Tag Archives: SEIU

Two Years And Counting: NH Community College Adjuncts Still Waiting For A Contract.

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 25, 2013 - 7:00 am |
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CCSNH SEIU1984 Adjunct Rally 4-23-13

On a damp and unseasonably chilly morning, adjunct faculty members from the Community College System of NH (CCSNH) peacefully and collectively demanded a contract Tuesday.

As previously reported, the adjunct faculty decided two years ago to form a union through the State Employees’ Association (SEA). They are still working to get their very first contract in place. A group gathered at Manchester Community College ahead of yet another mediation session between the educators and the administration.

Adjunct faculty member Heather Strine was among those who held signs, chanted and distributed informational flyers to students, fellow educators and administrators.

“We are here to call attention to our situation,” she said. “In addition to not having a contract, we are now faced with our teaching hours being cut back to two classes per semester.”

This translated to an annual salary of well under $20,000. Many of the adjuncts who participated in the event had the same complaint. They reported being told that full-timers will be given their courses; they are no longer needed. One adjunct commented, “We are merely contingent workers.”

Strine said that after making her own student loan payments and car payment each month, there is very little if any money left to clothe, feed and shelter her three children. “We will have to sleep in our car,” said Strine, who is a single mother.

Many of the adjunct faculty members spoke about their passion for teaching. They explained that they spend many hours outside the classroom prepping for class and staying current with the latest information, trends and technology in their respective disciplines.

“It is very humbling when students ask me how much I earn an hour,” Strine said. “I tell them that when you factor in the outside of classroom time, we make about $3.75 an hour, less than minimum wage.” She said that in most instances, the students earn more per year working at retail or hospitality jobs.

“We all have Master’s Degrees and PhD’s. We are professionals who are always counseling our students about the importance of an education,” said Ann Clune, another adjunct professor. “And, look at us. CCSNH is not practicing what they preach.”

Throughout the hour-long event, CCSNH President Dr. Susan D. Huard patrolled the entryway to the main building and peered out the window. At one point she had the head of campus security ask the adjunct faculty members and the SEA members to move. When asked what her concern was, she answered that her only concern was the students and their comfort level.

This doesn’t really jive with the way things are. Adjuncts provide 77 percent of teaching time to the students – their contribution to the students’ education far exceeds the full-time faculty. Yet, the college system’s president thinks the students feel threatened by them. It is far more likely the students will be “uncomfortable” when their favorite teachers are no longer employed.

If the adjunct faculty cannot garner support or respect from the administration, what does that say about the administration’s true thoughts about the students? Clearly the adjuncts are second rate educators in the administration’s eye. Yet, they appear to be perfectly good enough to educate community college students. This equation seems out of balance.

Post from SEIU 1984. Follow them on twitter @SEIU1984

 

The SEIU Says President Obama Makes Right Choice for DoL Secretary

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 18, 2013 - 5:00 pm | ,
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SEIU Logo

After President Obama nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez to be the next U.S. Secretary of Labor, Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:

“President Obama has made an excellent choice in nominating Thomas Perez to lead the U.S. Department of Labor. During his time as Labor Secretary in Maryland, Mr. Perez’s had a strong record of enforcing labor laws, especially wage and hour and other violations that stood in the way of workers earning a fair wage. Enforcing these labor laws help to close the income gap between the wealthy and everyone else.

“His driven leadership of the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department also makes him a highly qualified nominee. During his time at the Justice Department, Mr. Perez has initiated many important challenges to state and local laws that sought to infringe on the civil rights of minority communities and of all Americans.

“The Senate should move quickly to confirm Mr. Perez. Should he be confirmed, we look forward to working with Mr. Perez to protect workers’ rights, to pursue commonsense immigration reform and to address the many other challenges facing working families in our country.”

