D&C EDITORIAL BOARD MISSES THE MARK; ENTERS THE REALM OF GOTCHA POLITICS

Here's a news flash for Jane Sutter of the Democrat & Chronicle:  The defunct Mayoral Control Bill is a dead issue in this election cycle 

Rochester, N.Y.--  Sometimes you just have to roll your eyes and ask yourself, why do editors do the things they do? We all know how transparent the D&C's anti-labor agenda is, but thinking that NYS Assembly candidate Harry Bronson's position over mayoral control of city schools warrants some kind of immediate blog attention and scrutiny is laugh out loud funny. The D&C has invested an enormous amount of time and energy writing about mayoral control, and they want to hang on to this narrative as long as they can.  You can read Sutter’s blog here.

For the record, Bronson is running for the NYS Assembly, where there are another 149 state legislators. The bill passed the Assembly 93 to 43 on June 24th, 2010. The NYS Senate had two weeks to act on this bill and couldn't even muster up a vote.


To suggest Bronson was playing politics earlier this summer with his decision on a bill that was doomed to begin with anyway is just ludicrous-- either way his position today hardly matters in the big picture moving forward.  The political climate is ever changing, and this bill's destiny is no exception. With Albany dysfunction and the poor economy bearing down on us, the mayoral control issue should matter less to the voters of the 2010 election cycle and the D&C should know that.  Maybe they just feel responsible for telling us the "news, " as if this revelation is news to begin with.   

In any event, Bronson says he has knocked on a ton of doors and is listening very carefully to his constituents every day. Isn’t it possible that that he is evolving on this issue? Isn’t it convenient for his detractors to call this something that it is not? And by the way, not all labor unions are against the bill that the Senate could not pass-- some, like CSEA, have not taken an official position one way or another. So, Ms. Sutter, before you go making glittering generalities about "labor unions" get your facts straight.

What does matter is that Bronson knows more about the nuisances of educating our kids and keeping them safe than the D&C will ever give him credit for. If this newspaper wants to stay relevant, they should try focusing on questions like, "How are we gonna get out of this fiscal mess we are in?" or "What reform issues do you plan on undertaking if elected?"

I'm appalled that Ms. Sutter even questioned Bronson's leadership acumen. Rather than hyperventilating and creating convoluted "gotcha moments" in the endorsement process, maybe this agenda-driven newspaper can stick to covering our collective priorities-- like jobs, the economy, jobs, and maybe more jobs.  Introducing suppositions, guessing and using conjecture about Bronson's record with mayoral control is very disturbing.  The editiorial board is certainly entitled to their opinions, but they are not entitled to distort the facts.  

When media editors enter into the world of gotcha politics, it says more about them then it does about the candidate.  It is partisianship at it's worst.  If this newspaper truly wants to be of service to it's community and true to it's mission, how about accurately informing us on the issues and topics that really matter to the voters of western New York-- and in particular to citizens of the 131st Assembly District where I happen to live.

For the votes on the two bills that went before the legislature in June you can go here for the Assembly and here for the Senate-- not that it should make a difference in this election cycle anyway.

For the record, CSEA and the NYS AFL-CIO enthusiastically endorse Harry Bronson for Assembly.  This commentary was authored by Ove Overmyer.

CSEA, PEF AND PRIDE AT WORK JOIN MENY AND TAKE THEIR MESSAGE TO THE STREETS

Hundreds of activists and marchers including members from CSEA, PEF, SEIU 1199 and Pride At Work rally for marriage equality in Rochester, N.Y. on Sunday, September 26.

(Photos by Ove Overmyer.  Click on images for a larger view.)

Rochester, N.Y.-- Well over 300 people of all ages, most carrying rainbow umbrellas, rallied in front of the Monroe County Office Building on West Main Street and then marched across the river and back to Genesee Crossroads Park for a community festival on Sunday afternoon, September 26.  To see a slideshow of this event, you can go here.

The group called Marriage Equality New York (MENY), which is an all-inclusive organization whose mission is to educate the public by raising awareness of the important right of all persons to enter into legally recognized gender neutral civil marriage. Without marriage, committed same-sex couples are denied over 1,138 federal rights and obligations including social security, workplace rights, hospital visitation, co-parenting rights, estate tax, and immigration, just to name a few.  The first wedding march organized by MENY was in Brooklyn in 2003.

MENY also held wedding marches in Buffalo and Brooklyn yesterday.  An event in the Albany area is scheduled for Saturday, October 16. A wedding march across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge was also held on September 26, sponsored by Marriage Equality USA.

