Tag Archives: jobs

NH House Super Committee Votes On SB 152 The Casino Gambling Bill. Statements by Gov Hassan and NHBTC Pres Joe Casey

  By New Hampshire Labor News | May 15, 2013 - 5:25 pm | , ,
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roulette wheel casino

Today the NH House Finance and Ways & Means Committee voted on the very controversial cansino gambling bill SB152. The vote 22-23 to ITL the bill.  In most cases the ITL is a vote to kill the bill.  The NH Legislature is still required to vote on the bill and this is good news for those of us who are pushing for this bill to pass.

The full house vote is expected to be as close as the committee vote and the bill could be changed on the floor.  Governor Hassan released this statement after the vote:

“I am extremely encouraged by the closeness of today’s committee vote. Even without members having the opportunity to vote on bipartisan amendments, the one-vote margin demonstrates the strong and growing support in the House of Representatives for SB 152.

“As the bill moves to the floor, I believe the full House will give a more complete consideration to this legislation and the proposed bipartisan amendments that were not voted on today. I am confident the House understands that the people of New Hampshire want to invest in the priorities needed to create jobs, strengthen our communities, and spur innovative economic growth: higher education, mental health, public safety, economic development, and other critical areas. And the people of New Hampshire strongly support funding our priorities through one highly regulated destination casino.

“I urge the full House to listen to the people we represent, thoughtfully consider the legislation and proposed changes, and vote in favor of moving forward with our own plan to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire.”

People overwhelmingly support the expanded gambling.  This job creation bill is long overdue and will significantly help the NH Building Trades who are starving for work since the beginning of the recession.

NH Building and Construction Trades Council President Joe Casey issued the following statement after today’s 23-22 vote in the Joint House Committee to review the casino gaming bill:

“Today the work of the special Joint House Committee on SB152 was hijacked by committee leadership, who employed a deceitful parliamentary trick to cut off debate on 16 amendments that would have improved the bill.

After weeks of dirty tricks by the anti-casino lobby, I was shocked to see committee Chair Mary Jane Wallner resort to the same kind of underhanded tactics we saw under former Speaker Bill O’Brien. I would never have expected this type of behavior from Representatives who have pledged to operate with fairness and transparency. This is a sad day for the New Hampshire House.

It’s clear from today’s razor-thin vote that SB152 would have seen a favorable outcome if a vote on amendments to improve the bill had been allowed.  Instead, Chairperson Wallner put her personal preference ahead of what’s best for the people of New Hampshire.

63% of Granite Staters support bringing expanded gaming to New Hampshire, and we will work hard to make sure their voices are heard on the House floor next week.

I call on Speaker Norelli to put aside her bias against this bill and pledge to have an open and fair process on the floor next week. If she refuses to put aside the tactics of Bill O’Brien, she should hand the gavel over to someone who will.”

We will have to see what happens when the full House meets to debate this bill in the coming weeks.

Brigadier General Adams’s And Sen. Murphy Says ‘Our National Security Is At Risk From Outsourcing’

  By Matt Murray | May 9, 2013 - 12:00 pm | , ,
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Chris Murphy And The Alliance For America Manufacturing

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congressman Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Brigadier General Adams’s, and Scott Paul. (Credit Kaylie Hanson)

As if loosing our good jobs to China was not bad enough now our national security is at risk because of the policies set forth in Washington.  We are at risk of being forced into a position where the United States could be called into war and we cannot supply our troops. Why, because we do not produce the materials needed to create our weapons of war.

For many years we have been talking about the decline of American Manufacturing.  Now that decline in manufacturing and mining is starting to come back to bite us again.

Have you ever heard of lanthanum?  Well let me tell what lanthanum is used for.  Lanthanum is one of the main ingredients needed to create night vision goggles.  Ring a bell yet? No me either.   The reason why I am talking about lanthanum is because lanthanum is one of the rare elements that we need to supply our troops, but we do not mine it.   In fact 91% of all lanthanum comes from China.  Add that to the fact that 90% of all rare elements come from China that puts us in a tight spot.

Let me give you another example.  Have you ever heard of butanetriol? Um no.  What if I told you that butanetriol is the fuel that is used to propel the Hellfire missile.  I am sure you remember hearing our how we have used Hellfire missiles in recent conflicts.  The Hellfire is one of our military’s most powerful weapons.  Now how would you feel if I were to tell you that we get our butanetriol from one supplier.  The only supplier who produces butanetriol and they are based in China.