 

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers—not just corporations and CEOs—benefit from today’s global economy.  www.seiu.org

Tonight is a Victory for Working People Everywhere: Comments By SEUI President Henry

  By New Hampshire Labor News | November 8, 2012 - 2:00 pm | ,
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Tonight is a Victory for Working People Everywhere

SEIU’s Henry: “By re-electing President Barack Obama tonight, working people voted for a country with a vibrant middle class fueled by good jobs and where everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.  Voters rejected the notion that the rich should be allowed to run roughshod over our economy with shameful tax breaks and let off the hook by not investing in America.”

CHICAGO, IL – Mary Kay Henry, President of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released the following statement after the re-election of President Barack Obama tonight:

“By re-electing President Barack Obama tonight to lead our country, working people voted for a vibrant middle class fueled by good jobs, where everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.  Voters rejected the notion that the rich should be allowed to run roughshod over our economy with shameful tax breaks and let off the hook by not investing in America. In states like New Hampshire, Ohio and Nevada working people rejected Mitt Romney’s ‘your on your own’ vision and embraced a country where our deeds are guided by the core American value that ‘we’re all in this together.”

“President Barack Obama’s re-election tonight is a victory for working people, whose voices were heard despite some of the most coordinated and insidious obstacles to their participation in our democracy in history. When the right wing flooded our electoral process with obscene amounts of money, working people mobilized to energize voters around a better vision for America.  When extremist state legislators tried to suppress the votes of broad swaths of Americans, working people responded by standing up for their constitutional right to cast their votes.  When Mitt Romney and the Republican Party sought to dismiss entire communities, voters in states like Nevada responded loud and clear:  ‘Ignore us at your own peril.’

“Our union, including the more than 100,000 SEIU members who were on the ground during this campaign, made history as we stood with President Barack Obama – the most volunteers in SEIU history, knocking on millions of doors and making millions of phone calls to talk about the critically important issues at stake.  We are also incredibly proud of our early and sustained work in the Latino and African American communities, which was ultimately critical in tonight’s outcome.

“Together, we were galvanized by our belief that President Obama is the leader we need to help get our country on track by creating good jobs now, requiring the rich and corporations to pay their fair share, to invest in healthcare, education and other vital services and by creating a pathway to citizenship for immigrants.

“Our hard work paid off – but it’s not over.  We will stay in the streets until our agenda for working people is a reality.”

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With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers—not just corporations and CEOs—benefit from today’s global economy.

www.seiu.org

MASS and RI Janitors Authorize Bargaining Committee to Call Strike

  By New Hampshire Labor News | September 22, 2012 - 9:00 pm | ,
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SEUI Janitors MA

Just a few miles south of our border the Janitorial workers represented by the SEIU are going on strike.

By a standing voice vote, 1,000 janitors represented by SEIU Local 615 overwhelmingly voted to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike after many recent reports of workers being met with illegal threats and intimidation. The expiration date for 14,000 New England janitors is September 30th. Janitors and the contractors are still very far apart. Janitors are seeking more hours and company-provided healthcare.

“I have to work two jobs just to survive,” said Jackie Wesley, a janitor in Waltham. “I work for two union companies.  But neither gives me health insurance because I am not considered full-time.”

Janitors who are denied full-time work must apply for tax-funded state healthcare, rather than employer-provided health insurance.

Ten years ago this Fall, janitors in Boston staged a highly visible strike that drew national attention to their cause and elicited a tremendous outpouring of political, community and religious support. They had a vision that, similar to other cities, janitorial jobs in Boston could be transformed into good jobs. Their victory resulted in important gains during that strike and subsequent contracts, including promises from the real estate industry to create more full-time jobs.

“The message today is crystal clear, like 2002, we are ready to strike to defend our rights,” said SEIU Local 615 President, Rocio Saenz. “Boston is the 6th most economically powerful city in the world. Rents are high, some of the highest in the nation. But the janitors who keep this city sparkling earn too little to make ends meet. That’s wrong,” continued Saenz.

