter fraud”, I wonder
whether the public can afford to pay for the manpower and/or legal
fees that this strategy will cost? I also wonder about the damage that
is done my undermining people’s confidence in the process. Is that
really patriotic? Is it really reflective of Minnesota Common Sense?
Does it answer the publics call to roll up out sleeves, get to work, find
common ground and resolve our fiscal dilemma?
The Governor’s race in Connecticut was won by 5,637 votes. Their law
states a recount is automatic if the margin is less than 2,000. So a
recount was not mandatory in Connecticut. However, there was what
was called “voting chaos” in Bridgeport, Connecticut, an area with
many voters. A commentator wrote about Republican candidate Tom
Foley’s reaction: “Mr. Foley said he was still concerned about voting
chaos in Bridgeport, the state’s largest city, and other possible sites,
he and his advisers could not envision a chain or events in which he
would be able to make up a gap of about 6,000 votes.” The margin in
the Minnesota race is larger.
I am asking each of you, regardless of who you supported for
Governor, to ask those making decisions regarding recounts and
election contests to let common sense prevail. If they don’t know
about the Connecticut race, tell them. There’s a lot of work to do.
Let’s get on with it.
And that’s the view from the cheap seats for this month.
14
AFSCME Council 5 2010 Convention – Resolutions
Resolution #1: Organize for Power
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: This union will invest resources, develop programs and infrastructure and train
staff and members to enable us to win representation rights for new groups of workers, equivalent to 100
workers per full time staff organizer; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will continue to seek representation rights for all
unorganized public sector workers and enact collective bargaining law where they do not currently exist for
workers not covered by a law; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will expand it organizing efforts among workers in nonprofit and private entities who provide public services, as well as independent service providers and other non-traditional workers;
and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will continue its efforts to develop leveraged strategic campaigns that employ
innovative tactics that can combat the aggressive anti-union campaigns invariably waged by private and public sector employers like
the union busting Attorney General Lori Swanson; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will include in their goals, planning, staffing, and resource allocation, the ability
to organize new groups of workers and meet these goals every year; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 recruit and develop volunteer member organizers (VMOs) and educate the
membership on the benefits of organizing and recruitment of VMOs at a rate of 15 new trained VMOs a year; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 coordinate political and organizing functions to make support of organizing a
key component of political action; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: Not only must we organize harder, we must organize smarter. AFSCME Council 5 will target key
industries and employers, run strategic campaigns and organize non-traditional workers in the public service.
Resolution #2: Employee Free Choice Act
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 mobilize our membership 32 and lobby Congress for
passage of the Act, and for State and local government bodies to pass supportive resolutions.
Resolution #3: Member Mobilizations
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 locals will develop plans to continue mobilization
activities; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That when a successful action takes place, the Member Reporters will
provide information to be shared throughout Council 5; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That when locals attempt mobilization activities that they will be
encouraged and supported in those activities by AFSCME Council 5.
Resolution #4: Building Strong Local Unions
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Council 5 locals need to routinely assess the goals and report the results, set new goals and develop
strategies to achieve and sustain those goals while sharing their successes with other
locals; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: Council 5 continue to be a resource for local union efforts
to implement and sustain those strategies; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: Local unions develop and/or retain an accurate map of their
membership in order to engage in one on one activity, within their local and Council 5, to
further grow the power of our Union.
15
Resolution #5: Federal Aid for State and Local Governments
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will continue to mobilize its membership in support of federal aid
to states and local governments.
Resolution #6: Electing Pro-Revenue
Governor Mark Dayton
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5
will do everything it can to elect Mark Dayton Governor on
November 2, 2010 so we can raise revenue fairly by raising
income and other taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans and
corporations to close our budget deficit and protect public
services and AFSCME jobs.
Resolution #7: Protecting Our Pensions
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will fiercely advocate to protect
the guaranteed pension benefits of our members.
Resolution #8: Communicating for Power
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will continue to establish
an identity that builds member pride and loyalty; attracts new members; and
reaches politicians, allies and journalists with a powerful message of who we are and
what we’re fighting for; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That our local unions and policy committees will be encouraged to contribute to the Media Fund for
advertising that projects a proud, bold image of public services and the workers who provide them; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 will continue to provide member reporter, newsletter and LaborWeb training
for local unions.
