PA AFL-CIO Update

Senate Prepares Pieces of Legislation for Floor Action Next Week

Two bills were passed out of their respective committees this week with the intention of floor action as early as Monday, January 23.  House Bill 1294 would allow utilities to apply for an additional “improvement charge” to recoup expenses for improving reliability and safety of utility distribution. This week the Senate adopted an amendment to HB 1294 which took major steps in providing consumers and workers adequate protections.  Senate Bill 1375 addresses the much needed 13 weeks of federally funded unemployment compensation extended benefits.  Should this bill not be passed, 17,000 unemployed workers will stop receiving benefits.  SB 1375 proposes a technical amendment to the current unemployment compensation law, which would extend unemployed Pennsylvanians’ eligibility to receive benefits.  Not surprisingly, however, the PA Chamber of Commerce is trying to subvert this limited-time opportunity to assist jobless workers as a way to legislate permanent cuts to unemployment compensation.  The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO believes that this simple, commonsense piece of legislation, which bears no impact on the insolvency of the unemployment compensation fund, should NOT be used as a bargaining chip to further one’s political agenda.House Labor Committee Schedules Vote for Anti-Prevailing Wage BillOn Monday, January 23, the House Labor and Industry Committee will vote on House Bill 1543, introduced by Representative Duane Milne (R-Chester).  HB 1543 seeks to eliminate prevailing wage from projects on property owned or held by nonprofit historical organizations or land conservancies.  This legislation, like all of the anti-prevailing wage legislation passed by the House Labor Committee seeks to cut workers’ wages.
Cooper Tire Corporate Greed Is Flat-Out WrongSisters and Brothers from Wilkes-Barre and Harrisburg showed their solidarity with Cooper Tire workers in Ohio by holding protests in front of Pep Boys stores last weekend. Dozens stood in solidarity to send Cooper Tire a message: Your corporate greed is flat-out wrong.1,050 union workers (USW Local 207L) at Cooper Tire in Findlay, Ohio were recently locked out. Cooper made more than $300 million since 2009. But despite surging profits, massive raises and millions in bonuses for top executives, Cooper Tire is demanding that the union accept another round of cuts and concessions. Now, after locking out longtime workers, the company has brought in temps and replacement workers to take the jobs of its factory employees.You can sign their petition here and urge Cooper Tire to end the lockout.