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• Jun 23, 2008 Labor Needs to Improve Conditions for Non-Union Workers, Official Warns Labor Needs to Improve Conditions for Nonunion Workers, Official Warns Patrick Andrade for The New York Times All union workers’ gains are vulnerable, says Ed Ott of the New York City Central Labor Council. function getSharePasskey() { return...    more...  
• Jun 18, 2008 Monroe County Vows Oversight on Companies' Labor Practices Monroe County vows oversight on companies' labor practices Jim Stinson • Staff writer • June 18, 2008 OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1'); function NewWindow(height,width,url) ...    more...  
• Jun 14, 2008 State Needs to Approve IDA Reform Legislation The Buffalo News Saturday, June 14, 2008   Everybody’s Column State needs to approve IDA reform legislation Updated: 06/14/08 6:51 AM Let’s stop giving tax breaks for Fantasy Island rides and speculative office space. The current system is broken. Critics of a comprehensive industrial...    more...  
• Jun 1, 2008 Remarks of Bruce Popper, Healthcare Reform SEIU International Union Convention Resolutions Committee San Juan, Puerto Rico June 1, 2008 Remarks of Bruce Popper, Vice-president 1199 SEIU United Health Care Workers East Re: Proposed Resolution #114 “Single Payer Universal Healthcare” (submitted by Local 1199 UHE) and Proposed Resolution...    more...  
• Apr 22, 2008 Libraries deserve top-shelf financing Libraries deserve top-shelf financing Ove Overmyer • Guest essayist • April 22, 2008 function NewWindow(height,width,url) {window.open(url,"ShowProdWindow","menubars=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,height="+height+",width="+width); } The state budget passed on April 9 has...    more...  
• Mar 29, 2008 Remarks of Aron Reina, R&GV ALF Annual Meeting 2008 Remarks of Aron J. Reina Lead Field Organizer, Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Annual Meeting 2008 Monroe Community College Rochester , New York March...    more...  
• Mar 28, 2008 Assemblymember Susan John Announces an Opportunity for Your Son or Daughter Assemblymember Susan John Announces an Opportunity for Your Son or Daughter to Attend SUNY Maritime   SUNY Maritime College has an opportunity for one student from the 131 Assembly District to receive a four-year full tuition scholarship.   ...    more...  
• Mar 19, 2008 Remarks of Bruce Popper, Rally on the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War Remarks of Bruce Popper First Vice-president, Rochester and Vicinity Labor Council, AFL-CIO Rochesterians Against War Rally on the 5th Anniversary of the U.S. Invasion of Iraq Liberty Pole Square Rochester, New York March 19, 2008         In my own union, Local 1199,...    more...  
• Mar 11, 2008 Remarks of Bess Watts on Monroe County's Appeal of the "Martinez Decision"           My name is Bess Watts; I am the President of the Rochester-Finger Lakes Chapter of Pride at Work.   In justifying Monroe County ' s plan to appeal the Martinez decision,...    more...  
• Mar 7, 2008 Rejecting Gay-Marriage Benefits is Discriminitory Friday Faceoff: Rejecting gay-marriage benefits is discriminatory Bess Watts • Guest essayist • March 7, 2008 function NewWindow(height,width,url) ...    more...  
• Mar 5, 2008 IDA Reform Needed IDA reform needed Agencies have value, but law must stress more accountability function NewWindow(height,width,url) {window.open(url,"ShowProdWindow","menubars=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,height="+height+",width="+width); } The recent dustup over the value of industrial...    more...  
• Feb 22, 2008 How Time Has Changed the Relationships of Capitalism Consumers and Citizens: Same Person, Different Responsibilities Philosopher, Adam Smith, writing in the 1700’s, understood and explained the basics of supply and demand to our world. He wrote that rising prices would encourage producers to enter a market, while decreasing prices would...    more...  
• Dec 21, 2007 Burying Movement Conservatism: Impeachment is a Good Place to Start             It is time again to bury movement conservatism and to bury it even deeper than the New Deal buried it. The question now is will an impeachment process be necessary to accomplish a return to democracy, equal opportunity,...    more...  
