Workers’ Day
of Action Monday Feb. 26th
FCCPR’s Labor Task Force will co-sponsor a Workers’ Day of Action on Monday, February 26th at 3:30 p.m. at Greenfield Community College, One College Drive Greenfield MA 01301. Please join us and thousands of working people across the state to speak out for union rights.
On February 26th the Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments in Janus vs. AFSCME, a case that is meant to cripple public sector unions using Citizens United as an argument for national “Right to Work” legislation. This case threatens unionized and non-unionized workers alike. It has already been shown that workers who live in so-called “Right to Work” states have significantly lower wages and benefits than workers living in other parts of the country.
Speakers include Representative Paul Mark, Patrick Burke from Hampshire-Franklin Central Labor Council, and members of the MTA, MNA, and SEIU 509. This is meant to be a display of solidarity for unions, both public and private, in response to the Janus case and ahead of the SCOTUS decision. Community members are encouraged to attend.
FCCPR
Eyes Kulik’s Seat
Following
Steve Kulik’s announcement that he will not seek another term,
Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution (FCCPR) plans to
make sure that another progressive voice will join Rep. Paul Mark in
representing Franklin County in the State House.
“Franklin
County voted 70% for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary.
We need to elect a State Representative who reflects those same
values,” said Marti Hobbes of Montague. Those values include
supporting Medicare for All in Massachusetts, free public higher
education, sanctuary cities, strong legislation to fight climate
change, a $15/hour minimum wage and opposition to high stakes
standardized testing.
While
the field of candidates is still unclear, FCCPR is clear that it will
hold a public forum and engage in a democratic process among its 250
members to decide whether to endorse a candidate. “FCCPR
showed in last year’s Greenfield election that an endorsement
translates into a large number of active campaigners which in turn
leads to victory,” said Select Board member Bob Armstrong of
Conway.
FCCPR
has a Candidate Endorsement Committee which includes representatives
from each of its task forces (Education, Health Care, Civil Rights,
Peace, Labor, Campaign Finance Reform, and Climate Crisis). That
group will interview candidates who seek FCCPR’s endorsement and
make recommendations to the membership.
Candidates
should contact FCCPR at info@fccpr.us
if
they wish to inquire about endorsement.
FCCPR General Assembly – in case you
missed it
The February 11, 2018, FCCPR General
Assembly saw 60+ people avidly engaged in grassroots political
democracy. Here are some of the highlights.
Members heard about CPR’s myriad
accomplishments since just the 1st of the year:
- our gubernatorial candidate forum
attended by over 200 people - the launch of Tahirah Amatul-Wadud’s
Congressional campaign against Richie Neal at a CPR-hosted event in
Shelburne - 200 phone calls to legislators from the
100% Renewable event co-sponsored with Greening Greenfield - the launch of Democracy Here, CPR’s new
television show - the start of a campaign against
Greenfield Mayor Martin’s plan to privatize trash and recycling - participation in the Women’s Marches
in Greenfield and Northampton - the start of CPR’s Book Club
- helping launch the new ORMA (Our
Revolution Massachusetts) and a statewide Indivisible group - beginning to plan a conference on
Municipal Socialism.
Whew!
Members debated and voted on two
recommendations from our Candidate Endorsement Committee. That FCCPR
not endorse any of the candidates for Governor at this time was
approved by a vote of 50-33. That FCCPR endorse Tahirah Amatul-Wadud
was approved 77 to 7.
To see the rest of the minutes click here.
FCCPR Launches ‘Democracy Here’ TV Talk Show
FCCPR is pleased to announce the launch of “Democracy Here,”
a locally-broadcast television show hosted by Mary Malmros. Camera
work for “Democracy Here” was generously provided by Doug Selwyn,
Paul Jablon and David Greenberg. This project was produced, directed
and edited by our own Andrew Blais. Check out our first episode
here, where Mary interviews Greenfield City Council member Sheila
Gilmour and Greenfield School Committee member
Don Alexander, FCCPR-endorsed and newly-elected leaders in
Greenfield. Future shows will center on issues that reflect the work
of FCCPR’s eight task forces,
as well as issues that impact our lives right here in Franklin County
and worldwide.
