(ALBANY) - U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced New York State is a finalist in the second round for Race to the Top funding – which Assemblyman Sam Hoyt is a direct result of the Legislature passing a package of bills sponsored by the Buffalo lawmaker. 

The three bills, which more than doubled the cap on charter schools from 200 to 460, established a state-wide comprehensive data system and set a new teacher evaluation system that served to make New York State viable for up to $700 million in federal funds.

“While I was disappointed to hear that New York did not win funding in the first round of the ‘Race to the Top’ awards, I knew that we would have another chance during the second round.  I applaud the Legislature for passing the necessary reforms in order to put New York in the running this second time around,” Hoyt said. “I have tirelessly promoted these reforms as essential for improving schools across the State.”

Nearly a year ago, Hoyt wrote a letter to Governor David Paterson, urging him to prioritize legislation that would enact needed reforms to make New York eligible for the stimulus funds.  In October, Hoyt introduced legislation that has been described as the most comprehensive education reform bill in New York State in a generation.  Though a special session was convened in January, it was done only 24 hours prior to the application's due date and no legislation was passed.  It was not until May of 2010 that the reforms were adopted, in time for New York to submit a more competitive application for the second round of funding.  The package of legislation sponsored by Hoyt made New York eligible to be a finalist in this second round of awards.

“The Obama Administration made it clear when they awarded only two states in the first round that they are rewarding states that are ready and willing to implement serious education reform,” Hoyt said. “As Secretary Duncan said, ‘Education is the civil rights issue of our time.’  These are much-needed funds for New York and I will do everything in my power to ensure our schools, teachers and students get the funding they deserve.”

The winners for the second round of Race to the Top will be announced in September.

(WASHINGTON) – Last week, Western New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (New York-28^th District) voted to extend unemployment insurance benefits to millions of out-of-work Americans and the families they support, saying: “Many hard-working Western New Yorkers, who through no fault of their own are out of a job, need this assistance to help pay bills, put food on the table and provide for their families.  I refuse to tell my constituents who are struggling that we don’t care what happens to them.”  

The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act passed the House by vote of 272-152 after being ushered to the floor through Slaughter’s Rules Committee.  In June, the Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate for May in Rochester was 7.3% and 7.6% in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.  Passage of the bill will give much needed benefits to 190,000 New Yorkers, more than 12,000 of which are in Western New York.

“At a time when millions of families across the country are struggling to make ends meet, we must lend a hand.  Many hard-working Western New Yorkers, who through no fault of their own are out of a job, need this assistance to help pay bills, put food on the table and provide for their families.  I refuse to tell my constituents who are struggling that we don’t care what happens to them,” Congresswoman Slaughter said.  

The bill follows weeks of obstruction by Republicans involving important measures that would have promoted job creation here in the U.S., but extended critical unemployment insurance benefits to help Americans support their families as they look for their next job opportunity.

Approximately 2.5 million unemployed workers Nationwide have lost their unemployment insurance benefits.  H.R. 4213 will extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Benefits programs through November 30th, 2010.  In addition, the legislation will retroactively restore benefits to recipients who may have started losing their benefits as early as the end of May.

(BUFFALO) – The Western New York Chapter of the statewide Working Families Party (WFP) has announced its 2010 Political Endorsements:

U.S. Congress

27^th District – Brian Higgins

28^th District – Louise Slaughter

New York State Senate

58^th District – William Stachowski

59^th District – Cynthia Appleton

60^th District – Antoine Thompson

62^nd District – George Maziarz

New York State Assembly

138^th District – Francine DelMonte

141^st District – Crystal Peoples-Stokes

143^rd District – Dennis Gabryszak

144^th District – Sam Hoyt

145^th District – Mark Schroeder

146^th District – Brad Rybczynski

Erie County

County Clerk – Kathy Hochul

County Judge – Ken Case

Niagara County

Treasurer – Kyle Andrews

Town Justices

Boston – Mike Metzger

Cheektowaga – James Vallone

West Seneca – Jeff Harrington

City/Town Races

City of North Tonawanda Treasurer – Greg Schnitzer

Town of Alden Clerk – Sean Nowicki

Town of Lancaster Council – Mark Aquino

(HAMBURG) - Brad Rybczynski, the Labor-endorsed candidate for the 146th Assembly District seat, has pledged – if elected - to champion lobbying and ethics reform in Albany.

“As someone who has worked in this arena, I see a need for reform,” said Rybczynski, who has been endorsed by a number of Western New York Labor Organizations, as well as the Western New York Chapter of the Working Families Party.  “The average citizen is at a disadvantage and needs the playing field leveled.  The halls of government should not be a playground for the wealthy and well connected.”

Rybczynski pledged to introduce legislation to increase transparency and accountability in the lobbying community, which would require any donations, cash or in-kind services - made by a lobbyist or lobbying firm - be reported to the New York State Commission on Public Integrity.

Currently, all donations of more than $99 to a candidate must be reported to the New York State Board of Elections.  In order to determine who is attempting to influence lawmakers, one would now need to first know each lobbyist that is registered within the state and have a handle on all firms registered to lobby, as well.  It would then be necessary to cross-reference each of these individuals or entities with individual elected officials’ or candidates’ financial records.