Full-time work can mean the difference between a good, middle class job and living in poverty. Many janitors are offered only 20 hours a week— in the downtown area, their pay is nearly $500 less than the average regional rent of $1,796 and barely above the federal poverty guideline. Workers are working harder and having to supplement with other income just to make ends meet. Janitors in large downtown office buildings clean the equivalent of 15 single-family homes every night. Greater Boston now has an opportunity to go forward—more full-time jobs and stronger communities—instead of backward to poverty wage jobs that do not support their families and neighborhoods.

You can also see the video of the members voting (as pictured below)
via YouTube  http://youtu.be/0EtgcEx97sg

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Together We Can Fight Back Against Citizens United

  By Matt Murray | July 31, 2012 - 5:00 pm | ,
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CC DBKING
CC DBKING

By DBKING CC

Last month the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced its ruling against SEIU 1000.  This was a very complex case. It all boiled down to a ruling that members must ‘Opt-in’ to allow unions to money collected from non-members for political fights.  (for more on the SEIU 1000 decision read: Supreme Court attacks union political power)

After this ruling many organizations include labor unions started a new campaign to have corporations have an ‘Opt-in’ clause from their shareholders.  This is because the Citizens United ruling allows corporations to dump any amount of money into political campaigns.  Many of the United States Congress members disagree with Citizens United and believe that it is wrong to allow companies to dump millions into campaigns.

The people at the Daily Kos have began to push back against Citizens United by helping to push new legislation that would make it law for shareholders to ‘Opt-in’ before corporations spend money on politics.  The bill is called the ‘Shareholder Protection Act of 2011′ (S.1360, H.R.2517).  These bills were submitted “To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require shareholder authorization before a public company may make certain political expenditures, and for other purposes”.

Currently S.1360 has 12 co-sponsors in the Senate and H.R. 2517 has 49 co-sponsors in the House. We need to make this legislation a priority. We need to reverse Citizens United but until that happens this legislation is a step in the right direction.  Take a moment to send a letter to your elected officials in Washington.  The letter reads

Please become a co-sponsor of S. 1360, “The Shareholder Protection Act.” This much needed legislation would empower shareholders to vote on whether to allow corporate executives to spend corporate money on political campaigns.

Shareholders—not the CEO and not the board of directors—are the real owners of any publicly traded corporation, and this important decision should be up to them.

With your help we can start to reverse the effects of Citizens United and the unfair advantage the corporation are using to destroy our democracy.

SIGN THE LETTER HERE

The Supreme Court Takes Another Swing At Organized Labor

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | June 22, 2012 - 4:41 pm | ,
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Photo by DBKING

By Matt Murray

There has been a lot of buzz circling the internet about the new Supreme Court ruling against the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  The case is very complex and the ruling seem to fall right in line with the Citizens United ruling.  Before we get in too deep, let me say this up front. This Supreme Court decision does not mean that agency fees are unconstitutional.  No matter what the Fox news stations are saying, this decision does not change the negotiated right of the union to charge a fee for the service they provide to non-members.

This is why the case seems to fall more in line with the Citizens United ruling.  The case was more about what money the union could spend as part of the political process.  This is just another attack on unions.  “It should be noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right of corporations to put millions of dollars into the political system,” said Jim Herron Zamora, spokesperson for SEIU Local 1000. “Yet shareholders currently have no right to object to the spending of that money against their political or ideological beliefs.”.

The AFL-CIO also released this statement:

“We are disturbed – but unfortunately not surprised in the wake of Citizens United and similar rulings – that the Court’s activist conservative majority went out of its way to make broad statements about issues not raised or argued in the context of the highly unusual facts of this case.  Likewise, we are disturbed but not surprised that the conservative majority places special burdens on public sector unions in their efforts to represent working people’s economic interests through the legislative process that the Court does not apply to corporations when they spend shareholder money on politics.”

