By Doug Cunningham

Several unions public employee unions, including AFSCME and SEIU called on state lawmakers Monday not to slash education and health care spending to balance the state budget. The unions urged resistance to Gov. Paterson’s deficit reduction plan because they say it cuts too deeply into education, healthcare and vital social safety net services. The unions say the governor’s plan would take $233 million from New York City’s education budget.

 By Doug Cunningham

The community coalition pushing for permanent living wage jobs in the Bronx Kingsbridge Armory re-development want

Mayor Bloomberg and the city council to require those jobs before approving the project. RWDSU’s Stuart Applebaum says economic development can’t be just about enriching developers.

[Applebaum]: “Thirty percent of all families who live in the Bronx live below the poverty line. And we know that we have to do something and we have to something differently than we’ve done before.”

More job cuts at the New York Times. On Friday it was announced that 25 to 30 employees will be cut from the New York Times News Service that number is in addition to the 100 newsroom job cuts the paper announced previously. Nonunion workers will also see the company cease contributions to pension plans and instead a plan will be implemented that will apply 3 percent of worker annual salaries to 401(k)s. The jobs currently handled by the news service positions being cut will be moved to Florida’s The Gainesville Sun.  

 By Doug Cunningham
Construction spending in New York City is expected to drop by 20 percent this year, according to a report from the New York Building Congress. The Building Congress says without the government economic stimulus money, the situation would be worse. The stimulus boosted government spending on projects – and this year 60 percent of New York City construction is being done by government. Lou Coletti, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council says there’s virtually no action in the private construction sector, though. And that may mean big layoffs.

The United States continues to score at the bottom when it comes to average vacation time. The new study finds that the United States is the only country out of 41 where federal law doesn’t mandate vacation days. On average U.S. workers with 10 years at a job who works five days a week receives only 25 days off per year. That ties the U.S. with Singapore and only puts the country one slot above China. Brazil, Finland, and France mandate that workers receive 30 days off per year.

According to reports the AFL-CIO will consider cutting contributions to politicians who aren’t supporting issues workers care about. According to the report on Politico.com the labor organization will discuss options during an executive council meeting on Monday. Earlier this year the Sheet Metal Workers vowed to cut all contributions to political candidates and use that money instead to fight for health care reform.

 By Doug Cunningham

[Ott1]: “We believe that New York City can grow and inclusive multi-stakeholder green economy.”

CUNY’s Ed Ott on the Green Collar Jobs Roadmap report from the Urban Agenda being released today. Ott says it’s a comprehensive strategy to grow a sustainable, prosperous green economy.

[Ott 2]: “Building service workers are very much engaged in the roundtable and a shift towards what we call a green collar economy. There’s a tremendous opportunity here for jobs.”

 By Doug Cunningham

The New York City Central Labor Council has joined the Building and Construction Trades Council and several other major unions in support of the demand for living wage jobs in the Kingsbridge Armory re-development in the Bronx. Labor is calling for a living wage for the permanent jobs with benefits created by the project. The central labor council joins RWDSU, AFSCME, SEIU and the United Federation of Teachers in backing the community coalition KARA to demand a living wage requirement.

 By Doug Cunningham

[Silber]: “They’re still there. They’re still waiting. They still want to see that change. I think it’s time for everyone to join together now and unify and help speak out so that our leaders get the message.”

Film maker Glenn Silber on the SEIU workers in his new documentary film Labor Day who campaigned to elect Barack Obama.

[Silber]: “There was something happening in the country that I wanted to capture, and I found what I thought was a great, inspiring story in the role of these regular working folks working with their union to go out and take back their government.”