It is highly unlikely that the average citizen would have the time or resources to conduct these types of searches, Rybczynski said. 

“While the taxpayers of New York State are busy trying to make a living, raising a family or working hard on balancing their home budgets, so many of our elected officials in Albany are being influenced on how government runs and operates by contributions from big lobbying organizations.  We, the public, do not have time to dig through reams of documents to find this type of information.  This legislation will make it openly available to the public,” he said.

Additionally, Rybczynski said he will call for increased penalties and fines for those caught intentionally trying to end-run the current system. 

“Our elected leadership and those who are trying to persuade the decision makers in government need to know that they are held to a higher standard.  When they fail to uphold that standard they should not be allowed to get off with a slap on the wrist,” he said.

Furthermore, Rybczynski also pledged to call for an increase in scrutiny of all donations received by campaigns.  This will include strict guidelines and fines for those who file financial reports late or not at all, he said.  Most importantly, the candidate will be held responsible for any dereliction along with their campaign treasurers.  “The way the system works now a candidate has a degree of separation and does not feel the full sting when financials are late or missing information.  They should be held personally responsible,” Rybczynski said.

“My campaign for the 146th Assembly District is based on the premise that we, as taxpayers, have been ignored for too long and have been left out of the loop on many decisions that affect our daily lives and how we provide for our family.  It’s time to send a clear message to career politicians in the legislature that they work for us and that taxpayers are the only special interest group they should be concerned with,” he said.

(BUFFALO) – As a direct result of incumbent Mark Schroeder’s high-profile and recent support for an anti-Union/anti-Worker Walmart store in South Buffalo, the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) has issued a “no recommendation” in his 145th District State Assembly election race and will ask the New York State AFL-CIO not to endorse Schroeder’s re-election bid.

In addition to Schroeder, the WNYALF also issued “no recommendations” in two other races, the first involving the 144th Assembly District and incumbent Sam Hoyt, and in the 58th Senate District Primary - which pits Democratic incumbent William Stachowski against fellow Democrat and Erie County Legislator Tim Kennedy.

In an interview with WNYLaborToday.com, WNYALF President Angelo Vellake - who also serves as executive vice president and area director for UFCW (United Food & Commercial Workers) Local One - minced no words when it came to addressing Schroeder, a Democrat, and his public stance on Walmart.  Vellake sharply called Schroeder a “hypocrite” for describing himself as a “champion of Labor,” while “doing the exact opposite” when it came to championing a new Walmart store within his district.

“The UFCW is happy the Area Labor Federation has taken this action,” said Vellake, whose Union represents grocery store workers in Western New York.  “(Schroeder) is not worthy of Labor’s support.  He held secret meetings with Walmart without (Labor’s) knowledge and was given an opportunity to ‘cease and desist.”  He refused to do that.  He’s a hypocrite for saying one thing and doing the exact opposite.  This is why the WNYALF will ask the New York State AFL-CIO not to issue an endorsement in the 145th District race.”

Last week, Schroeder was one of a number of 25 area local and state elected officials and candidates to come before the WNYALF’s endorsement committee meeting that was held at the IUPAT (Painters) District 4 Union Facility in suburban Cheektowaga. 

Area Labor Leaders said an “emotional” Schroeder “jumped right in to it” during his interview and verbally “lashed out” at WNYALF Vice President Richard Lipsitz, who also serves as Business Agent/Labor Movement Liaison with Cheektowaga-headquartered Teamsters Local 264, and Buffalo AFL-CIO President Michael Hoffert – who, along with Vellake, recently met with Schroeder to discuss his public stance on Walmart. 

Several Union Officials who attended the WNYALF candidates’ meeting tell WNYLaborToday.com that Schroeder was also upset that details of what he believed was a “private meeting” and discussion with the three Labor Leaders was reported on by Labor’s Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper.

“We didn’t even ask the question.  He jumped right into it.  Did he think we would publicly approve of what he’d done?  Did he think we would just sit on our hands and do nothing?” Buffalo AFL-CIO President Hoffert asked. 

Another Labor Leader, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “Schroeder’s in The (Buffalo) News, quoted as saying the Walmart project was a ‘game-changer” in his district and that he had been meeting with Walmart, and he doesn’t like Labor making the community aware of what’s going on in ‘our’ newspaper?” 

Added Vellake: “(Schroeder) knows about Walmart (and its anti-Union/anti-Worker track record).  He chose not to share with Organized Labor what he was meeting with Walmart about.  We found out about that in Buffalo’s daily newspaper.”

Despite the fact Walmart is known as an anti-Union retailer that has been charged with numerous worker wage violations, Schroeder publicly calls the decision by Walmart to open a new 115,000-square-foot supercenter - which would employ 300 and straddle the border between South Buffalo and West Seneca - a "game-changer" for Seneca Street.  Reportedly, the store would feature general merchandise and a full-service grocery store under one roof.

For years, Walmart has come under fire for years for its shoddy treatment of its employees. 