Resolution #9: Judicial & Police Intimidation of Union Members
Therefore Be It Resolved: That AFSCME Council 5 goes on record as expressing its grave concern that the recent FBI raids are
reminiscent of the Palmer Raids of the 1920’s, the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s, and the FBI’s harassment of the civil rights
movement, and our grave concern that these raids be the beginning of a new and dangerous assault on the First Amendment rights
of every union fighter, international solidarity activist or anti-war campaigner and,
Further Be It Resolved: That AFSCME Council 5 finds that no acceptable justification or evidence has been presented for these
raids and subpoenas and that we have no reason to believe any will be forthcoming, and,
Further Be It Resolved: That we notify the Minnesota Congressional Delegation that Council 5 opposes
these arbitrary and capricious raids, and,
Be it Finally Resolved: That in light of the Inspector General’s recent report that AFSCME Council 5
calls upon President Obama to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances, motivation and
propriety of the judicial and police intimidation of our members and others.
Resolution #10: Workplace Bullying
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: Support measures to stop workplace bullying; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: AFSCME Council 5 prioritize workplace bullying on its 2011-2012
legislative agenda; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That AFSCME Council 5 develop and make available contract language that can be added to all local
union contracts.
16
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reasons to get the AFSCME ADVANTAGE
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4. Get cash at over 1.5 million ATMs
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5. Access your card account online and over
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International Incorporated. MasterCard is a
registered trademark of MasterCard
International Incorporated. *Subject to ID
verification. Occasionally, you will receive
brief email messages regarding AFSCME
Advantage member benefits.
If you have questions about the AFSCME
Advantage Prepaid MasterCard or any other
AFSCME Advantage member benefit, contact
Susan Welsh at 800-588-0374 or
swelsh@afscme.org.
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Challenges Facing Public Employees in a
ROWE Workplace
By Carolyn Johnson, ROWE Internal Change Agent and Local 34 Chief Steward
As public employees working in a ROWE, we have discovered uniqueness to the
environment where we work compared to Valspar, Fairview, Best Buy, and
other organizations working in a ROWE. We are Public Employees. We are
therefore required by law to work 40 hours per week or 80 hours per pay
period. We also have organized employees in our ranks, and we have contracts
that have been negotiated to protect the rights of staff. We need to honor
these contracts at work. We also have state mandates that dictate certain
areas of our work that we need to adhere to, and we have political direction
that drives our organization.
What does this mean in a ROWE?

In a ROWE, you still need to work your 40 hours per week, or 80 hours per
pay period, but depending on your job and the team agreements, you may
have the opportunity to work those 40 hours anytime during the full 7 day
week, or 80 hours during a 14 day time period (depending on your job
status). In a ROWE, staff work when they are most productive, which
means that they can get the job accomplished at 3:00 in the morning, they
are encouraged to choose those hours to work. Also, in a ROWE, if staff
find that they are more effective at meeting the client's needs outside of
regular business hours, they are encouraged to work those hours. If staff
find that they are out of work and still need to put in their 40 hours, they
will decide what they want to do with those extra hours: do they want to
help the team get the work accomplished? Do they want to do research
on resources? Do they want to shadow another employee? Attend a
training? Volunteer for a committee? It's up to that person to decide.

Unions represent many staff in HSPHD, and each Union has a contract that
has been negotiated by the Union and Management. This contract
includes guidelines for things like schedules, time off, types of leave, and
other information. It is very important that while working in a ROWE, you
follow contract guidelines. If you have questions about these guidelines,
contact a Union Steward.

Some areas have mandates or work plans from the state or other
organizations that guide their work and are based on funding. In a ROWE,
these mandates and work plans are important to follow. Each staff
member who is working under these guidelines has the right to know what
is specifically written in the mandates or work plans, and it is entirely
appropriate in a ROWE to have discussions about how to enforce changes
to the mandates or work plans that will allow more efficient practices.
However, until the mandates or work plans are updated, it is important to
follow the guidelines that are agreed upon.
