UPEC Joins Statewide Coalition on Child Welfare Services

Saturday, March 13, 2010

REDDING - UPEC Business Manager Chris Darker signed in support of a Statewide coalition of elected officials, county agencies, legal representatives, current and former foster youth, social workers, service providers and many other organizations, associations and community-based agencies. In a letter to state leaders, the coalition is urging them to reject Governor Schwarzenegger’s $120 million ($80 million General Fund) reduction to Child Welfare Services in his 2010-11 budget and to reject any further cuts in this vital safety net program. “We represent employees in several counties who will be impacted by these cuts. These cuts will negatively impact children, workers and the economy of the communities where our members serve”, stated Darker.

The Governor first made this reduction as a line-item veto in 2009 and has sustained the cut in his proposed budget, released in January. The Coalition to Protect Our Children, Our Future stated this cut is already yielding devastating consequences to children that will ultimately shift the financial burden of caring for them to other state programs. It slashes the last remnants of State protections for our most vulnerable children, harms children and adds costs to future California budgets,abandons those who “age out” of foster care and subverts the will of the Legislature.

Last Spring, both the Senate and Assembly determined that cuts to Child Welfare Services would put California children at risk and cost the State over $40 million in federal funds. Nevertheless, Governor Schwarzenegger unilaterally reduced the Child Welfare Services budget. It jeopardizes millions in Federal funds and will cost California in steep Federal penalties resulting in an increase in costs to taxpayers.

Candidate Interviews Scheduled

Friday, March 12, 2010

REDDING - The Five Counties Central Labor Council will sponsor a candidate forum on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. The forum will be hosted by LIUNA/UPEC Local 792 at 1860 Park Marina Drive, Redding. Refreshments will be available. All organized labor organizations and their members are welcome to attend. Seating is limited and locals may reserve seats for their members in advance by sending an email to Chris Darker: .

Candidates for Board of Supervisors District 5, Sheriff, District Attorney, Assessor-Recorder and Auditor have been invited. Additional candidates who file after March 12, 2010 may be invited at a later date.

Candidates for office will be given a total of 15 minutes allowing for a 5 minute statement and 10 minutes for a questions and answer period. Question cards will be available at the event and read to candidates by the moderator. Local unions who have specific questions may send them in advance by email to Chris Darker: . 

A forum for City of Redding Candidates will be scheduled in late August 2010.

UPEC Supports IBEW Local 1245

REDDING - After months of negotiation with the City of Redding, IBEW Local 1245 is up for a final showdown at City Hall on Monday, March 15th at 6:00 pm. UPEC Business Manager Chris Darker is asking Shasta County area UPEC Members to join him at Redding City Hall to support Redding City Electrical workers in their fight for a new contract. The meeting scheduled for Monday is specific to the IBEW workers. 

Yreka City Employees Join UPEC!

HQ - The general employees of the City of Yreka called on UPEC to meet with them and hear about the representation and services offered by UPEC. Following the presentation and Q & A session, members voted to be represented. “We are excited and honored to be asked to represent the Yreka employees”, said Business Manager Chris Darker. UPEC agreed to start representation immediately following the meeting and pending notices to the City Manager advising of the affiliation of the Yreka Employees Association with UPEC Local 792. Representatives have begun working on issues and will be preparing for negotiations for a contract that expires this June.

Protests Mount Over Plans To Close Calif. Toyota Plant

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

TOYOTA:  ANTI-UNION / ANTI-CONSUMER

UCS News Service reports:

Toyota’s decision to close its huge New United Motors Mfg. Inc. (NUMMI) plant in Freemont, Calif. April 1 was being met by an increasing storm of protest as the day approached. The closing would take the jobs of 5,400 workers at the plant and those of some 35,000 to 50,000 parts and other workers whose livelihoods depend on facility.

United Auto Workers and Teamsters members - who haul new vehicles to dealers - protested outside the Embassy of Japan in late Janunary. A mid-February demonstration outside the plant kicked off a nationwide campaign to save it.

The plant had been in a joint venture with General Motors since 1984. When GM decided to drop its Pontiac line, Toyota said it would close the plant even though, according to the union, only 10 percent of NUMMI’s capacity was used for the Pontiac brand. The popular Toyota Corolla sedan and Tacoma truck are the plant’s mainstays.

The NUMMI facility is the last remaining auto manufacturing plant in California. Toyota plans to move production to Canada and Japan. Speaking at the January rally, UAW Vice President Bob King called on Toyota to not abandon “the principles that made them successful globally.” He said that when the company began its U.S. operations it was known for loyalty to its workers and lifetime employment for its workers in Japan.

“It is a betrayal of workers to try to take the jobs away from them. To shut down 50,000 jobs is a betrayal of the consumers who have been most loyal to Toyota,” King said.

NUMMI has claimed in the past to pump more than $500 million in wages and benefits into the California economy annually.
University of California Professor Harley Shaiken., who specializes in labor and the global economy, says the decision to close the plant could add more than $2 billion to the U.S. trade deficit.