Are you seeing the problem yet? Some of the tools we need to supply our military is being produced by Chinese manufactures.  What happens if we were to ever enter into a conflict with China? Or if we enter into a conflict that China opposes? They could close our supply chain and effectively take us out of the conflict.    Remember how the North defeated the South in the civil war?  Your right, they destroyed their supply chains.

These are only two of the dozens of examples that were cited in a new report from Brigadier General John Adams and the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

America is always on the verge of war.  We train hundreds of thousands of military personnel to be ready to fight at any moment.  We stockpile weapons, just in case we need them. Right now we are on the verge of getting involved in yet another conflict with Syria.  What would happen if we jumped into that conflict without the ability to supply our troops?

This is why Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congressman Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) are pushing for an increase in American Defense Manufacturing.     I have been following the ‘Buy America” campaign and have talked about Senator Murphy’s proposals before. The campaign is simple, rebuild our economy by investing in American manufacturing.  Put people to work, and now protect our supply lines to our troops.  Senator Murphy said  ”we should not be solely relying on out-of-state suppliers”.

Currency manipulation is one of the biggest problems in trading with China. “Due to currency manipulation the raw materials costs in the United States are the same as final price of Chinese steel” said Congressman Tim Ryan.  Bills to fix the currency manipulation from China have been introduced to Congress for many years. The problem is that they cannot get the bill through both houses in one Congressional term, therefor the bill dies.

Congressman Mo Brooks continued by saying that outsourcing effect the our country in two ways.  It “weakens families incomes (job losses) and weakens the country’s ability to pay to protect our country (loss in revenue)”.

Senator Murphy continued by highlighting some of the key points from the new report, Recommendations to Strengthen America’s Defense Industrial Base and Ensure National Security.  The major points include:

  • fixing the Chinese currency manipulation problem;
  • increase long-term federal investment in high-technology industries;
  • develop domestic sources for important natural resources;

The report refers to seven other recommendation that will help to mitigate this potential risk to our National Security.  Now we need Congress to take swift action to pass this common sense solution to rebuild our manufacturing base and protect our troops.  

AFL-CIO President Trumka Comments On The April Jobs Report

  By New Hampshire Labor News | May 4, 2013 - 8:56 am | , , ,
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From WIKIPedia

The economy added 165,000 jobs in April, bringing the unemployment rate down slightly, to 7.5 percent. This is welcome news, together with upward revisions to prior months’ jobs figures. But overall, the nation’s economic recovery remains lackluster – almost four full years after the “official” end of the recession. By any measure, the shortage of jobs is the real deficit crisis for this economy.

Beneath the headlines, there are several troubling indicators in today’s report.  Hours worked per worker actually fell; involuntary part-time work increased; and the unemployment rate for teenagers is stalled at 24.1 percent. Youth unemployment rates would be even higher, were it not for the dramatic drop in the labor force participation numbers for young people, meaning that many are not counted as unemployed.

Our economy is struggling to achieve the economic velocity necessary for full recovery. The blame for this falls largely on Republicans in Congress. For years, they have pushed austerity policies that have turned stimulus tailwinds into austerity headwinds. It is this misguided policy direction that distinguishes this weak and slow recovery from past economic cycles.

Austerity policies are failing around the world, and have now also been discredited among policy analysts. The main research cited to support these policies — by Professors Reinhart and Rogoff  — contained significant errors in calculation and design, and no longer supports the strong policy recommendations initially claimed.

It is time for leaders in Washington to take immediate action to reverse these disastrous policies. That starts, first and foremost, with repealing the harmful and unnecessary “sequester.” Misguided austerity has hurt our economy, kept unemployment high, and undermined wages, and we urgently need to change course. But the price for correcting this mistake should not be cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits, or other harmful cuts that would further damage the economy. Working people were not responsible for this mistaken policy, and they should not have to pay the price. We need more economic security, not less. We need to invest in good jobs and our future – not slash essential social programs and investments.

Former Labor Commissioner Casey Speaks Out On Expanded Gambling In NH

  By New Hampshire Labor News | May 3, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
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roulette wheel casino

By Jim Casey

In just a few weeks, the New Hampshire House of Representatives will have a great opportunity to stand up for working men and women by passing SB 152, the bill to bring casino gaming to New Hampshire. Polls show the people of New Hampshire are strongly in favor of this proposal, and our legislators would do well to listen to their constituents. Independent projections show that SB152 will create thousands of good jobs, and bring in millions of dollars in revenue to fund critical state priorities like education. The New Hampshire House should do the right thing for their constituents and vote to pass SB152.

According to the most recent UNH poll from April 12, 63% of Granite Staters support expanded gaming. Most (53%) would support a casino in their own home town, and support is above 57% in every region of the state. Contrast this with the 17% of Granite Staters who prefer to increase state revenue through an income tax (from the February 11 UNH poll). Clearly, SB152 is what the people want.

