Local 1539 MCF-Rush City, MN

PAWLENTY WANTS TO RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES

Governor Pawlenty’s own revenue commissioner says their proposed budget will increase property taxes by $626 million over the next three years. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/03/16/budget_plan_pawlenty/

The governor’s budget slashes state aid to cities and counties. His cuts will force local governments to raise your property taxes in order to save vital public services.

Instead of raising property taxes, Governor Pawlenty should raise revenue with fair taxes on wealthy corporations and people who earn more than $250,000. They’ve been getting a free ride for far too long!

CALL GOVERNOR PAWLENTY AT 651-296-3391 OR 1-800-657-3717. TELL HIM:

Restore state aid to cities and counties.
Raise the revenue with fair taxes on people who earn more than a quarter-million dollars.
We need strong community services and property tax relief.

To learn more, visit www.ThankLGA.org and www.afscmemn.org.

Regarding Scholarships available from AFSCME and if staff want further information, contact President Chinander for the applications/information.

2009 Minnesota AFL-CIO Scholarships & Martin Duffy Adult Learner Scholarships (Union members and their dependents; Deadline to apply April 30)Minnesota AFL-CIO -Awarded to 5 recipients in 2009 to graduating high school seniors who are union members or the dependents of union members.

Martin Duffy Adult Learner- 2 scholarships available for union members who are affiliated with the Minnesota AFL-CIO.

Council 5 Scholarships (Deadline to apply, May 8)

Richard E.Patterson Scholarship-children of Council 5 members who wish to attend an accredited post-secondary Minnesota or Wisconsin institution.

Clanence J.Moss Scholarship-children of Council 5 members who will enter a Minnesota public institution of higher learning.

Robert Norberg Scholarship-adult members of Council 5 working to continue their education at Minnesota public institutions of higher learning.

2009 Training Shedule

Jerry and I where down at the capital on 1/27,28. It was slow to start with as the Governors budget had not come out yet and everyone was waiting for it. We did see Representative's Solberg, Tom Anzelc, Mary Murphy, Al Doty, Andrew Fault, Roger Rienhart ,Bill Hilty, Tim Faust,Tony Setich and Senator Tony Lourey. They all know we are in deep trouble and the fix is to create revenue. They also do not want layoff's as a fix. We did get a copy of the Governors proposal on corrections retirement for Julie B. We also sat in on four hearings. In all a very good trip. Jim Barbo 3887

MN Advantage Co-Pay Question

One of the most frequent questions we have gotten since the beginning of 2008 concerns prescription drugs that cost less than the co-pay at the appropriate tier. In previous years, the member would pay the actual cost of the drug or the co-pay whichever was less.

Beginning in 2008 at certain pharmacies (notably Walgreens and CVS) members are being charged the full Tier co-pay even if the actual cost of the drug is less than that co-pay amount.

Tier 1 co-pay $10 Tier 2 co-pay $16 Tier 3 co-pay $36

We have verified with the pharmacy benefit manager (Navitus) that Walgreens and CVS have insisted that this provision be part of their contracts with Navitus. Since Walgreens and CVS are big enough players in the pharmacy world they had the leverage to do so. It is obviously pure profit for Walgreens and CVS to do this.

Members in this situation may want to consider switching pharmacies and letting Walgreens and CVS know why they are making the switch. They can locate another pharmacy that doesn’t charge the full co-pay by calling the toll-free Navitus Customer Care line at 866-333-2757.

A list of pharmacies is also available by going to the Navitus website at www.navitus.com and clicking on “Find a Pharmacy” under “Members”. This will not have the specific information about the co-pays but members can call the pharmacy directly to ask the question.

The purpose of this report is to educate Local 1539 members about the arbitration process.(read more)

Policy 103.2215, increase in uniform allowance effective now

The above policy has been revised to reflect a $50 increase in the uniform allowance for correctional officers; and uniformed staff in MINNCOR, Food Service, Physical Plant, Education/Vocational, Support Services, and other positions as deemed necessary by the appointing authority. The revisions are contained in procedures A. 1. and B.1.

Links to CCJC's web page at http://www.ccjc.org/

Compensation Adjustment; Each year, an agency receives a compensation adjustment to their budget. This covers cost increase for staffing at every level, and the fact that a dollar is worth less than the last two years. Basically, this an inflation adjustment to the budget for what has already happened. Currently, there is also the salary supp proposed to assist with what is coming. The rate is at 2% in the House, and 3.25% in the Senate. Apparently someone has decided to replace on from the other, which would cause the same budget issues as in the past. If the proposed reduction were to take place, it would come directly out of the budget, and the additional dollars from the supp may be inadequate to cover. The short story, less money in the budget equals less staff, i.e. lay-offs.

From now on all supervisors will make a notation in the comments section of the employees time sheet when they are going to make any changes to the staff's payroll. Staff will need to check this so they can find if any errors are made, and get them corrected in the same time period. More...

Overtime Shift Any employee can sign up on either list and if they rescind it prior to being offered an overtime list, there is no consequence.

If the employee is signed up on the more than 24 hour list, they can still cancel when asked, but if they do that more than twice, they are off the list for remainder of that two weeks. There is still no consequence for the daily sign up.

When an employee is offered an overtime assignment and accepts, regardless of which list is used to make the offer, that becomes their shift. Although there would be no accruals involved for failing to work the shift, the consequence would and should be the same as missing any other shift. There may be a legitimate reason or not, however, management has the right to treat the incident as any other scheduled shift or the refusal to work that shift.

Please encourage members of your corrections locals to visit our anti-privatization website at: http://www.gotgov.org/Corrections/Corrections.php They can: - Watch a video showing the chaos inside a private prison. - Learn why private prisons have been risky business for other states. - Read legislation to require publicly owned and operated prisons. - Read our testimony supporting these bills. - Ask legislators to support us.

DFL: http://www.dflcaucuses.org/

Green: http://www.mngreens.org/2006caucus.htm

Independence: http://www.mnip.org/caucuslocations2006.pdf

Republican: http://www.mngop.com/pf/

UNION AND COUNTY PARTNER TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE

The 2006 Electoral Process

AFSCME Council 5 Grassroots Lobby Alert

Council 5 State Negotiator's Report (bottom right on their site)

Adverse Weather Guideline

Hiring Restriction-184K

Attached are additional studies from Minnesota Citizens for Tax Justice regarding tax progressivity. Progressivetaxationbullet.pdf, Progressivity&businessclimate.pdf, GHSsuitsforMCTJ.pdf Check them out..Our union brothers and sisters in Legislative District 8B need your help!! Judy Soderstrom is in her second term as the representative from 8B and she has a ZERO AFL-CIO voting record.more

Rush City management is now hiring Intermittent hires. These retired staff will be working transport and hospital coverage shifts. We need to talk with these staff and convince them not to work. By working they will be affecting our 55 retirement. If they work, we stand a good chance of losing our early retirement. Take action now!!

Rick Oleseen