The Working Press, Volume 1, Issue 7, November 1998

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THE WORKING PRESS

The Labor Coalition, Midstate Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO 109 West State Street; Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-5670
Volume 1, Issue 7 November 1998

Newfield Teachers Out On The Line

The Newfield Teachers’
Association (NTA) is standing
Strong in their struggle for a more
equitable contract with the New-
field School Board. After 17
months of working without a con-
tract, some progress has been
made but the School Board has
still not come up with a proposal
that addresses the major inequities
in the compensations system.

The teachers’ salaries in
the Newfield School District lag
far behind the salaries of other
Tompkins County teachers. In
fact, not only is the Newfield

teachers’ median salary the lowest
for any public school in Tompkins
County, it is ranked 574th out of
597 districts in New York State.
The District’s present
salary proposal is still just over 3%
in the next two years, lower than
the salary increases received by

other teachers in the County. At
this rate, the District will continue
to lose some of its best teachers to
districts that are willing to pay

“Our salaries are already
considered lower and to
take that kind of hit just
puts people further be-
hind.”

more competitive salaries and to
reward teachers for loyalty and
length of service. As of now,
eight experienced teachers have
resigned this year.

Meanwhile, the District is
also proposing givebacks on
health insurance, with higher pre-
mium rates, and a bigger percent-
age paid by the teachers. For new
employees, the situation is partic-
ularly bad. According to the Dis-

trict’s present proposal new em-
ployees would get a $1,000.00 pay
increase with $1400.00 givebacks
on health insurance. “That’s just
unacceptable,” says Albert Com-
fort, President of the Teachers’
Association. “Our salaries are al-
ready considered lower and to take
that kind of hit just puts people
further behind.”

The Union has met with the
District and a federal mediator in
recent weeks and made progress
on some non-economic issues.

The Newfield Teachers’ As-
sociation was joined by other local
labor activists at an information
picket in front of Newfield Schools
on November 29 and November 6.
Contact the Labor Coalition if you
want to get involved in future pick-
eting and job actions.

Steelworker’s Contract Victory...Pg. 2
Health and Safety. ..........csssessss0002 PQ. 2

The Political FrOmtivccscccccatsacuenecces Pg. 2
New Organizing .........ceessssees Pg. 3

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Steelworkers Score Victory at U.S. Salt

The workers at U.S. Salt, members of Steelworkers, Local 12460 scored a major
victory on Halloween Eve, winning a new contract with their employer. The
Union was faced with management proposals full of Union givebacks on issues
centered around seniority, forced overtime, and discipline and prepared for a

strike.

The Labor Coalition, after hearing about the impending strike and U.S. Salt’s plan
to bring in replacement workers, planned a rally for Sunday, November 1. U.S.

Salt could see the writing on the wall - workers around Central NY standing to-
gether for a fair contract - and they gave in late Halloween eve.

What was going to be a picket line on November 1 turned into an inspired victory —
rally. Steelworkers were joined by the Labor Coalition staff and steering commit- _
tee, as well as UAW 2300, Odessa and Newfield Teachers, and the Building IL

Trades.

SOLIDARITY WORKS

The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA)

i has awarded a $469,000 grant to a

WHOA! WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? 1T

LOOKS LIKE OLE ELMER FINALLY
RETIAED ON US! |

Caaseees
national consortium of labor-based
mm] safety and health advocates, in-
#| cluding Midstate Central Labor
~ | Council (AFL-CIO). Midstate
will receive $21,000.

The grant will fund 1998-99 implementation of the
“Protecting Workers Who Exercise Rights”
(PWWER) project. The PWWER project is designed
to provide workers with information, materials, train-
ing and education aimed at increasing understanding

member. Greg Shaw is available to perform no-cost
on-site ergonomic analyses to help workers identify

vironments or pain or discomfort they experience as
a result of performing their job they should call for a
free consultation.

