Teamsters Newsletter
Inside Our Current Newsletter
- Ken Coleman writes "Why Join a Union?"
- Heros in Kodiak
- 2010 North Slope Construction
- Wayne Craft, From Trainee to Trainer
- Yukon Disaster Relief
- About Our Shop Stewards
- Members Celebrate 35+ years
- Local Welcomes Jerry South, Business Representative
- and more!
Legislative Update
HOT BALLOT ISSUE
Click on WWW.STOPTHEGAGLAW.COM to find out more about the Alaska Legislature's Gag Law Initiative that will be on the State's Primary Ballot in August of 2010.
2009-2010 Legislative Update
The 2009-2010 Legislative Session concluded on April 19, 2010, but not without a last minute frenzy of bills trying to make it through the system. The following is an update of bills we worked to pass or kill at various committee levels.
BUDGETS
SB 230 Capitol Budget. The Legislature passed this bill at a cost of over one billion dollars. The Governor is meeting with Legislators and with those of us who have a vested interest in Capitol money to hear the pitch of why our perspective projects should not be vetoed. The Governor has twenty (20) days, excluding Sunday, to exercise his power of line item veto once the budget is transmitted by the Legislature. The Legislature usually allows a reasonable amount of time, especially in regards to appropriations, for review by OMB before transmitting to the Governor. It is not anticipated the Capitol budget will be transmitted until the end of May or beyond. Included in the Capitol budget was funding for the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center in which we should get at least one power unit for training. Additionally, there may be other funding opportunities available outside the Capitol budget as well.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
SB 159 Workers’ Compensation Funeral Expenses, a bill sponsored by Senator Paskvan, passed in the final hours of the session, this bill will increase funeral reimbursement expenses from $5000.00 to $10,000.00.
SB 128 Workers’ Compensation related to Subcontractors, a bill sponsored by Senator Paskvan, was amended into SB 303 then died in committee. SB 303, which originally addressed liability issues, was amended in the Senate Rules committee removing the provisions of SB 128. SB 303 passed the Senate and was referred to the House of Representatives where it was waived out of the House Labor & Commerce and heard for about three (3) hours in the Judiciary Committee. At the end of the hearing, Representative Herron motioned to move the bill out of committee with individual recommendations. In an unusual move by the Chair, Representative Ramras, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, objected and forced a vote. When Representative Ramras realized he did not have the votes to kill the bill in committee, he called for an immediate revote in which Representative Herron went from a YES to a NO vote. This bill would have allowed injured workers or families of workers killed on the job to bring suit against a third party. Under current law, if a contractor were found to have been negligent on the job the subcontractor would pay under Workers’ Compensation.
HB 314 Workers’ Compensation Medical Fees and Fraud, sponsored by the House Labor & Commerce, died in the Senate Finance committee. The proposed changes to the fraud section of this legislation became controversial at the end. Recently, we have heard that the administration may adjust the medical fee portion of the bill through regulation, raising the question if the fraud changes were not the real, and only, reason for the bill.
HB 346 Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee, sponsored by Representative Olson, died in the House Finance committee after Representatives’ Kelly and Thomas raised concerns about having four (4) labor representatives on the committee. Others wanted a voting voice at the table as well. This committee was a recommendation from the Medical Services Review Committee last fall.
HEALTH CARE
While there were many health care bills introduced, the good news is not many passed. Some of the good bills included a bill that provided education loan repayments for designated classifications within the health care industry which did pass at the end of session.
HB 50 Nurse/LPN limit of Overtime, sponsored by Representative P. Wilson, this bill passed in the final hours of session. This bill was six (6) years in the making and we actively supported this legislation. While we have supported collectively bargaining these safety provisions, it became clear over the last year that without management sharing the same employee concerns, the protection of the law is even more important. The bill passed the House 34-4 and the Senate 20-0. Once signed by the Governor, who has been supportive, the law will provide limitations on overtime for employees in the health care field. We would like to thank our members at South Peninsula Hospital and Kodiak Island Hospital that made phone calls and wrote letters, or E-mailed their Representatives.
WORKER RIGHTS/JOB PROTECTION/PENSION
HB 30 PERS/TRS Defined Benefit Plan, sponsored by Representative’s Harris, Hawker and Munoz, HB 30 died in the House Labor & Commerce. This bill, along with SB 23, sponsored by Senator’s Elton, French and Ellis, would have returned public employee retirement plans from a defined contribution back to a defined benefit plan. Over the past year, there has been a lot of work and effort in an attempt to move this legislation. SB 23 made it as far as Senate Finance, where Senator Stedman, who is a strong defined contribution supporter, would not bring it up for hearing. This will be a major issue in the upcoming summer/fall campaign season.
HB 37 Right to Work, sponsored by Representative Gato, HB 37 died in the House Labor & Commerce. We would like to extend a big thanks to the hundreds of people that spoke against this bill.
HB 185 Anti-Project Labor Agreement (PLA), sponsored by Representative Kelly, died in the House Labor & Commerce after one hearing. Representative Kelly, who won his reelection two years ago by only a couple votes, has been very outspoken when it comes to Project Labor Agreements and has been supportive of the non-union ABC group on many issues.
HB 240 Tip Credit bill, sponsored by Representative Johnson, died in the House Labor & Commerce, but not without CHAR, which represents bar and restaurant owners, testifying in favor. This bill would have allowed the employers to deduct employee’s tips and credit towards their minimum wage. This bill was introduced as a counter to the Minimum Wage bill that passed last year.
OIL/GAS TAXES/INSTATE PIPELINE
HB 308 Oil/Gas Production tax incentive for local hire, sponsored by Representative Johnson, died in the House Resource Committee after the administration testified that it would cost the state billions of tax dollars.
HB 369 In-State Gas Pipeline Management team, sponsored by Representative Chenault, passed in the final hours of session. This bill provides a management team, headed by AHFC director working with the administration, railroad and ANGDA to create a plan for construction of an in-state gas pipeline.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
SB 285 Campaign Finance, sponsored by Senator French, proposes reporting and disclosing requirements on Corporations and Unions as a result of a recent Supreme Court decision that allows both to spend money in campaigns for, or against, candidates. This bill passed in the final hours of session; while it does not limit the amount of money that can be spent it does set initial requirements.
OTHER ISSUES
SB 257 Youth Court bill, sponsored by Senator Egan, passed at the end of session. This bill provides an on going funding mechanism for this very important program. There was also an increment of $150,000.00 added to the budget to assist some of the programs around the state. We became involved at the request of our members at the City of Wasilla Police Department and the Mayor.
SB 230 Denali Commission funding, which is devoted to development of rural Alaska, passed in this session. The Commission received three million dollars in general state money and four million dollars for project participation. The Commission provides funding of valuable projects and training to rural areas. We have participated in the training of many rural residents over the years. The Denali Commission has also received millions of dollars in federal funding.
Worker Misclassification, Representative Olson’s office has agreed to work with us next year on this legislation. IBT President James Hoffa has been working on this issue for several years at the national level. We believe that if we can make some changes to address this matter on a local level it will protect jobs and save the state millions of dollars that is not accounted for in such areas as Workers’ Compensation and other areas in which payments are not made on behalf of workers because of misclassifications.
If you need specific information regarding a particular bill or to review meeting minutes, as well as obtain information on legislatures, log on to www.legis.state.ak.us. If you have questions or comments please contact Barbara Huff Tuckness at (907)565-8236 (office) or (907)227-4572 (cellular) or via E-mail at bhuff@akteamsters.com.