Public Employee Press

Members at legislative conference demand
Fair share tax on the rich

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Hundreds of rank-and-file political activists gathered Oct. 29 for DC 37's 36th annual Legislative Conference, where they mapped the union's political priorities for 2012 and geared up for another year of tough budget battles with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who aims to cut $2 billion more from city agencies.

Topping the goals of the activists was a plan to build a movement to convince Gov. Andrew Cuomo to renew the millionaire's tax, which brings in a much-needed $5 billion a year and is set to expire Dec. 31, providing a huge tax cut to the wealthy.

"We have to make sure this tax is renewed," said Political Director Wanda Williams. "If we don't, the public sector could soon be extinct."

In addition to continuing the millionaire's tax, the union is also calling for renewal of the stock transfer and commuter taxes.

Supporting President Barack Obama's American Jobs Act is also a high priority. The AJA would pump $447 billion into creating jobs by rebuilding the nation's infrastructure of roads, transit, ports and energy systems. "We have to fight with one voice to make sure that this jobs bill gets passed," DC 37 and Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez told the activists.

"We need the AJA to help bring our country out of its worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression," said Chuck Loveless, legislative director of DC 37's parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He pointed out that the recession has wiped out 600,000 municipal and state government jobs. "This fight isn't going to be easy," he said, "but I'm confident we can prevail."

Education policies a failure

The state of the city's public school system was also on the agenda, with panelists Charles Barron, City Council member from Brooklyn, and State Assembly member Inez Barron calling for the end of mayoral control of the public schools.

"After 10 years we can say that his education policies have been a failure," said Council member Barron. He commended DC 37 for standing up against the mayor's recent budget cuts. "You have been one of the few unions with the spine to stand up to the mayor," he said.

State Assembly member Rory Lancman and Local 375 Legislative Chair Jessica Dewberry gave a presentation on the whistleblower law. Lancman has proposed a bill to end the requirement that public employee whistleblowers first notify their supervisors, in order to protect workers from supervisors who may be involved in the illegal activity they are reporting.

After the presentations the activists joined workshops led by DC 37 staff to discuss upcoming legislative issues on pensions, safety and health, health care, and education.

Keynote speaker City Council member Letitia James closed the Saturday session by pledging her support for the millionaire's tax. "New Yorkers overwhelmingly support it because they believe in fairness and justice," she said.