The reason that many news organizations are confusing this case with “agency fee’s” is due to the fact also that the court ruled that the SEIU did not give enough time to the non-members to “opt-out” of paying for an increased fee.  Once again, I want to confirm that the Supreme Court did not say that agency fee’s are unconstitutional.   “Nevertheless, the Court reaffirmed that in all ordinary circumstances public sector unions may continue to use the existing system for regular dues payment that has been in place and worked well for many years” (from AFLCIO statement).

Rabid Ideologues Will Destry Us by Susan the Bruce

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | June 22, 2012 - 1:42 pm | Uncategorized
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This is a cross post from New Hampshire writer Susan the Bruce.  This was also posted in the Conway Sun today.  You can follow Susan’s Blog here (http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/).

Also if you want to hear more about privatization of the New Hampshire prison system, Susan will be on Arnie Arneson’s radio show: http://www.nhnewsviewsblues.org/joomla17/ or https://www.facebook.com/NHNVB.  If you live in the Concord area you can listen live on the radio.  If not you can listen live through your computer.

Special Thanks to Susan for allowing us to share this post.

The state of NH is looking into privatizing its entire prison system. Four companies have submitted bids. If Governor Lynch and the Executive Council accept one of those bids, NH would become the first state in the nation to hand over the entire prison system to a private company. The four venders are:
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), Management & Training Corporation (MTC), The Geo Group Inc. and the Hunt Companies.

None of these companies are altruists, who want to ensure that prisoners are rehabilitated and leave prison prepared to tackle the challenge of turning their lives around. These are private companies with only one interest: turning a profit. That means cutting corners in every way possible, while working to ensure that the prisons remain full.

A recent story in USA Today focuses on a deal being offered by one company in some 48 states. CCA is offering to buy prisons from cash strapped states, in exchange for a guarantee that the governments guarantee a 90% occupancy rate for at least 20 years.

If NH’s prison system becomes privatized, the corporation will be leaning on legislators to pass the kind of laws that guarantee harsher sentences, and fuller prisons. Other states will send their prisoners here. The corporation will build more even more prison facilities in the state, and I think you all can guess where those prisons will be. The north country seems to serve as the dumping ground for the rest of the state.

A study in Arizona revealed that the privatized prisons were actually costing the state more. The Arizona legislature responded to this by inserting a provision into the budget that eliminates the need for a cost and quality review. In other words, they didn’t like the report, so the solution is not to take action – the solution is to ensure there will be no further reports.
If you don’t think that could/would happen here, you haven’t been paying attention to the sorts of things the NH legislature has done in the last biennium.

CCA has eliminated about 240 jobs in their Colorado prisons. Remember, this is a business. Profit means cutting costs, and that doesn’t leave a lot of choice in a prison. It means hiring people who aren’t well educated or trained, and as few of them as possible. It means cutting back on programs for sex offenders and addicts. It means a lot of solitary confinement. No need to have a big staff if everyone is locked in a cell 23 hours a day.

There is a reason other states don’t do this. It’s a really bad idea.

Apparently studies and numbers really are a bad idea. A story just now making the rounds in northern New England reports that the ski business in the US as a whole experienced its worst winter since the early 1990’s. In 2011, visits to alpine areas in NH were down by 20% from the year before. The ski industry continues to try to make the case that if folks don’t see snow in their back yards, they don’t come to the mountains to go skiing, but in these days of easily accessible information, that’s just lame.

A story in the Laconia Sun about bike week revealed that no one wants to come up with any numbers about attendance. If it had been huge, they’d be falling all over themselves to speculate. It wasn’t huge, as was quite obvious to anyone who has lived in this area for six or seven years. There were bikes, but not nearly as many as there have been in the past.