• Dec 19, 2007 City Project Holds Promise Brian Sharp Staff writer (December 19, 2007) — A unique project that will build 40 high-end condos in the popular East End could provide a blueprint for future development — particularly when it comes to troubled properties in the city. The local...    more...  
• Nov 13, 2007 Expanding SCHIP is right thing, but also makes economic sense Expanding SCHIP is right thing, but also makes economic sense John Sweeney and James Bertolone Guest essayists (November 13, 2007) — The single most compelling reason to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program is also the...    more...  
• Oct 23, 2007 Workers Seek Education for a Better Job, Better Life WORKERS SEEK EDUCATION FOR A BETTER JOB, BETTER LIFE By Mark Hare Columnist Rochester) - "I was nervous to go back to school," says Kiesha Girtman of Rochester. "I'm 31 and didn't know what to expect, being in with young kids. But it's what I wanted to do for myself." For those who've...    more...  
• Oct 14, 2007 Labor is helping to open door to city 'School of Construction Arts' Labor is helping to open door to city 'School of Construction Arts' James V. Bertolone and Frank Wirt Guest essayists (October 14, 2007) — For more than a year and half, organized labor, particularly building trades unions, have worked...    more...  
• Oct 4, 2007 Negotiations falter THE CAMPUS-TIMES University of Rochester October 4, 2007 Opinion Negotiations falter By The Editorial Board Last night, 750 members of the Service Employees International Union voted to authorize the negotiations committee to set a deadline of Saturday at midnight to end talks with...    more...  
• Oct 4, 2007 UR EMPLOYEE ATTACKED IN CITY THE CAMPUS-TIMES (University of Rochester) October 4, 2007 UR EMPLOYEE ATTACKED IN CITY By Andrew Bruml (Rochester) - Latasha Shaw, a 15-year employee in UR Dining Services, was fatally stabbed while breaking up a fight Saturday night on the west side of the city. Shaw, 36, leaves...    more...  
• Oct 1, 2007 Long-Time Food Service Employee Latasha Shaw Dies UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER NEWS Office of Communications MEDIA CONTACT: Sharon Dickman (585) 275-4128; sdickman@rochester.edu October 1, 2007 LONG-TIME FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEE LATASHA SHAW DIES Latasha E. Shaw, a 15-year employee in dining services at the University of Rochester, died...    more...  
• Sep 29, 2007 U of R Contract Talks Get Tense RNEWS (Time-Warner Cable) September 29, 2007 U OF R CONTRACT TALKS GET TENSE by Leah George (Rochester) - Contract negotiations between the University of Rochester and its service workers union are getting tense. "It's hard and people are struggling," 1199SEIU Vice Chair Sharon Hale...    more...  
• Sep 20, 2007 Unions Debate Contract Terms THE CAMPUS-TIMES (University of Rochester) September 20, 2007 UNIONS DEBATE CONTRACT TERMS By Erin Philbrick (Rochester, NY) - The contracts of the members of the Local 1199 SEIU and SEIU Local 200 United, comprised of over 1,400 service workers employed on the River Campus and at the...    more...  
• Sep 14, 2007 Forum Calls for Oversight of COMIDA   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more...  
• Sep 4, 2007 A Parade With a Purpose: US Workforce Honored in Annual Event   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more...  
• Sep 3, 2007 Rochester Fire Union President Has Retired   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()',...    more...  
• Sep 3, 2007 Treat All Working People Fairly to Restore Justice in America   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more...  
• Aug 30, 2007 Congress Must Vote Troops Home Congress must vote troops home I read with much dismay but no surprise that Congressman Randy Kuhl once again is attempting to reinvent history (Aug. 16 essay "Congress mustn't micromanage war"). The fact is that the Republican majority voted to give the president authority to invade...    more...  
• Aug 22, 2007 Phillips employees voice concerns Union employees at Philips Lighting let the public know Tuesday that they are not happy...    more   
• Aug 8, 2007 Opening Statements - Collective Bargaining Negotiations Between SEIU & University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital Union Opening Statement Collective Bargaining Negotiations between Local 1199 SEIU and SEIU Local 200United and Strong Memorial Hospital and the University of Rochester August 8, 2007 by Bruce Popper 1199 SEIU Vice-President Since 1974, there have been seventeen union...    more...  