As a Government entity, we are directed by political agendas that drive things
like budget, community partnerships, etc. Often, this allows staff to expand
their resources and creative ideas, but recently, we have experienced more
limitations to the resources that we have available to us. We have a
responsibility to our organization and clients to achieve the mission of our
department – "Building better lives and stronger communities" – even during
the most difficult times. In a ROWE, all staff and leaders in HSPHD are
encouraged to express their ideas about how to better achieve our mission by
getting involved in projects like P3 or sending suggestions for change to the
HSPHD Suggestion Box: http://hcinet/hsphdforms/SuggestionBox/feedback.htm
17
Highlights – November 2010 General
Assembly Meeting
Ballot Measures Guaranteeing Secret Ballot in Union
Elections Pass in Four States
Posted on November 3, 2010 by Justin F. Keith
http://www.gtleblog.com/2010/11/articles/labor/ballot-measures-guaranteeingsecret-ballot-in-union-elections-pass-in-four-states/
Yesterday, voters in Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah
voted in favor of ballot measures that would guarantee the right to a
secret ballot in union elections. These measures represent an effort at
the state level to nullify the card check provisions of the proposed
Employee Free Choice Act that has been pending in Congress for several
years.
It is unclear at this point whether these measures will be challenged as
preempted by the National Labor Relations Act. Also unresolved is what
effect, if any, these measures will have on voluntary recognition and
neutrality agreements between employers and unions.
Company Accused of Firing Over Facebook Post
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE - Published: November 8, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/business/09facebook.html
In what labor officials and lawyers view as a groundbreaking case involving workers and social media,
the National Labor Relations Board has accused a
company of illegally firing an employee after she
criticized her supervisor on her Facebook page.
This is the first case in which the labor board has
stepped in to argue that workers’ criticisms of their
bosses or companies on a social networking site are
generally a protected activity and that employers would be violating the
law by punishing workers for such statements.
The labor relations board announced last week that it had filed a
complaint against an ambulance service, American Medical Response of
Connecticut, that fired an emergency medical technician, accusing her,
among other things, of violating a policy that bars employees from
depicting the company “in any way” on Facebook or other social media
sites in which they post pictures of themselves.
Lafe Solomon, the board’s acting general counsel, said, “This is a fairly
straightforward case under the National Labor Relations Act — whether
it takes place on Facebook or at the water cooler, it was employees
talking jointly about working conditions, in this case about their
supervisor, and they have a right to do that.”
That act gives workers a federally protected right to form unions, and it
prohibits employers from punishing workers — whether union or
nonunion — for discussing working conditions or unionization. The labor
board said the company’s Facebook rule was “overly broad” and
improperly limited employees’ rights to discuss working conditions
among themselves.
Moreover, the board faulted another company policy, one prohibiting
employees from making “disparaging” or “discriminatory” “comments
when discussing the company or the employee’s superiors” and “coworkers.”
Who We Are
Officers Excused or Absent: Jacqueline Coleman, Cathy Cowden,
Sabrina Denson, Rita Salome, Carolyn Vreeman
The Local passed a motion to elect seven MSSA
representatives at the December GA meeting and renewed our
annual MSSA membership at $255.00. MSSA Delegate
Assembly at the Sheraton Bloomington on November 19 does
not take place on Count y time, so the membership approved
Lost Time and mileage for our delegates to attend.
The Local was invited to attend the November 9 screening of
“Bullied” at Central Lutheran Church; Steward Lynne Kincaid
received the Local’s two free tickets to attend.
AFSCME International has received our Local’s
Constitutional changes concerning staggered officer terms.
The Local received four tickets to the 27th Anniversary of the
Resource of the Americas dinner on November 5 – President
Diederich contacted members for possible interest in
attending.
Vice President Volkenant reported on Meet & Confer and the
Corrections Department budget presentation. He also reported
that his bid for City Council in Andover proved unsuccessful, as
he finished 7th of 8.
Vice President Moore also discussed the election results and
the fear that many voters seemed to express- their fear of
losing jobs, losing homes, etc. as part of their turn to
Republicanism. Jacquelin Poole suggested AFSCME get more
involved in community service, and President Diederich
mentioned United Way drives, Sharing & Caring, helping an
elderly family, etc.