No one likes to tell these stories or recount these facts. The US is the only country that is in denial of climate change. Those changes are affecting our winters. Only the most devout anti-science ostriches can deny that our snowfall is diminishing. Another factor here that no one wants to get into is the economy. Since the 2008 collapse of the economy, the news media and many economists have fallen all over themselves to present this as a recession, even calling it “the great recession.”

Earlier this month, Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman spoke at the 2012 Netroots Nation gathering in Providence, RI. Krugman calls our current economic situation a depression. At NN he said, “When things are going down, it’s a recession. When things are down for a long time, it’s a depression.” Of course we can’t call it what it really is, because that would look bad, and it might call into question our obscene level of military spending. Krugman also said, “This is not an economic problem, this is a political problem.” He’s right. The US has rebounded from a depression before. We know how to do it.

We have a Congress that isn’t interested in solving problems; they’re interested in preventing solutions. They would prefer to ensure greater destruction rather than let the black guy appear to succeed. These aren’t public servants; these are rabid ideologues that will destroy us, if we let them.

We have rabid ideologues in NH, too. On Facebook the other day, the Conway Sun asked what questions readers would ask 2012 candidates. I would ask all of our local candidates for the NH House and Senate how they intend to solve NH’s infrastructure problems. Our roads, bridges, and dams are in trouble, and our telecommunications infrastructure is no better. The bad economy is hurting tourism, as is the change in our climate. Tourism is NH’s second largest industry. We don’t fund our state parks adequately. We have rows of outhouses at our information centers, something that should be a source of great shame to us all, here in the wealthiest state in the union.

If they tell you we can privatize, cigarette tax and/or casino our way out of this mess, they’re lying. Casino revenues are down at Foxwoods, in Atlantic City, and in Nevada. NH needs to have some serious discussions. I wish I thought that would happen. In a state where the media functions as the propaganda wing of the NH GOP, it seems unlikely.

“He who is afraid of asking is ashamed of learning.” Danish proverb

This was published as an op-ed in the June 22, 2012 edition of the Conway Daily Sun Newspaper
© sbruce 2012

Chris Shane did the great cartoon.

NH Labor 2012 Elections News 6/20/12: Redistricting, SEIU Make Battleground State Push, Pignatelli For Executive Council, Congressman Gunita Flip Flops, and more

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | June 20, 2012 - 8:00 pm | Uncategorized
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Manchester, Concord lose challenge to House redistricting plan | New Hampshire NEWS06: ““The voters were clear when they overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution in 2006: every town and ward that has the population to support one or more representatives must have those representatives,” said Rep. Mary Jane Wallner, D-Concord, one of the plaintiffs in the suit. “The fact remains that there are 62 towns and city wards that deserve their own representative that will not have that representation under the plan. Unfortunately the constitution requires the Supreme Court to give great deference to the legislature’s redistricting plan even when that plan disregards the will of the voters.””
The Associated Press: Service employees union ramps up effort for Obama: “WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the nation’s most politically active labor unions plans to focus its resources on fewer states this year while working to help re-elect President Barack Obama.
The Service Employees International Union said Tuesday it will target its massive field campaign on turning out voters in just eight battleground states — about half the number it focused on in 2008.
At the same time, the 2.1 million-member union hopes to get 100,000 of its members to volunteer in its political program, twice as many as in the last presidential race.”
Pignatelli Wants Her Executive Council Seat Back – Nashua, NH Patch: ““Everything turned sharply to the right-wing viewpoint, and I don’t believe that is a good development. Politicians on the Executive Council have made moves that will change the face of New Hampshire, and not in a good way.”

The Executive Council wields a lot of power. “Most importantly, an Executive Councilor needs to have good judgment. He or she votes to approve millions of dollars in state spending, to approve all our judges and state agency heads and so much more. I’m not at all happy with the poor judgment exercised by this Council.”

Pignatelli criticized incumbent David Wheeler for his deciding votes leading to the defeat for the Rail Study, funding for Planned Parenthood, job development, and domestic violence prevention programs. Pignatelli also criticized Wheeler votes against the Public Utilities Consumer Advocate and against reasonable environmental protection measures.

