Mass. AFL-CIO backs (Gov Deval) Patrick as he appears in Wisconsin

[TheNewMe]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/poli...io_ba.html

Posted by Glen Johnson
April 30, 2011 08:23 PM

Quote:Just before the governor addressed a Democratic dinner in Milwaukee, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes issued a statement defending Patrick against possible criticism after the Massachusetts House voted this week on a budget that sought to change health insurance programs for municipal workers.

Patrick has filed his own cost-saving proposal, and both he and Senate President Therese Murray have withheld commenting on the details of the House budget.

Haynes appears to be trying to maintain their support for any final deal.
...
[Robert Haynes]: "With a state Senate and governor consistently on the record in favor of municipal health care relief and collective bargaining, we are confident that we will ultimately pass legislation that provides for municipal health care reform and insures that collective bargaining will remain strong for the working families of Massachusetts."

[TheNewMe]

I'm hoping that the Massachusetts Governor and Senate do the right thing. I will continue to watch...

[TheNewMe]

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/...mode=story

Cap Times editorial
Posted: Friday, April 29, 2011 7:30 am

Quote:Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Founders Day dinner Saturday night.
...
But we hope that Wisconsin Democrats will say something to Patrick. They should tell the governor that he is doing a poor job of protecting the collective bargaining rights of public employees in Massachusetts.

Patrick and his legislative allies have been promoting a plan to limit the ability of public employees and their unions to bargain with municipalities over their health care benefits. This is a restriction on collective bargaining rights, pure and simple, and it is wrong.
...
Wisconsin workers — and their Democratic allies — have taken the lead in fighting for the rights of working families. That fight is a defense, first and foremost, of the collective bargaining rights that give public employees a voice on the job and in our communities as defenders of public services. Deval Patrick needs to be reminded of that fact and urged to rethink his wrongheaded approach to the budget debates in his own state.

[nofurylike]

(04-30-2011 09:26 PM)TheNewMe Wrote:  http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/...mode=story

Cap Times editorial
Posted: Friday, April 29, 2011 7:30 am

Quote:Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Founders Day dinner Saturday night.
...
But we hope that Wisconsin Democrats will say something to Patrick. They should tell the governor that he is doing a poor job of protecting the collective bargaining rights of public employees in Massachusetts.

Patrick and his legislative allies have been promoting a plan to limit the ability of public employees and their unions to bargain with municipalities over their health care benefits. This is a restriction on collective bargaining rights, pure and simple, and it is wrong.
...
Wisconsin workers — and their Democratic allies — have taken the lead in fighting for the rights of working families. That fight is a defense, first and foremost, of the collective bargaining rights that give public employees a voice on the job and in our communities as defenders of public services. Deval Patrick needs to be reminded of that fact and urged to rethink his wrongheaded approach to the budget debates in his own state.

it is too bad these so-called progressive didn't find out the facts before their usual knee-jerk criticism. matters are too crucial to be so carelessly and erroneously critical of Democrats.

i looked for, but don't see, a followup from after Governor Patrick spoke. i wonder how the authors of that article took what he said.

[nofurylike]

this is from an article after his speech:

Patrick pledges Massachusetts will not follow Wisconsin's lead on collective bargaining
By Jim Cryns
4/30/2011

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=235079

MILWAUKEE -- Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick pledged Saturday that his home state will not follow Wisconsin’s lead in rolling back collective bargaining rights for public employees.

“It’s not happening on my watch,” the Dem guv declared at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Founders Day Dinner. The line prompted the loudest cheer from the crowd during Patrick’s keynote speech.

-snip-

“We believe in the right to organize and bargain collectively,” Patrick said. “I will not let Massachusetts be a pawn in the effort to undermine collective bargaining and the right to organize.”

-snip-

###

[nofurylike]

thank you for posting this, TheNewMe.

[Still a Democrat]

Looks like the House Democrats are at odds with the union while the governor and Senate are more supportive.

Thanks for the additional info.

[nofurylike]

(05-01-2011 09:13 AM)Still a Democrat Wrote:  Looks like the House Democrats are at odds with the union while the governor and Senate are more supportive.

Thanks for the additional info.

i think you're right about that, Still a Democrat. and governor Patrick is strongly supportive.

there are only 4 repubs in the senate, out of 40.
there are 31 repubs in the house, out of 160, but there are also too many moderate Democrats.

[Julie]

This is re-assuring.

Julie