1998 Labor Victories
In Congress...

As Congress closed shop on a
less than productive year, the fol-
lowing victories were chalked up
to the efforts of labor:

WE WON:

100,000 new teachers who will be hired to reduce
classroom size

OSHA Federal enforcement funds above that
provided by either the House or Senate

NLRB funding at the full Administration request
- after three years of cuts and freezes

Increased funding for wage-hour enforcement
Provisions on workers and environmental rights
protections

WE STOPPED:

= A burdensome peer review process for OSHA

=> Narrowing of NLRB’s jurisdiction to cover
fewer employees

= Creation of an expanded H-2A agricultural
guestworker program without worker protec-

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New Organizing
For more information, contact Tom Stephens (Labor Council Coordinator) (607) 277-5670

Community Mobilizes with Local Nurses

A group of registered nurses at the Cayuga Medical Center have recently
decided to organize a Union with the help of CSEA/AFSCME, Local
1000. Nurses are fighting inadequate staffing, extra-long shifts on short
notice, job redesign which assigns nursing duties to untrained hospital staff,
and the lack of ongoing continuing education for nurses.

CSEA asked the Cayuga Medical Center management to subscribe to a set
of principles, guaranteeing an organizing campaign free of intimidation and
threats. Cayuga Medical Center has made it clear that it has no intention
of subscribing to these principles. You can help.

—Huck/Konopacki, UAW-LUPA

Write a letter to Bonnie Howell, President and CEO of Cayuga Medical Center. This letter should state your
support for a Nurses’ Union, and should call on the hospital to subscribe to the “Principles of a Fair

Campaign”. Send the letter to: Cayuga Medical Center, 101 Dates Drive; Ithaca, NY 14850. Please send a
copy of your letter to CMC Nurses Association/CSEA; 622 W. State St.; Ithaca, NY 14850.

The nurses have already reached 3,000 community members who are supporting their organizing efforts.

American Federation of Musicians Looking for New Members

% Zs The American Federation of Musicians, Local 132-314 is working to rebuild
GP. Ss its presence in the Ithaca/Twin Tiers area. The Twin Tiers Music Association

\\ (Local 132-314), AFM International Staff, and the Midstate Central Labor
Council are working jointly to promote Musicians Union Membership, which
features such benefits as group health and equipment insurance, pension

credits, competitive pay, and an employer referral service.

The Coalition will coordinate with community leaders to promote the arts

through co-sponsored non-profit community performances and functions.
Focus will also be directed upon increased member recruitment from all
aspects of our local music culture. Be prepared to welcome new Union Brothers and Sisters!

For more information, contact Tom Stephens or Shannon Tiffany at 277-5670, or Vince Stepulis (Local
Executive Secretary) at 1-888-734-8862.

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Midstate Central Labor Council

Midstate Central Labor Council
AFL-CIO

109 West State Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

The
Mailing
Address
Goes
Here
Organizing Locals
Local Union Phone
Contact

Service Employees International Union 200A
Coert Bonthius 275-0910

Service Employees International Union 200B
Bob Tompkins 315-437-2951

United Auto Workers 2300

Harry Evans 272-4108

United Brotherhood of Carpenters
John Gillis 272-7461

Internat’! Brotherhood of Electrical Wrkrs 241

Gary Kirton 272-2809
Bricklayers Local 8
Mark Babbage 273-3050

Civil Service
Employees Association Region 5
Will Streeter 800-559-7975

NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #978

ITHACA, NY
14850

Tom Stephens, the Coordinator of the Midstate Cen-
tral Labor Council, started at the beginning of Au-
gust. He has been involved with the Building Trades
since graduating from high school and has been a
member of Carpenters Local 532 in Elmira since
1993. Tom also serves as Vice President of the
Chemung County Central Labor Council and Trustee
of the Carpenters Local 532.

Tom is interested in extending the Midstate Central
Labor Council successes into Chemung and Steuben
Counties through increased affiliate and member par-
ticipation, fostering union awareness in the commu-
nity and actively seeking to increase and improve

organizing campaigns.

We Need Your E-Mail Addresses
In order to send out more timely labor alerts and mo-
bilize community support for upcoming labor strug-
gles, we need your e-mail address. If you have e-mail
and you are interested in being on the E-mail Labor
Alert Listing, please e-mail your address to:
tstephens@clarityconnect.com or chf6@cornell.edu