Opponents of casino gaming, however, could care less about the people’s preference. Every day we hear another shrill admonition from the anti-gaming lobby that the so-called “social costs” of a casino will outweigh the revenue and job creating benefits. They are wrong, and I question their motivations. The anti-gaming lobby happens to be made up of the same vocal minority who want an income tax in New Hampshire. People like Jim Rubens, Lew Feldstein, and Cathy Silber have all been vocal leaders of income tax movement, and they’re the very same people behind groups like “Casino Free NH” and “Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling.”

These wealthy income tax crusaders don’t need the jobs SB152 will create, and they won’t feel the impact of drastic cuts to state services. They talk about “social costs,” but they won’t feel the cost of rising unemployment. They arrogantly believe they know better than the majority of Granite Staters who support expanded gaming, and they’re willing to spend huge sums of cash to influence our legislature.

The reality is, a majority of the people of New Hampshire support expanded gambling because they know this proposal will bring incredible benefits to our state by counteracting rising unemployment and helping to fund important priorities like education.

The most recent numbers from the Department of Employment Security show a half-percent increase in unemployment compared to 2012. This disturbing trend underscores the critical importance of creating jobs in New Hampshire. SB152 will bring $425 million in private investment into our state, and create thousands of jobs. Estimates from Strategic Market Advisors, a consulting firm working on gaming issues, show that SB152 will create a total of 3,165 on-site construction jobs. That number increases to 4,820 when you consider the impact of increased economic activity due to the construction project. Another 2,000 permanent full-time equivalent jobs will be created to operate the casino. With an estimated 43,000 unemployed workers in our state, these jobs can’t come soon enough.

SB152 will also boost state revenues significantly, allowing us to restore critical funding to our education system and prevent hospitals from taking an increased hit from uncompensated care costs. The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant and the New Hampshire Lottery Commission project $135 million in revenue as early as 2015, including a guaranteed $80 million licensing fee. Annual state revenues are estimated at $152 million per year by 2017, and are expected to grow. Our state desperately needs this revenue. Without it, we’ll be forced to cut $12 million from our university system, $30 million from hospitals, and $7.5 million from school building aid. The cost of underfunding our children’s education and our health care system will cost our society dearly over the long run.

The leaders of the anti-gaming lobby don’t care about creating jobs for New Hampshire workers. They don’t care about the immediate funding crisis our state faces. They would rather see increased strain on state services because it helps their argument that New Hampshire needs an income tax. The vast majority of Granite Staters support expanded gaming and oppose an income tax. Our legislators should stand with their constituents and vote to pass SB152. Doing so will create thousands of badly needed jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in critical state revenue, and will keep an income tax at bay. It’s what the people want. I hope our legislators side with us.

MY Letter To Editor On Medicaid Expansion

  By Matt Murray | May 1, 2013 - 1:30 pm | ,
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Matt Murray

Originally published in the Nashua Telegraph.

Recently there has been a lot of discussion over whether or not New Hampshire should push forward with the Medicaid Expansion. This is currently being considered in the NH Senate. I hope that my State Senator Peter Bragdon is listening. We need to include Medicaid Expansion in the State budget.

Medicaid Expansion will be good for New Hampshire and especially the low-income working families who cannot afford healthcare right now. The expansion will provide quality healthcare including preventative care for more than 50,000 Granite Staters.

Senator Bragdon is well known for being a fiscal conservative and the Medicaid Expansion bill makes good fiscal sense as well. The expansion will create hundreds of new jobs in the healthcare industry. The expansion will bring billions of dollars into the state and that will help to strengthen the New Hampshire economy.

As a resident of Merrimack, I implore Senator Bragdon to support Medicaid Expansion. I encourage his constituents in Amherst, Merrimack, Milford, and Wilton to do so as well. He can be reached at 603-271-8472.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Reflects On Workers Memorial Day

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 30, 2013 - 8:46 am | , , ,
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On Workers Memorial Day, we come together to recognize the inherent dignity and value of every person and to remember all those who have perished on the job. As a third-generation coal miner, I’ve known firsthand the uncertainty of whether my loved ones would return home at the end of the day safe and healthy, and my heart goes out to all the communities who have endured terrible losses.

Each day in this country, 150 workers die from job injuries and occupational diseases. Last year in the United States more than 3.8 million workers were reported injured on the job, but this number understates the problem. The true toll of job injuries is likely two to three times greater. Around the globe, the toll is vast, with 2.3 million workers dying and 317 million workers injured on the job each year.