Matt Nelson did an Election Review – the seeming election of
Mark Dayton is a positive result, and Local 34 generated 20
new PEOPLE contributors, and both Local Vice Presidents
increased their deductions. As to Correctional Medical
Services, the County sees this as auxiliary contracting that
AFSCME does not need to be informed of- on the positive side,
one of our MAs is leaving the County, so both remaining MAs
will have new positions.
President Diederich reported that Local 34 came through
this election in spades – great GOTV participation, phonebanking, etc. She noted that HCMC’s Pharmacy Techs have now
been organized by AFSCME, and their anti-union HR person has
been fired. We are increasingly aware of the lack of resources
for helping our clients in need – AFSCME must take a bigger
role in helping find those resources. And Jean reported on
complaints that AFSCME was absent from the HSPHD budget
presentation – our leaders were unavailable, and our regular
communication with HSPHD managers kept us informed about
their budget intentions. But, we were unprepared for
Commissioner Gail Dorfman’s position that reducing the
HSPHD budget would open up additional County resources for
community providers – seemingly at our expense. President
Diederich and Council 5 political staff intend to discuss this
further with the Commissioner.
AFSCME’s 1.6 million members provide the vital services that
make America happen. With members in hundreds of different
occupations — from nurses to corrections officers, child care Are you interested in setting the Local 34 website as
18
your Microsoft Explorer home page? If so, go to the
website address listed on the front page. Click on
“Tools” in the menu bar at the top of your page.
Select “Internet Options.” Under the “General” tab,
providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME is the
voice of the dedicated workers who take care of
America, and is a leading advocate for all working
families.
Upcoming Local 34 Meeting
Schedule
December 1 – General Assembly – 5:30pm –
HSB L15
December 15 – Executive Board – 5:30pm –
HSB 961
January 5 – General Assembly – 5:30pm –
HSB 110
January 19 – Executive Board – 5:30pm –
HSB 961
A
r
e
You New to the County?
Just transferred into Local 34?
To sign up as a union member or to get
answers to questions about AFSCME and
membership benefits, please complete this
form and send it to:
Kela Williams, Membership Secretary
CP – mail code 630 – 612-596-0954
Name _______________________________
Sign Up for the PEOPLE Fund
Job Title ____________________________________
Work Location ________________________________
Mail Code _________
Phone _________________
_______
_______
I’m especially interested:
I want to sign up as a member
I want to sign up for Delta Dental
The AFSCME People Fund is AFSCME’s political action
fund, and is used to support our endorsed
candidates. If many members voluntarily pledge as
little as $2.00 a payroll period, our ability to get our
endorsed candidates elected, will be greatly
enhanced. At $4.00 per pay period, a contributor
receives an AFSCME green jacket. Please contact
Jacqueline Coleman at 543-2605 to sign up now!