Several people spoke at the rally, including Harry Bronson, candidate for NYS Assembly for the 131st District, and Robin Wilt, candidate for NYS Senate in the 56th District. Young people from the Civil Rights Front held signs up for passing motorists while drivers honked in support.

Assembly candidate Bronson, who is also the Monroe County Democratic Minority Leader of the County Legislature said, “Despite the culture war, this is a civil rights issue… It’s time for inclusion, not exclusion. Every step you take today takes you closer to full equality.” He ridiculed the Republican claim that civil unions are an adequate substitute for legal marriage, noting, “Separate is NOT equal!”

Tom Privitere speaks on the steps
of the Monroe County Office
Building on September 26.

Tom Privitere, a staff member of the Public Employees Federation (PEF) who doubles as the Vice President of the Rochester and Finger Lakes Chapter of Pride At Work, spoke at the rally in front of the Monroe County Office Building. He said, “Unions are at the forefront of human rights, people’s rights and workers’ rights. DOMA (the anti-gay federal Defense of Marriage Act) is an abomination to those of us who pay taxes and work every day. We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

To that end, activists from many different labor unions, including CSEA, AFSCME, IBEW, SEIU 1199 and PEF will have the opportunity to make history once again this week by attending a march in Washington, D.C..  Community activsts from all wallks of life, including a long list of who's who in the labor and LGBTQ circles, plus numerous civil rights, environmental, immigrant, faith and peace groups stand unified as One Nation Working Together. Let's say no to the politics of division and yes to jobs, justice, equality and peace for all people.

You can still join your CSEA brothers and sisters and many other civic groups as we rally in Washington, DC -- together with the NAACP, AFL-CIO and over 150 organizations in total. Call the CSEA Region 6 office at 716.691.6555 today for more information. 

The current economy is a devastating time for many folks and those facing discrimination take an even harder hit. LGBTQ working families and particularly LGBT people of color are dramatically more likely to be working poor or living in poverty.  If there was ever a time for action, it is now.





Marchers gather in front of the Monroe County Office Building in Rochester, N.Y.  to rally for workplace rights and marriage equality on September 26.  Some of these same activists will take their energy and action to our nation's capital on October 2.

 



WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEALTHCARE REFORM

Improvements to healthcare in America begin today

New York--  If you are currently covered by health insurance and are satisfied, and as long as your insurer continues to offer the plan, you can keep it.

Health plans that were in place on March 23, 2010, the day healthcare reform passed, are “grandfathered” meaning they are past policies that are allowed to essentially remain the same. Reform allows insurers and employers to innovate and contain costs by making routine changes without losing grandfather status. However, plans will lose their grandfather status if they choose to significantly cut benefits or increase out-of-pocket spending for consumers—and consumers in plans that make such changes will gain new protections.

The following improvements in coverage apply to all health plans, including those grandfathered plans:

Some plans currently have annual and lifetime monetary limits on how much your insurer will pay for your medical care which cause major problems for people who have long term illnesses. Going forward, there can be no annual or lifetime limits.

In New York, insurers cannot refuse to sell anyone health insurance just because they have a pre-existing condition. However, in all states, even New York, the insurer can refuse to pay for care for that pre-existing condition for the first year. Going forward, insurers must cover pre-existing conditions for children age 18 or younger immediately and adults will receive the same protections in 2014.

If insurers offer family coverage, it must now cover your children until they turn age 26. New York State has ensured that parents could buy insurance through their employer’s group policy for children up to age 29.  This is generally less expensive than buying individual insurance.

In the past, when individuals suffered from expensive illnesses, insurers could look for small errors in insurance applications and use them as an excuse to cancel policies. Going forward, policies can only be rescinded for fraud, not unintentional errors. This past August, Governor Paterson signed ‘Ian’s Law’ which will grant additional protections to New Yorkers who suffer from costly medical conditions.

The following changes apply to group and individual policies that are not grandfathered:

Insurers may not require you to receive prior authorization for emergency services, a provision we already have in New York. In addition, your co-payment or co-insurance amount cannot be higher if you utilize an out-of-network hospital or provider in an emergency.

The most commonly used preventive services, such as immunizations and screenings, must be provided to children and adults at no cost to you, meaning there will be no co-payment or deductible. New York currently requires coverage of well-child visits and immunizations for children through age 19 without cost-sharing.

If an insurer refuses to cover some medical treatment, it must provide a means for the consumer to appeal that decision both within the company and to an independent outside entity. New York already requires this kind of appeals process.

If your plan allows you to pick a primary care provider, then it must allow you to choose any participating primary care provider who is available to accept patients and women do not need a referral from a primary care doctor to receive obstetric or gynecological care from a participating provider, which is already a provision in New York.