• Jul 27, 2007 What's to reform? Wicks Law protects taxpayers By: James V. Bertolone, President, and Aron J. Reina, Lead Field Organizer Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Over the past months we’ve been assaulted with claims that the Wick’s Law is the only thing preventing our economy from seeing the massive upswing of...    more...  
• Jul 26, 2007 Shoppers offered few safeguards against 'Wild West' imports /US Home World U.S. Politics Entertainment Health Tech Travel Living Business Sports Time.com CNN Video...    more   
• Jul 23, 2007 Unrest Pressed Clothing Workers   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more   
• Jul 22, 2007 Delphi Workers Feel Pinch   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more   
• Jul 21, 2007 Union takes step toward possible strike at Delphi   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more   
• Jul 20, 2007 Hundreds join rally to unionize Crowne Plaza   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more...  
• Jul 20, 2007 Court OKs deal for Delphi to slash UAW pay   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more   
• Jul 18, 2007 Labor rally targets city hotel   Place an Ad Customer Service Subscribe | Our Mission Reader forums (rp - 1)) rj = 0; rt = setTimeout('runRotatingShow()', rotShowSpeed); } //...    more...  
• Jul 16, 2007 Is Postal Service Suffering? document.write(' '); document.write(currTemp); 62°F Forecast Video Noon 69° 5pm 72° ...    more...  
• Jun 22, 2007 Drivers Picket Against Palmer Foods Drivers Picket Against Palmer Foods by Seth Voorhees Photo by Todd Krupa Published Jun 22, 2007 A union representing...    more   
• Jun 19, 2007 Get Return on Business Tax Breaks   Get return on business tax breaks Jesse Lenney Guest essayist Post Comment (June 19, 2007) — The outrage over the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency subsidy to the Wellesley Inn is a perfect example of why the statewide...    more...  
• May 9, 2007 Critics Blast IDA's, Empire Zones Critics blast Empire Zones, IDAs They say the economic development programs are costly, miss job targets Jay Gallagher Albany bureau chief (May 9, 2007) — ALBANY — Critics ripped two of the state's largest economic...    more...  
• May 8, 2007 Unionizing low-wage workers breaks the cycle of poverty Unionizing low-wage workers breaks the cycle of poverty Lack of job benefits hurts working poor By DAVID JONES Posted Monday, May 7th 2007, 12:00 AM While certain segments of the city are experiencing the best...    more...  
• May 8, 2007 Unfair to Bash Public Employees Wages Unfair to bash public employee wages Michael Bertolone Guest essayist (May 8, 2007) — Once again, Gannett's Jay Gallagher has used his column to bash public employee unions ("Public sector has labor pains," March 31). Gallagher...    more...  
• Apr 30, 2007 Strike a New Deal Now: City & state must demand better pay for building staff in corporate retention pacts Strike a new deal now City & state must demand better pay for building staff in corporate retention pacts BY JAMES PARROTT and BILL THOMPSON Monday, April 30th 2007, 4:00 AM Be Our Guest The city and state are reportedly in negotiations with JPMorganChase, the ...    more...  
• Apr 27, 2007 Workers Distrust Behavior-Based Safety Programs On April 28, 2007 , men and women throughout the country will pause to pay their respects for Workers’ Memorial Day. Each year working men and women take time to remember those who have been killed or injured on the job, while renewing their pledge to make workplaces safer. Sadly, the...    more...  
• Apr 25, 2007 Firms Counter Union Charges: Picketing Continues at Walgreen's Geneva Site Firms counter union charges: Picketing continues at Walgreens' Geneva site By CRAIG FOX, Finger Lakes Times Wednesday, April 25, 2007 10:41 AM CDT GENEVA - Members of two Rochester-area building and trade councils...    more...  
