DELAWARE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES COUNCIL 81 AFSCME LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 2016

 SUPPORTING

HB 274 – Compensation Bargaining – This bill allows for collective bargaining in each of the defined units when a majority of the identified employees are recognized. In addition, specific dates and timeframes are added.

SB 168 – Hazardous Duty Pay – This Act includes Department of Transportation employees who work on interstate, expressway, arterial, and collector roads in the classification of employees who are eligible to receive hazardous duty pay.

Budget Bill Epilogue Language Restoring Overtime Pay to 37.5 Hours

House Concurrent Resolution 60 – HCR 60 – This concurrent resolution rescinds all previous requests by the Delaware General Assembly for a federal constitutional convention.

Sustainable Wage Legislation

Our state and communities need legislation that will provide a wage that will sustain families, decrease dependence on public services necessitated by the lack of a sustainable wage and improve the quality of life which makes this state a place for employment and growth.

Pro-employee and pro-employee family legislation

Along with sustainable wages, support of legislation which improves the quality of life for Delawareans supports our state’s efforts to bring jobs to Delaware and raise our standard of living.

Legislative Efforts of Coalition Partners

OPPOSING

Right-to-work initiatives

Enterprise zones – right-to-work zones in disguise

Diminution of Benefits for Public Employees – Pension, Health Care, Overtime, etc. Diminution or restructuring of workforce that places the health or safety of employees at risk

Any legislation which places public employees that prefers others in a superior position and relegates public employees in a secondary status

LEGISLATIVE PHILOSOPHY

AFSCME Council 81 will build, support and advance support for coalition partners who share our view of legislation that mutually advances our goals:

AFSCME Council 81 will promote responsible, affordable health care, sustainable wages, economic security in harsh economic times, intrusion of technology or unreasonable surveillance into the privacy of worker’s lives, secure retirements and freedom to form and maintain strong unions and worker’s rights, preserve quality public services at a time of budget-straining demand, create and preserve jobs, fund quality services:

AFSCME Council 81 will base its support for, or opposition to, a legislative initiative on the following criteria:

• Does it advance AFSCME’s priorities to improve the quality of life for its members and all Delawareans?
• Does it improve the lives of working women and men in Delaware?
• Does it promote and advance the professional practice, personal growth, and economic welfare and rights of our members?
• Does it place an equal burden on public employees or does the impact unfairly settle the issue on “our member’s backs?”
• Does it keep collective bargaining rights protected and vital?
• Does it discourage the right to organize?
• Does it work to improve the wages, benefits and working conditions of our members?
• Do the social or fiscal ramifications advance, protect or injure the governments our members serve?

AFSCME Council 81 represents over 7,000 public employees who “Make Delaware Happen” by serving residents of Delaware on a twenty-four hour basis doing the necessary jobs that many times even families cannot perform. An affiliate of the largest public employee union in the United States, AFSCME International representing 1.6 million public employees.