This year our thoughts are particularly with the families of West, Texas, where two weeks ago a horrific explosion at a fertilizer plant killed 15 people, injured hundreds more and caused widespread destruction. While the investigation is still under way, from all reports regulatory authorities had not inspected this dangerous facility in years.

We are outraged by the deaths of our sisters and brothers in Bangladesh, where over three hundred workers have perished, and hundreds have been injured, in the collapse of a building that housed garment factories.  Despite warnings by authorities that there were cracks in the building that made it unsafe, factory owners told the workers there was no danger and ordered them to work.  No worker should have to sacrifice life, limbs or health to earn an honest day’s pay – not here in the United States, not in Bangladesh or anywhere else. Yet, corporations continue the push for profits, seeking to avoid regulation and oversight.  They claim that stronger worker protections and enforcement kill profit, when the reality is that failure to act kills workers.

This is especially true for the millions of immigrant workers who live in the shadows and face even greater risks of death and injury on the job. Until all workers, regardless of where they were born or what country they live in, have the ability to come together on the job and speak out against dangerous conditions, we will continue to mourn needless deaths and preventable tragedies.

This Workers Memorial Day we must speak out against all those who value profit over life and wealth for the few over prosperity for all. Corporations that exploit workers and put them in danger must be held accountable.  We call on the Obama Administration to act without further delay to implement important regulations on silica, coal dust and other hazards.  And we must strengthen our job safety laws to give all workers the protection they need and deserve.

Rep Annie Kuster Introduces Bill To Strengthen Workforce Development And Job Training

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 26, 2013 - 10:11 am | , , , ,
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Annie Kuster Introducing Bill

Training 21st Century Workforce Critical for Granite State’s Economy

Highlights new legislation that would strengthen workforce development, job training

 

After introducing the Workforce Development Investment Act to strengthen job training for students in the Granite State, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) this week spoke on the House floor to underscore the importance of training a highly-skilled, 21st century workforce.

“The Workforce Development Investment Act would give tax incentives to firms that partner with educators to improve workforce development and job training for students,” Kuster said. “When we invest in our workforce, more employers will invest in the United States and in the Granite State; our students will be more competitive in the job market; our businesses will be more successful in the global economy.”

“Right now, there are companies like W.H. Bagshaw in Nashua, New Hampshire that are looking to hire, but struggling to find workers with the right skills for the job,” Kuster continued. “My bill would help close this skills gap by providing incentives for business to team up with educators to teach our students the skills they need to compete and succeed.”

The Workforce Development Investment Act would provide up to $10,000 in annual tax credits to employers that partner with community colleges or other institutions of higher education to improve workforce development for students by:

  • Helping develop curriculum;
  • Assisting with instruction in the classroom; and
  • Providing internships, apprenticeships, or other hands-on educational opportunities for students

Kuster has made workforce development one of her top priorities in Congress. Over the last few months, she has toured and met with staff and students at Keene State College’s Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM), Nashua Community College (NCC), and New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI), as well as advanced manufacturers all across the Granite State.

At Legislator Luncheon, NH Labor Pushes For ‘Job Creating’ Casino Bill

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 24, 2013 - 5:53 pm | , , ,
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Credit Joe Casey
Credit Joe Casey

Credit Joe Casey

Organized labor united in support of “job creating” bill, makes case for expanded gaming at legislative luncheon

Nearly 300 State Representatives packed the State House Cafeteria today for a legislative luncheon in support of SB152, the bill to create jobs and state revenue by licensing a casino in New Hampshire. The luncheon was sponsored by the New Hampshire labor community, and included presentations from Senator Donna Soucy, NEA President Scott McGilvray, SEA representative Jay Ward, Building Trades President and IBEW 490 Business Manager Joe Casey, Representative Ed Butler, and Matthew Landry of Strategic Market Advisors.

NH Building and Construction Trades Council President Joe Casey issued the following statement:

“The turnout today was incredible, even though we were forced to change the venue at the last minute. It’s clear that support for SB152 is building in the House. The Representatives who attended today understand that SB152 will create thousands of jobs and create a critical revenue stream to fund our state’s priorities.

The New Hampshire labor community is united in support of this bill, and the luncheon today was a great opportunity to showcase that. I was proud to stand alongside Scott McGilvray and Jay Ward, and to speak to the importance of this bill to our memberships. For our part, the construction industry needs our legislators to support SB152 in order to create more than $425 million in private investment that will create thousands of jobs. Estimates show SB152 will create 3,165 on-site construction jobs, 567 indirect construction jobs, another 1,087 jobs through increased economic activity due to construction, and 1,949 full time ongoing jobs in operating the casino. Our legislators have an opportunity to stand with New Hampshire’s working men and women by passing SB152, and the great showing we had at the luncheon today shows that many of them are ready to do that.

