Rants & Raves for the Week of April 4th, 2011
By California Labor Federation
- Wisconsin-style worker-bashing took a trip to California this week when Riverside County supervisors endorsed a measure to gut pension benefits for new hires. The proposal—which might not even be legal—creates a second-tier where new workers would not only fund pensions entirely on their own, but would also be forced into a stripped-down and non-negotiated plan. Now, we know what you’re thinking: How does attacking future employees—who will only be hired when our economy recovers—address immediate budget gaps? The answer is simple- this move is nothing but a vicious attack on public employee retirement security and a naked stab at union-busting.
Balanced Approach to Budget Best Hope for Recovery
By Assemblymember Jerry Hill
SACRAMENTO – In this Democratic Weekly Address, Assemblymember Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, discusses recent positive employment news and the importance of having a balanced approach to fixing the State’s budget shortfall in order to “protect the fragile economic recovery that is finally beginning to be felt in California.” Hill states that the goal of Legislative Democrats remains a budget that solves the deficit through a balanced approach that saves jobs and protects vital services while their Republican counterparts have delayed action through outrageous demands that would increase the deficit. Hill adds that Californians need both parties to be part of the solution, and “the time for action is now.”
Click onto the following link for the English language MP3 file. The running time is 2:28.