L.A. County Fed Meeting 2-22-16

 

L.A. County Fed meeting Feb 2016

The Build Better LA initiative is going to collect signatures to get it on the ballot. Michael Weinstein has filed an initiative (Urban Development Initiative) to shut down all development in the City of Los Angeles for 2 years. The County Fed is considering a linked initiative of its own that would exempt affordable housing projects and projects with union labor agreements in place to provide good jobs. That would force the developers to pay good wages and benefits if they want to build in LA and/or provide more housing for working people.

Rusty Hicks said the passing of Scalia changes the landscape around the Friedrichs v. CTA case. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrichs_v._California_Teachers_Assoc…

It is still the job of the union to get workers to understand the benefits of unionism. The union needs to reconnect with the members and increase organizing and education.

Rusty spoke about the challenges of 2016, veteran's issues, reentry, contracts in major industries. He spoke about the need for affordable housing and good jobs. Michael Weinstein filed an initiative (Urban Development Initiative) to shut down all development in the City of Los Angeles for 2 years. The County Fed filed a linked initiative of its own that would exempt affordable housing projects and projects with union labor agreements in place to provide good jobs. That would force the developers to pay good wages and benefits if they want to build in LA and/or provide more affordable housing for working people. It also requires new building to happen in mass transit oriented zones. They are seeking 100,000 signatures to get it on the ballot.

There are COPE endorsements on the County Fed website. http://launionaflcio.org/endorsements

A COPE endorsement says that the candidate has supported or pledged to support labor positions in government issues if elected to office. The Fed is restructuring the COPE board which is charge of interviews and endorsements so seats are allotted according to per capita. Reps of the smaller locals seemed quite upset by the plan to cut them out of the process.

There was debate on the endorsement of Doug Otto Long Beach City Council District 4 candidate. Dwayne Schafer of Long Beach City College says Doug Otto is avoiding meeting with the faculty and union staff. One of the other speakers spoke on his elimination of shop classes in automotive repair and,

aviation, HVAC, and other tech college training. Otto also voted for raises to administrators during the recession while classes were cut. There is also concern that he voted against transparency rules for contracts. The County Fed declined to endorse him.

IATSE 892 Costume Designers is showing a movie called Fix it at 6:15 prior to the next LA County Fed meeting. The movie is about the healthcare crisis.

Farmworkers are now fighting for overtime after 8 hours.

At Cal State Dominguez Hills, April 13-15, 18 and 19, all 23 Cal State campuses will be closed down as the faculty and staff is seeking a 5% raise. They are seeking 300 volunteers to help picket the Northridge campus from 7 am to 7 pm.

The teachers are seeking to extend the tax increase on the wealthy that passed in 2012; they are going to let the sales tax increase lapse.

Monterey Park hospital is petitioning to cap the CEO pay as the employees are being asked for wage and benefit cuts.

Neighborhood Community Schools union is organizing the charter schools. They are trying to expand from LA to statewide. Eli Broad is trying to bankrupt LAUSD through using nonunion charter school movement. March 3 6-8 pm 464 Lucas St 90017 Unite Here office.

Labor United for universal healthcare meeting. Informational meeting, March 5, AFSCME, Council 36.

Labor Studies Classes are available through Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Spring schedule begins February 20. Scholarships and weekend classes are available. Info: http://college.lattc.edu/laborcenter. There will be a class on March 5 on how to organize your local for political action. The Fed will pay tuition for the first 20 people who enroll.

Check the la411 website for union made goods and services at www.Labor411.org

Feb 23rd 9:30am and 6 pm; New Citizen voter registration at the LA Convention Center . The Fed could use your help registering new citizens to vote after they take their oath of allegiance to the US for the first time. Call the County Fed office to volunteer. 213 985-1987

Feb 23 6-8 pm L.A. Young Workers Committee Meeting (under 40 or if you feel young) LA County Fed office 2130 W. James M Wood Blvd LA, CA 90006 Free dinner.

Saturday May 14th - The Letter Carrier Food Drive will be collecting food for local food banks. Please leave a bag of nonperishable unexpired food on your porch or by your mailbox. Volunteers are needed to sort donations for the two weeks May 14- June 3 in two shifts 8am-noon and noon-4 pm following the drive. to volunteer go to www.laborcommunityservicesla.org or call Margarita Chavez at 213-985-1987. Sorting is at the ETI- Electrical Training Institute IBEW Local 11, 6023 S. Garfield Ave, Commerce CA 90040. Free parking and snacks provided. All help appreciated.