2012
A RECAP
Bargaining
at the time of
fiscal crisis
While the union was engaged in
bargaining at a time of fiscal crisis for
many units, the union was successful
at winning wage increases in several
units (6% for some workers in
PBCSD, 2% in Palm Springs, and
1.2% for Pinellas County School
workers.)
We also enhanced layoff protection,
and increased worker input to
operations through Quality Public
Services Councils.
Additionally, union efforts stopped
the City of Delray Beach's proposal
to cut more than 16 full time jobs for
parks personnel and reduce public
services.
Experiment With Local Democracy
People’s
Budget
Review campaign was
launched
in
March
2012. More than 6000
people took a survey on
their priorities regarding
the
City
Budget.
Hundreds attended the
budget
summits
to
voice their opinion as to
how the City of St. Pete
should address the budget crisis. As a result of the campaign the
budget approved by the City reflected the desire of the people of
St. Pete. The approved budget rejected cuts to vital services and
adopted new measures to increase city’s revenue.
FPSU values its partnership with the PBR team including CONA,
Awake, League of Women Voters, Agenda 2010 and NAACP.
Save the Date!
Riviera Beach Ratification Vote
Jan 17: Jax Head Start
Meeting; FSM Meeting –
Union Hall, Palm Beach
Jan 19: City of St. Pete
Chapter Meeting; Palm Beach
RITZ Meeting
Jan 21: Martin Luther King
Day
Jan 24: PBCSD Chapter
Meeting
Feb 9: Pinellas County
Chapter Meeting
Feb 12: City of Orlando
Chapter Meeting
Stronger Together – A 2012 Recap
January 2013
Welcome AESOP
In Palm Beach County School District, members
and the Executive Board of the Association of
Educational Secretaries and Office Professionals
(AESOP) decided to affiliate with Florida Public
Services Union (FPSU). We welcome our brothers
and sisters at AESOP into our union family.
Remember we are stronger together!
Picture (Right): FPSU President Alphonso Mayfield is shaking hands
with Rick Urso while AESOP President Terri Matthews is in the center
Members Political Activism
Fiscal Cliff
And The Middle Class
FPSU members worked hard in the 2012 General
Election cycle to elect 8 out of 9 of our local's endorsed
candidates. At the state level, our union successfully
broke the supermajority in the Legislature and proudly
defeated anti-labor Speaker-designate Chris Dorworth.
While we had great victories this election season, the
road ahead will still be a rough one. We will need all
hands
on
deck
in
the
upcoming
2013
Regular Legislative Session as well as for the several
municipal elections kicking into high gear in the New
Year.
As we celebrate our great accomplishments, let us
always be prepared for tomorrow.
Picture (Right): Members GOTV team with State Representative
Mark Pafford
As a result of the pressure from the middle class and groups like SEIU,
Congress recently passed the “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012”
(ATRA) to avoid the impact of automatic budget cuts and prevent
America from going over the so-called “fiscal cliff.”
As a result, wealthy Americans – those making more than $450,000 as a
married couple or $400,000 as an individual – will pay more toward their
fair share in taxes. The new law protects middle class income tax cuts,
but did not extend the “payroll tax holiday”.
Up until 2010, workers paid 6.2% of their income into Social Security
every pay period – in 2010, the “payroll tax holiday,” cut the 6.2% rate to
4.2% and instead, the federal government contributed the 2% difference
into Social Security on behalf of the employees. In 2013, workers will
resume paying the 6.2% rate they were paying prior to 2010.
While workers will pay more in taxes due to the end of the payroll tax
holiday, if the Bush-era tax cuts and other middle class tax breaks had
been allowed to expire, working families would have faced a much
higher overall tax bill.
We won this fight to make the wealthy pay their fair share, but there is
much more work to be done to make our federal budget reflect our
nation’s values. As the new Congress goes to work, it should focus on
ways to help working families by protecting healthcare, vital services
and making our tax system fairer by closing corporate tax loopholes and
ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.
FPSU
Orlando
members
GOTV
campaign