• Apr 25, 2007 Tax Break for Brighton Hotel Draws Protest Tax break application for Brighton hotel draws protest By RACHEL E. DEWEY Messenger Post Staff Posted: Apr 25, 01:39 PM EDT An applicant's past history has raised concerns about COMIDA officials charged with doling out relief dollars the public will never recoup. ...    more...  
• Apr 19, 2007 Speech to Rochester Board of Education Speech to the Board of Education Rochester City School District Written & Presented by: Daniel DiClemente, President BENTE/AFSCME Local 2419 On behalf of the members of BENTE/AFSCME Local 2419, we extend our congratulations to Dr. William...    more...  
• Apr 12, 2007 Pass Bill to Bolster Unions, Work Force By James V. Bertolone (April 12, 2007) — The U.S. House recently passed the Employee Free Choice Act, which is needed to restore our nation's middle class. The EFCA would require a company to recognize a union when a majority of workers sign union authorization cards. It also would establish...    more   
• Apr 6, 2007 Congressman Kuhl Gets More Than Expected By Aron J. Reina, Lead Field Organizer Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation                         (April 6, 2007) Last Saturday, more than 150 Labor activists converged on Congressman...    more...  
• Mar 31, 2007 Library Was Scene of Forum & Protest: Kuhl Vote Draws AFL-CIO Ire March 31, 2007 Library was scene of forum & protest: Kuhl vote draws AFL-CIO ire Article & photos by Brad Turner There could be no mistake about it. Democracy was in action at the Southeast Steuben County Library today. A "Town Hall Meeting" convened by...    more   
• Mar 31, 2007 Kuhl Pressed on Iraq, Labor Issues By Mary Perham leaderbath@yahoo.com (Corning) - The war in Iraq, a labor act and local poverty topped the agenda at a town hall meeting held Saturday morning by U.S. Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport. More than 50 people attended the 9 a.m. meeting at the Southeast Steuben County...    more...  
• Mar 9, 2007 America’s Workers Are Struggling By Jim Bertolone, President, Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation and John J. Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO All people want their children to do a little better than they’ve done. A little better education. A little more saved. ...    more...  
• Mar 6, 2007 Cutting Upstate Adrift Won't Serve It Well A statement from the Fiscal Policy Institute Tuesday, March 6, 2007 Frank Mauro, Executive Director, 518-786-3156 Cutting Upstate Adrift Won’t Serve It Well Like the “Unshackle Upstate” coalition, the Fiscal Policy Institute strongly recommends a...    more...  
• Feb 27, 2007 State: Memo to Spitzer: A Better Path to a Better Economy STATE: Memo to Spitzer: A better path to a better economy Published by Jon Greenbaum on Feb 27, 2007 Second of two articles. With Upstate New York mired in one of the nation's most sluggish economies, business and political leaders are searching for a...    more   
• Feb 20, 2007 State: A Better Way to Boost Upstate's Economy STATE: A better way to boost Upstate's economy An alternative to business leader's 'Unshakle' plan By Jon Greenbaum on Feb. 20th, 2007 First of two articles. On February 15, the people of Sulphur Bay (on the tiny South...    more   
• Feb 9, 2007 One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity James V. Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation This is my second article on the Fiscal Policy Institute's proposed economic agenda to reverse the negative economic trends in Upstate NY and improve economic conditions throughout the state. In this...    more...  
• Jan 26, 2007 One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity James V. Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation The above is the title for the proposed economic agenda of the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI), a non-partisan research and education organization that focuses on the economic well-being of...    more...  
• Dec 31, 2006 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone  
• Dec 22, 2006 Subsidized Businesses May Get Without Giving Back Jim Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, Assisted by Jesse Lenney, Organizer for UNITE HERE and Metro Justice Council Member   On December 11 we celebrated the 59 th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human...    more...  
• Jun 9, 2006 Some 'Unshackle Upstate' proposals pose problems "Unshackle Upstate, a Growth Strategy for a Stagnant Economy" is being touted by the Rochester Business Alliance and the Business Council of New York State as a blueprint for revitalizing our economy.   A careful reading of the document reveals the same corporate driven Chamber of...    more...  