The anti-gaming lobby tried every dirty trick in the book to try and stop this luncheon from happening – even stooping to bullying St. Paul’s church into canceling it. Their support is slipping every day, and they’re desperate to stop us from being heard. But we will not be intimidated, and we will make sure there is a full, open, and honest debate on this issue in spite of their dirty tactics. We expect to see more of their big money misinformation campaign in the coming weeks, but the people of New Hampshire support this proposal, and momentum is clearly building among our legislators. No amount of dirty tricks and robo calls from the anti-casino lobby can stop that. ”

Sponsors of today’s event include:

NH Building and Construction Trades Council
IBEW 104
IBEW 490
IBEW 2320
Granite State Teamsters
Ironworkers Local 7
NEA NH
NH Troopers Association
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 131
Professional Fire Fighters of NH
State Employees Association

Steelworkers Disgusted by Caterpillar CEO’s Shameful 2012 Cash Grab

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 23, 2013 - 5:12 pm | ,
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Steelworkers logo USW

PITTSBURGH – The United Steelworkers (USW) today denounced Caterpillar Inc. CEO Douglas Oberhelman’s 32 percent compensation increase from $16.9 million in 2011 to $22.4 million in 2012 as shameful and unwarranted.

USW District 2 Director Michael Bolton said that rewarding Oberholman’s  job performance by boosting his already lavish compensation by nearly one-third in 2012, despite lower than expected earnings, sends a dangerous message to other CEOs that lining their pockets at the expense of their workers is somehow acceptable.

“In 2012, Caterpillar Inc. put 700 people out of work by shutting down its Electro-Motive Diesel plant in London, Ont. after locking out its workers when they rejected a 50 percent wage cut; then the company bullied almost 800 workers into major wage and benefit concessions after a three-month labor dispute in Joliet, Ill.,” Bolton said.

“In South Milwaukee, Caterpillar management threatened to lay off 40 percent of the plant less than a week before our negotiations started,” Bolton said, “and when we got to the table, the company proposed unnecessary, sweeping changes to our contract language and continues to demand unfair concessions in other major economic and non-economic areas.”

“There’s no secret to Caterpillar’s approach to labor relations,” Bolton said. “The company clearly is willing to hold jobs, families and entire communities hostage in its drive to bust unions, depress workers’ incomes and slash workers’ health insurance and other benefits so that Oberholman and other top executives can cash in.”

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.

USW Local 1343 represents 803 Caterpillar workers in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

NH Building Trades Moves Ahead With Legislative Luncheon After Dirty Tricks from Anti-Casino Lobby

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 19, 2013 - 6:39 pm | ,
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NH Building Trades Logo

Concord — NH Building and Construction Trades Council announced today the legislative luncheon in support of SB 152 on April 24th is being moved from St. Paul’s Church to the State House Cafeteria. The time for the event will be the same as previously announced, 11am – 2pm (updated details attached). Legislators are encouraged to attend to hear expert presentations and analysis of SB 152 from leaders in the labor community.

Building Trades President Joe Casey issued the following statement today:

“I was deeply disappointed but not surprised to learn this morning that the anti-gaming lobby had pressured St. Paul’s Church into backing out of their contract with us to hold this luncheon in their function space. Even though we had signed an agreement and had already given the church a deposit for the event, we were notified this morning that members of the anti-gaming lobby, including Jim Rubens, Lew Feldstein, and Cathy Silber pressured the church to back out.

This dirty trick comes after groups backed by Rubens and Feldstein began spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on robocalls pressuring legislators to vote against SB152. It’s anybody’s guess where this money is coming from, but it’s certainly not being spent with New Hampshire’s working families’ best interest in mind. The anti-gaming lobby will stop at nothing to kill SB152, and it’s clear they have no regard for the working men and women who would benefit from the jobs and critical state revenue SB152 will create.

The labor community is united in our support for SB152, and we won’t be intimidated by the anti-gaming lobby. We have moved the venue for the legislative luncheon, and we are calling on working men and women across the state to come together in support of SB152. We’ll be launching our own direct actions to counter the misinformation and dirty tricks we have seen from the anti-gaming lobby, and we will continue to stand up for the working men and women of New Hampshire.”

JOIN THE NH BUILDING TRADES FOR LUNCH
Wed April 24th

4.24.2013 Legislative Luncheon- revised