AFSCME Remembers Dr. King
01/19/2010 – 5:09 pm | Comments Off

On January 18, our nation celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. AFSCME has a particular tie to Dr. King and his causes. For it was in Memphis, where he joined 1,300 AFSCME …

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Senate Passes Jobs Bill that Delivers Aid to States; Extends Unemployment Insurance Benefits and COBRA Subsidies
03/15/2010 – 12:51 pm | Comments Off

Senate Passes Jobs Bill that Delivers Aid to States; Extends Unemployment Insurance Benefits and COBRA Subsidies

AFSCME’s Make America Happen Campaign achieved an important victory in the fight to stabilize hemorrhaging state budgets and help those hard hit by the economy when the Senate passed the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213), by a bipartisan vote of 62 to 36. The bill will save state budgets an additional $26.7 billion in FY 2011 as well as prevent the long-term unemployed from losing unemployment benefits and health care. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) was the lone Democratic Senator to vote against the bill. Republican Senators Kit Bond (MO), Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Olympia Snowe (ME), David Vitter (LA) and George Voinovich (OH) voted for the bill. Although the House passed fiscal relief for states in December, the House and Senate must pass an identical jobs bill before the additional state fiscal relief is signed into law. Final passage of a jobs bill may be complicated by the fact that some of the financing in the Senate-passed jobs bill may overlap with proposed financing for health care reform, nevertheless, AFSCME is lobbying to complete action on the jobs bill before Congress recesses for its spring recess.

State Fiscal Relief. The bill provides states with much needed additional fiscal relief by extending for six months the increased federal assistance for state Medicaid programs made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The Recovery Act funds have been vital in helping states close budget gaps and preserve Medicaid eligibility. This funding lifeline for states however, is scheduled to end December 31, 2010, mid-way through most states’ 2011 fiscal year budgets when state economies will still be in crisis. States will receive $25.5 billion through the increased federal share for Medicaid costs and will also receive a $1.2 billion reduction in required payments to the federal government to fund part of the Medicare prescription drug program.

Unemployment Insurance and COBRA Subsidies. The bill also extends through December 31, 2010 extended federal unemployment insurance benefits, eligibility for the 65% COBRA subsidy for health care coverage after job loss, and the $25 per week supplement to state unemployment benefit payments.

Tax Provisions. In addition, the Senate-passed legislation extends dozens of expired tax breaks through December 31, 2010, which costs approximately $34 billion over 10 years. Several of these tax extenders benefit state and local governments, including the deduction of state and local general sales taxes (costs $1.8 billion) and the additional standard deduction for real property taxes (costs $1.5 billion).

Preserving Access to Medicare Services. The bill also reverses a scheduled 21% payment cut for doctors who provide services through Medicare.

Stop Big Insurance
03/11/2010 – 10:07 pm | Comments Off
Stop Big Insurance

Today, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is leading a large union contingent in a march from the AFL-CIO and AFSCME buildings to a mass rally at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C., during the meeting of the big insurance industry front …

AFSCME Activists Protest Against Big Insurance Companies
03/11/2010 – 8:08 pm | Comments Off

As leaders of America’s health insurance companies meet today, inside the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington DC , hundreds of AFSCME members joined thousands of demonstrators in the nation’s capital for a mass citizens arrest.  …

Building a World-Class Workforce – A Message from the Governor
03/04/2010 – 10:02 pm | Comments Off
Building a World-Class Workforce – A Message from the Governor

Today, Lt. Governor Brown and I visited Prince George’s Community College to launch a new, major workforce development initiative called Skills2Compete – Maryland, which will align our job creation efforts with the skills-training needed for …

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Foreclosure Prevention Workshop
01/29/2010 – 12:45 am | Comments Off
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Foreclosure Prevention Workshop

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
FORECLOSURE PREVENTION WORKSHOP SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 6, 2010 9:00am – 3:00pm
Woodlawn Senior High School
1801 Woodlawn Drive, Gwynn Oak, Maryland, 21207

Click here to download the official document for this event
YOU MUST BRING COPIES OF THESE …

First Time Home Buyers Seminar – Feb 6th, 2010
01/28/2010 – 9:35 pm | Comments Off
First Time Home Buyers Seminar – Feb 6th, 2010

HOME BUYING SEMINAR 2010 SERIES
13th SEMI-ANNUAL 1st TIME HOME BUYERS SEMINAR
SATURDAY, February 6, 2010
WHERE:
Sheraton Hotel
903 DuLaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204
9:00am – Noon
Isn’t it about time you had a home?
Isn’t it about time you KNEW …

Local 647 Valentine’s Day Celebration
01/28/2010 – 8:37 pm | Comments Off
Local 647 Valentine’s Day Celebration

John Dunaway Invites the members of Local 647:
Valentine’s Day Celebration
Baltimore Rowing Club
3301 Waterview Avenue Baltimore, MD ( Near Cherry Hill)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Time: 9pm – 1am Beer, Food & Entertainment
BYOB; Must be 21+ with valid …

Maryland Legislative Report for January 23, 2010
01/27/2010 – 12:57 am | Comments Off
Maryland Legislative Report for January 23, 2010

Governor O’Malley released his FY 2011 budget this week. Unfortunately, in our Union’s estimation, he plugged a nearly $2 billion shortfall with cuts and budget maneuvers and no new revenues. The proposed $13.2 …

Natural Disaster Strikes Haiti
01/15/2010 – 11:18 am | Comments Off
Natural Disaster Strikes Haiti

On January 12th, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake destroyed Port-au-Prince, Haiti, leaving an estimated 50, 000 people dead and over 3 million without bare necessities such as food and clean water.
We are asking that the members …