The next important question is when will these provisions apply to you? Improvements are required to start when your first new policy year starts after September 23, 2010. So if your policy year starts January 1, then you will have many of these new benefits starting January 1, 2011. If your policy year starts July 1, then for you it is July 1, 2011. If you don’t know when your policy year starts, ask your employer, benefits administrator or your insurer. However, if you buy a new individual or group policy the new benefits start immediately.

Healthcare reform does not have to be complicated. Our advice is to not take any crap from your healthcare insurer-- always consult your employer or union representative if you feel you are being taken advantage of or that you feel "something is just not right" with your coverage.  To obtain more information, please visit this website sponsored by the state of New York.

(photos by Ove Overmyer)

GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND GET ON THE BUS

Members from the labor, LGBT and faith communities rallied at the Liberty Pole in downtown Rochester, N.Y. at noon on September 17 to spread the word about ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER..  (photo by Ove Overmyer)

Rochester, N.Y.--  In only a year and a half, President Obama has already repaired much of the damage wrought during the eight years of the Bush Administration - restoring America's reputation on the world stage and bringing an end to combat operations in Iraq.

Republican obstructionists want to halt our progress, take control of Congress and set President Obama up for failure. They want a return to the Bush-era policies that got us into this funk in the first place.

Just this past week, Republicans spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on attack ads. We have to answer the call. We cannot allow them to spin their way into power or continue to mislead the American public. We have to fight back.

If the pro-labor forces can come together at this crucial moment - just six weeks before Election Day - we can summon the enthusiasm, the resources and the votes we need to win. But it is going to take a massive commitment by us all to keep moving in the right direction.

The ultraconservative Republican candidates have been outspoken about their desire to outsource jobs, move towards privatizing public services, close off America's borders and shun cooperation with our partners throughout the world. That is why the labor community and our progressive partners must fight even harder to hold our ground.

It is going to be tough because anti-labor forces are getting hundreds of millions of dollars in help from right wing organizations like Karl Rove's American Crossroads. The amount of money that is being spent this election cycle is staggering. However, if each and every worker in America rises up and commits to doing his or her part, we will prevail. We cannot let one seat be lost to the right-wing Tea-Party agenda.

This isn't the first time we have faced a determined opponent. We have beat them before, and we'll do it again. But it will only happen if we all act now.

One Nation Working Together is an unprecedented national unity movement working to refocus the nation’s agenda on jobs, justice and education. We will march as One Nation Working Together on October 2,2010 in Washington D.C.

One Nation Working Together is an unprecedented diverse national movement of people from all backgrounds united in a shared belief that in America today the fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness mean jobs, justice and education.

Across the country, people are putting aside their differences and political agendas to denounce the tactics of hate and divisiveness brought on by the likes of Nevada's Sharron Angle, New York's Carl Paladino and Delaware's Christine O'Donnell. We are speaking in one voice for bold and sustainable action that will get America back to work and investing again in our people.

Now is the time to get off the couch and get on the bus-- no excuses. We will march as One Nation Working Together on October 2, 2010 in Washington D.C. You must be part of it in some way-- for more info about this event and to learn about transportation to DC, you can go here.



ELECTION SEASON IS IN FULL SWING; WE NEED YOUR HELP

Decision 2010 is gearing up;  CSEA is getting out the vote

Rochester, N.Y.--  What is GOTV? It's what wins elections in every state and every district in the country -- from Monroe County, the State of New York, California to Maine and everywhere in between.

GOTV -- Get Out The Vote -- will make or break close races this Election Day. Anti-labor forces are working around the clock to take control of Congress and a good GOTV program will determine whether progressive champion Nancy Pelosi or corporate sellout John Boehner is sworn in as Speaker of the House next year.

Where else on earth but public employment do workers get to choose who their bosses are? It would be irresponsible and foolish of us not to exercise our own political capital.  Our state legislators, mayors and county executives are just hired help, and we can determine the fate of our own municipal budgets and the future of our working lives by getting out the vote.

Hundreds of CSEA folk are now lining up to particpate in labor walks with candidates, man the phone banks and drop literature in our communities-- join us this election cycle so we can elect a labor-friendly progressive majority in Congress, Senate, and the New York state legislature.

Bess Watts, President of Local 828 says, "It is crucial that we elect fair minded candidates who are willing to work with us.  We must have a strong showing at the polls.  Let's get out the vote." 

If you have any questions about the CSEA PAC or endorsement process, you can contact Local 828 PAC co-chairs Cris Zaffuto or Ove Overmyer.  For a list of targeted candidates who have been endorsed by CSEA, you can go here to a previous post of the CSEA Voice Reporter.