To receive Delta Dental Insurance
information: contact Cindy Pince at
19
Council 5– 651-287-0564
Local 34 Information
20
Local 34 Officers & Stewards
President:
Jean Diederich
Vice Presidents:
Vicki Moore
Wesley Volkenant
Chief Stewards:
Cathy Cowden
Carolyn (Johnson) Vreeman
Recording Secretary:
Rita Salone
Treasurer:
Patrick Regan
Membership Secretary:
Kela Williams
Sergeant-At-Arms:
Andrea Lazo-Rice
12/01/10
348-0266 – HSB - 880
348-5939 – GC - 140
348-9592 – CP - 630
543-0301 – FJC - L890
348-8586 – GC - 160
596-1003 – FJC - L890
348-8760 – FJC - L890
596-0954 – CP - 630
348-2249 – HSB - 960
Members-At-Large:
Ibrahim Adam
Angel Alexander
Jacquelin Poole
Jacqueline Coleman
Sabrina Denson
Kathy Kelly
348-2313
596-1885
348-4246
543-2605
596-7876
348-6593
Stewards:
Zachary Rice
Nancy Scarlotta
Fatuma Kassim
Jamoda Williams
Shaletha Thomas
Lynne Kincaid
Shawnice Reid
Ed Kusleika
James Stevenson
Jim Edin
Phillip Gray
Terry Grace
Aboubker Ouassaddine
Dana Meyer
Miguel Salazar
Susan Frame
Monica Jochmans
Penny Wile
Laura Wright
Nafisa Farah
Kristine Heckler
Elena Izaksonas
Pamela Shones
Maureen Glover
Dennis Moore
Jeff Meyer
Sheila Lipsco
Mara Hill
Martha Dille
348-2274, Century Plaza 1
348-9452, Century Plaza 2
596-8457, Century Plaza 2
596-8948, Century Plaza 4
596-8954, Century Plaza 4
596-8716, Century Plaza 4
543-2699, NorthPoint Medical
919-2884, STS
596-9220, STS
763-221-4443, STS
348-5771, Juvenile Justice Ctr
348-7308, Juvenile Justice Ctr
543-0373, Family Justice Ctr
596-0214, Family Justice Ctr
348-6800, Family Justice Ctr
348-0293, Govt Center A15
348-4192, HSB 5
348-7133, HSB 9
543-0293, Little Earth Omniciye
596-1705, 6601 Shingle Creek
752-8332, Crystal Drop-in Ctr.
521-3056, 4th Precinct Station
763-413-3113, 1800 Chicago
348-4492, 1800 Chicago
879-3560, 1800 Chicago
348-5880, 1800 Chicago
348-4204, 1800 Chicago
596-7161, 1800 Chicago
612-964-1778, Grain Exchange
– HSB - 961
– CP - 630
– HSB - 961
– NP - N706
– HSB – 961
– FJC – L890
Trustees
Audie Lussier, Osman Farah, Vacant
Delta Dental Trustee
Monica Jochmans
Good and Welfare
The Good and Welfare Committee
was established to send
remembrances to dues paying
members at times of happiness or
sorrow.
This includes marriages, the birth or
adoption of a child, prolonged illness
or hospitalization, or the death of a
member, immediate family member
or significant other – as defined in the
Contract.
In the case of surgery or prolonged
illness, or for the birth or adoption
of a child, flowers or plants can be
sent to a member. In situations
involving the death of a member or
a death in the family of a member,
memorials can be sent. (“Family” is
defined the same as in Article 16 –
Funeral Leave – in our contract; it
includes: spouse, child, significant
other, aunt/ uncle, father/ mother,
sister/ brother, grandparent/
grandparent-in-law, grandchildren,
niece/ nephew, or a person
regarded as a member of the
member’s immediate family).
In the event of members getting
married, retiring, gaining U.S.
citizenship, or for a death in the
family of a member or in the case
of the death of a member, a card
can be sent to the family.
Please send all requests for
remembrances to the co-Chairs for
the Good and Welfare Committee Lisa Durkot (MC 965) or Merry
Brigham (MC L890). The referrals
must include the name of the
member and the reason for your
request.
If the request is for a plant or flowers,
you will also need to include the
person’s home phone number for
delivery purposes.
21
In This Issue:
 Election 2010 Wrap-Up
(Pages 1- 8)
 Columns by President
Diederich and Vice
Presidents Moore and
Volkenant (Pages 11– 14)
 AFSCME Council 5
Convention Resolutions
(Pages 15 & 16)
 November 2010 General
Assembly Highlights
(Page 18)
To Contact the Newsletter
Editor:
Wesley Volkenant –
612-348-9592
cwvolkenant@msn.com or
Wesley.Volkenant@co.hennepin.
mn.us
For Newsletter Distribution
concerns contact:
Rhonda Griffin at
612-543-0353
Internet Web Site
Developer:
John Herzog –
952-492-5233
http://www.afscmelocal34.org/
Council 5 Business
Representative:
Matt Nelson
651-287-0578
matt.nelson@afscmemn.org
Council 5 Contact Information:
300 Hardman Avenue So.
South Saint Paul, Minnesota
55075-2469
(651) 450-4990
Fax: (651) 450-1908
Local 34 Mailing Address:
PO Box 15222,
Minneapolis MN
55415-0222