• May 12, 2006 Worker safety nets failing as funding, staffinf cut Picture yourself hanging by a rope, dangling off a 100-story building cleaning windows without an appropriate safety harness or protective gear.   Think of yourself descending into a dark mine shaft wondering if there is enough oxygen for you and your fellow workers if something should...    more...  
• Apr 7, 2006 Wanted: Affordable, universal, uniform perscription program President Bush recently stopped by our community to promote the new Medicare Part D program.   As far as we are concerned – D stands for disaster, disdainful, dreadful, damaging and most of all disappointment. For Medicare recipients who truly wanted and needed a...    more...  
• Jan 13, 2006 Make time to examine PSC stance on telecom deregulation     In the past I have written of Labor's views on the subject of deregulation, from trade policies to public services.  If you haven't had enough of deregulation shifting billions in costs to taxpayers from the airlines bailouts and other private industries defaulting...    more...  
• Dec 31, 2005 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone  
• Dec 2, 2005 Human rights rallies to call for recognition of workers' voice International Human Rights Day is on December 10 th each year.   As part of this important commemoration, the American Labor movement will mobilize nationwide to demand that a worker’s fundamental right to a voice at work is recognized socially and legally.    At town...    more...  
• Oct 21, 2005 Workers' Reality Conflicts with Media's Optimism John Sweeney, President of the National AFL-CIO assisted in writing this editorial.   Despite media headlines emphasizing recent job creation and a housing construction boom, America’s workers are anxious about the nation’s economy and do not hold out much hope for the...    more...  
• Jul 29, 2005 How the big-box stores threaten national economy Big box stores are becoming increasingly common across our nation and right here at home.   This type of approach to retail business is a major threat to the wages, benefits, health care and livelihoods of workers across the country and around the world.   Mega retailers, such as...    more...  
• May 27, 2005 U.S. workers fear trade agreement repercussions The Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), signed May 28, 2004 , between the United States , the Dominican Republic and five Central American countries is a severe blow to America ’s working families.   Debate is...    more...  
• Dec 31, 2004 Union members were determined Kerry volunteers, voters     Election Day 2004 was not surprisingly, an enormous disappointment to the working families represented by the AFL-CIO.   Exit polling and independent surveys show that our members turned out in droves and 65 percent of them voted for Kerry.   One out of every...    more...  
• Dec 31, 2004 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone  
• Sep 24, 2004 Firm repays community with union-busting tactics Some of the greatest barriers workers face in winning the right to bargain collectively and form a union are widespread union busting tactics which are often illegal but rarely punished.   Every employer in our community should be held accountable for meeting at least a basic standard...    more...  
• Jul 23, 2004 Bush's approach brinds hard times for workers While admittedly, we in the labor movement have all enjoyed witnessing public hysteria over Michael Moore’s new film “ Fahrenheit 911” and we shamelessly cheered upon hearing that the film reached number one at the box office, the fact is that the upcoming election is crucial to the...    more...  
• Jun 18, 2004 Legislation to Strengthen Workers' Rights is Needed                              It's time for the Employee Free Choice Act.    The Employee Free Choice Act (5.1925, H.R. 3619)...    more...  
• Jun 3, 2004 Quit Blaming Labor Unions for Ills    more...  
• Apr 9, 2004 Workers' compensation rates cry out for reform This year, as the American Labor Movement again prepares for Worker’s Memorial Day (April 28) the New York Union movement has made Workers’ Compensation reform a priority.   Workers who were injured on the job, through no fault of their own, have been living on the same Workers’...    more...  
• Mar 5, 2004 Labor working to block four more years of Bush According to U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige, the National Education Association is a terrorist organization. Paige made the reference on Monday, February 23 at a White House meeting with Governors.     NEA is one of the nation’s largest teacher’s unions.   I am...    more...  
• Dec 31, 2003 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone - 2003  
• Dec 31, 2002 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone-2002  
• Dec 31, 2001 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone-2001  
• Dec 31, 2000 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone-2000  
• Dec 31, 1999 Collection of Editorals/Essays by Jim Bertolone-1999  
• Dec 31, 1998 Collection of Editorials/Essays by Jim Bertolone - 1998  
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