Baystate Franklin Medical Center
Nurses Withdraw One-Day Strike Notice as They Seek Fair Agreement
That Protects and Improves Patient Care
Nurses withdrew their one-day strike
notice after Baystate Health agreed to schedule a negotiating date on
February 26 The registered nurses of Baystate Franklin Medical
Center, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, agreed
on Friday to withdraw their one-day strike notice after Baystate
Health requested the withdrawal in order to return to the bargaining
table on February 26. Nurses agreed to bargain while hoping for
progress toward a contract that must include improvements to RN
staffing and patient care, along with decent health insurance.
A 24-hour nurse strike had been
scheduled to start at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Baystate had
threatened to lock out BFMC nurses from 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27
through 7 p.m. Friday, March 2. BFMC nurses retain the right to
re-issue a new 10-day notice of a new one-day strike if necessary.
“Our community wants to see us
reach a resolution that protects and improves patient care,”
said RN Donna Stern, Senior Co-Chair of the BFMC RN Bargaining
Committee. “We have been seeking to negotiate a fair contract
all along, and we hope that the withdrawal of our strike notice gives
us space to reach an agreement that benefits our patients, our nurses
and our community.” .
The BFMC nurses will be meeting with
management to bargain on Monday, February 26.
“At Swords Point”
Labor History in Greenfield
March 10, 2 p.m.
at the Museum of Our Industrial Heritage 2 Mead St. Greenfield
Greenfield’s
remarkable industrial history is matched by an equally remarkable
history of organized labor. Hear the story of the United Electrical
Workers union (UE) at Greenfield Tap and Die (GTD) that defied
overwhelming odds to survive and fight for decent
living standards. A talk based on original research by Tom
Goldscheider.
Instruct our State Representatives
to vote for Single-Payer Health Insurance.
The
Single Payer Task Force is working on a non-binding ballot question
in two state representative districts in Franklin County. Also there
will be a Town Meeting Warrant in favor of Single Payer at the
Shelburne Town Meeting. Please let us know if you would be willing to
help out with these initiatives by collecting signatures and handing
out information.
If you can help collect signatures,
please contact Judy Atkins at judithga@comcast.net
Defend Civil Rights in Massachusetts
It’s hard to
believe, but Massachusetts has an initiative to rescind the equal
rights already guaranteed to Transgender individuals that will be on
the ballot in this election. Many think that the way the initiative
was worded makes it unclear whether this is to give protection of
rights or rescind them. This initiative reportedly received over
30,000 signatures and was sponsored by a right wing group, Keep
Massachusetts Safe, an affiliate of Keep America Safe. They
reportedly have deep pockets and will buy mass media spots to
obfuscate and sell their position. Freedom For All Massachusetts
(FFAM) will reach out to educate the public on the issue by phone
bank and canvassing where they can have dialogue with the public so
that voters are informed before the media onslaught which will no
doubt focus on bathrooms.
We will be
holding training and phone banks at our office on March 19, April 2,
and April 12 from 6pm-8:30pm and implore you to sign up and attend.
This initiative is an embarrassment to all of us in Massachusetts, It
is totally unacceptable for us to be the first state in the US to
rescind equal rights for Transgender people, or any other group for
that matter. Rushelle Frazier from FFAM who addressed our last
General Assembly will be working with us on this.
Contact Ken
Eisenstein kheisenstein@gmail.com to
sign up or for more information
https://www.freedommassachusetts.org/ for
more info on FFAM
New member meeting
March 17th, 2-3pm At the FCCPR
office, 345 Main St in Greenfield.
FCCPR would like to welcome all our new
members. Over 60 people have joined since September!
Do you have
questions you would like answered? Suggestions to make? Information
on the work our Task Forces are doing? All new and longtime members
are welcome.