“I think it is irresponsible to kill these very important measures,” she said, noting the commuter rail has strong backing from local business and civic leaders.”

LETTER: Why I’m Running for State Senate – Bedford, NH Patch: “I hope to have your support and I look forward to meeting you in the coming months. Please visit my website, www.nyquistforsenate.com, for campaign news and updates. I am proud to have served my community of New Boston as town moderator for the past twenty years and I am proud to have been appointed by Governor John Lynch to serve the people of this great state as the chair of the Unemployment Compensation Advisory Council for the past seven years, but I would be honored to have your vote on November 6, to listen to your concerns once elected, and to represent you faithfully in the state Senate.”
Ellin Leonard: My vote goes to Jackie Cilley in gubernatorial primary: “Come the Democratic gubernatorial primary, my vote goes to the Granite Girl from Barrington, ex-Senator Jackie Cilley. This woman is for real. To listen to her speak is to understand what is meant by “straight talk.”
She believes in equal rights, equal opportunity for all – not just straight, white, prosperous, middle-aged men. She believes in the dignity of labor and the rights of working men and women. She believes in the value of and the right to a quality education as the cornerstone of a prosperous New Hampshire.
She has lived those beliefs.
Jackie Cilley hails from Berlin, N.H., a daughter of mill hands, of the working class. She got public education; she became the first in her family to graduate college. She went on to teach at the college level, to raise five sons, to run a business with her spouse, to serve in the house and the senate.”

Another View — Maggie Hassan: As governor, I would move New Hampshire forward | New Hampshire OPINION02: “As governor, I will prioritize education. We have to invest in our schools while also holding them accountable for delivering the results that will attract innovative companies and the good jobs they create. 

The current Legislature has made the wrong choices for our state. It cut funding for higher education in half. It cut funding to public schools and cut health care for seniors, all while giving away millions in our taxpayer dollars to big tobacco, tax evaders and private schools. As governor, I will make sure state government spends our taxpayer money on the right priorities, and, like Govs. Lynch and Shaheen, I will balance the budget without an income or a sales tax.”

Congressman Frank Guinta Uses $300,000 dollars of Taxpayer Money for campaign propaganda after he chastised Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter for doing the same in 2010.

A Frank Display of Congressional Mail : Roll Call News: “The franking system is designed to provide lawmakers with a taxpayer-funded way in which to communicate with their constituents about their activities in Congress. Although campaigning is specifically prohibited, lawmakers often walk up to the line of impropriety with the wording of their mailings.
According to an analysis of House disbursement records, from April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, there were eight Republicans and two Democrats who made up the top 10 Members using the service — Reps. Joe Heck (R-Nev.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kenny Marchant (R-Texas), Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).”

In a June 9, 2010, blog post entitled “More Propaganda From Carol Shea-Porter, Paid for by YOU the Taxpayer,” Guinta was harshly critical of a recent “Congressional update” mailer circulated to constituents by Shea-Porter on her economic legislative efforts.
“Clearly this was not an ‘update,’ it was Carol Shea-Porter campaigning with our tax dollars. These flyers were mailed not only to each household, but to individual voters, creating a great waste of taxpayer money and paper,” Guinta wrote.
“There is a thin line between maintaining a rapport with one’s constituents and electioneering. These pamphlets violate the idea of a ‘Congressional Update,’ and show an abuse of a representative’s franking privileges,” he added.

During that period, Heck has spent an estimated $422,000, Schilling has racked up $318,000, McKinley has totaled $312,000, and Guinta has totaled $308,000.”

Outrage Over The House Actions on SB 378

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | May 17, 2012 - 2:14 pm | Uncategorized
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Outrageous!

First they told us it was about fairness and not attacking unions.  Then they said it was about freedom and not attacking unions.  Now it is about snow removal and attacking unions.

Yesterday the New Hampshire House passed SB378 a bill that was submitted in January to help with snow removal of certain private roads and highways.  This is really of minor interest to me until the bill was changed.  On April 25th in an act of retaliation against the Senate, the NH House members placed amendments to Senate bills. These amendments were offered after the Senate killed many of the House bills.  So being a sly and sneaky speaker, O’Brien and his groupies added the language back onto other bills.  So now a seemingly innocent snow plowing bill looks like this:

SB 0378: “AN ACT allowing municipalities to remove snow from private roads and driveways and class VI highways, and relative to decertification of a bargaining unit.”

How did we get from snow removal to decertification of a bargaining unit?  Rep Daniels, who is also the chair of the House Labor Committee must have heard that the Senate referred HB 1645 to interim study.  That would effectively kill the bill.  So Rep Daniels added this language to SB378.

NH GENERAL COURT:”(d)  If the dues-paying membership of an employee organization is less than the number of employees needed to certify a bargaining unit, and such number is less than 50 percent of the number of positions comprising the bargaining unit, a secret ballot election may be requested by the board of the public employer to determine whether or not certification of the employee organization shall remain in effect.  If such request is made, the cost of holding the secret ballot election shall be borne by the public employer, though the cost of promotional materials shall be borne by the respective parties.  If the result of the secret ballot election results in the continuation of certification of the employee organization, no subsequent request shall be made by the board of the public employer for one year.”

This is the exact language of HB1645.  Not part of it, the entire bill.  Just so we are clear.  The House Passes HB1645.  The Senate refers it to Interim Study.  The House adds it back to a completely non-germane bill. And then when the House had a committee hearing on the “amended” bill they refused to take testimony regarding the decertification aspect of the bill!

So what it the point of all of this?  Well the House is trying in every possible way to force their anti-union agenda on the workers of New Hampshire.  This amended SB 378 will probably not be able to stand up if challenged in court.  But first the bill will have to go back to the Senate or committee of conference to approve of the amendment added by the house.  Does the Speaker and Rep Daniels really think the Senate is stupid enough to let that bill through without stripping the amendment?  I certainly do not think the Senate will fall for the dirty, underhanded politics of the Speaker and his Tea Party allies.

NH Unions Statement on NH Senate Decision to Table Right to Work for Less

  By The New Hampshire Labor News | April 11, 2012 - 2:32 pm | Uncategorized
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Statement on NH Senate Decision to Table Right to Work for Less
The NH Senate voted today to table repeat right to work for less legislation, acknowledging the legislation would fail but leaving the door open for extremely anti-worker House Speaker Bill O’Brien.
Following the vote, New Hampshire workers, labor leaders and community allies expressed hope that the Senate would take a similar approach to additional anti-worker bills from the House and move on to more important issues.
“The Senate took a step in the right direction today in voting to indefinitely table HB 1677. Their vote follows confirms what we hear each and every day: people are tired of right to work for less dominating the discussion in Concord,” said President Mark MacKenzie. “Yet New Hampshire’s working families still face threats in our Legislature. We hope that the Senate follows through on its promises to focus on jobs and rejects any other proposals to curtail the rights of Granite Staters.”
“Today we saw our senators demonstrate leadership by putting aside Speaker O’Brien’s never ending war against working families,” said Diana Lacey,  President of the State Employees Association. ”Unlike their 2011 vote, all of the senators know now that this bill has no chance of becoming law and it is good to see them signal to the House that the focus needs to be on job creation.”
Most workers and community members believe that NH House Speaker Bill O’Brien’s extreme Tea Party ideas are to blame for the continued attack on workers, public infrastructure and essential services. Rhonda Wesolowski, president of NEA-NH, called for the Senate to reject that agenda and instead take the lead on job creation initiatives. “We now look forward to the Senate enhancing the opportunity for better jobs through renewed support of public education and educators.”