For example, WNYLaborToday.com recently published a Labor News Report from California detailing Walmart's agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit and pay up to $86 million to 232,000 affected employees.  Walmart employees had charged they were collectively denied over $12 million in vacation pay and $74 million in other unpaid wages mandated by California law.  While agreeing to settle the multimillion-dollar lawsuit, Walmart continues to refuse to acknowledge cheating its workers out of hard-earned wages.  The report also noted the settlement is separate from the $640 million agreement in 2008 in which Walmart agreed to settle 63 federal and state class-action lawsuits that claiming similar illegal wage violations.

Schroeder, meanwhile, stood behind his nearly 100% voting record with Organized Labor on issues important to Unions during the WNYALF endorsement meeting.  But, Vellake said, Schroeder “went off the deep end” at one point - blaming New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the “three men in a room” for the overall inability of locally-elected state officials to bring to fruition a number of important projects and initiatives in Western New York.

“If that’s the case, maybe (Western New York’s Labor Leaders) should go straight to Albany and meet with the ‘three men in a room’” to get things moving, Vellake said.

Vellake, meanwhile, said he was still having a hard time understanding why Schroeder would back such a project.  He added the reaction from the WNYALF will impress on any elected official or candidate that “you can’t take Organized Labor for granted.”

“It doesn’t make sense to me (why Schroeder would involve himself in the Walmart project).  It doesn’t bring about economic development.  This would take jobs away.  This also shows that you can’t engage in any action that damages any (Union) affiliate of the Federation.  (Organized Labor) has never been more unified in this decision and I thank all the individual Unions that took part in the process,” Vellake said.

Asked how the action might be taken by the individual member Unions of the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council – which has traditionally been a big supporter of Schroeder – Vellake replied: “What Mark Schroeder did would be no different that if he had met with the (non-Union) ABC (Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.) and the Trades would have come to the WNYALF afterward and asked he not get our endorsement.”

Despite the way things rolled out, Hoffert said Schroeder informed “all Labor Representatives the WNYALF endorsement meeting that he was in favor” of the Walmart project. 

Democratic Buffalo Assemblyman Hoyt, meanwhile, did not get the needed two-thirds support from Organized Labor to receive a “positive recommendation,” WNYALF Vice President Lipsitz tells WNYLaborToday.com.  Instead, Hoyt received “non-recommendation” status after the area’s Teachers Unions had addressed a number of issues and problems they have had with Hoyt, which led to the “non-recommendation,” Lipsitz said.

A “no recommendation” was also issued by the WNYALF in the 58^th Senate District race pitting Stachowski and Kennedy.  No immediate reason was given by the WNYALF for the non-recommendation in that race.

Another Assemblyman – Republican Jack Quinn, who is vying for the 58^th State Senate seat held by Stachowski – also found himself in the middle of a charged discussion with Buffalo AFL-CIO President Hoffert, who took issue with Quinn’s stance on the use of taxpayer subsidies to large companies such as Bass Pro on Buffalo’s Waterfront.

“It got a little hot,” is the way Hoffert described the question-and-answer session. 

“(Quinn) starts talking about how the Republicans are doing this and that to roll back taxes.  I said, ‘Hey Jack, this is our money here.  You’re going to be giving thirty-five-million dollars to Bass Pro so they can sell Chinese-made lures,” Hoffert said he told Quinn.  “You’re looking to roll back taxes?  How about rolling back taxes for the Working Man instead of corporations?’”

Editor’s Note: The WNYALF’s recommendations will be forwarded to the New York State AFL-CIO.  The New York State AFL-CIO Executive Council will then submit their final recommendations for a vote that will be held at the New York State AFL-CIO COPE Convention on August 15th & 16th.  The following is a full list of the WNYALF’s recommendations:

New York State Senate:

District 60 - Antoine Thompson

District 61 - Marc Coppola

District 62 - George Maziarz

New York State Assembly:

District 138 - Francine Delmonte

District 141 - Crystal Peoples

District 143 - Dennis Gabryszak

District 146 - Brad Rybczyinski

District 150 - William Parment

U.S. Senate: Charles Schumer & Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. House of Representatives:

Congressional District 27 - Brian Higgins

Congressional District 28 - Louise Slaughter

Congressional District 29 - Matt Zeller

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (New York-28^th District) is publicly thanking the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) for endorsing her bill - H.R. 1549/The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act - and agreeing that excessive antibiotic use is a serious public health issue that leads to drug-resistant bacteria.

Last year, Slaughter introduced the bill - which has 13 co-sponsors - to protect seven types of antibiotics from being indiscriminately used in animal feed. 

“This is a welcome step and an important momentum builder,” Slaughter said. “I appreciate AFSCME taking a stand on this critical health issue and I’m glad that they came down on the side of science and public health.  This legislation is common sense will ensure that antibiotics keep Americans safe.  Our doctors need every tool they can get to take care of their patients.”

The resolution issued by AFSCME read, in part:  “The use of low doses of human antibiotics in factory farms, given routinely to perfectly healthy farm animals, is a major cause of antibiotic resistance, diminishing the efficacy of antibiotics for human use, creating a growing public health threat of antibiotic resistance.  These antibiotics, which are vital to protecting human health for everything from skin infections to salmonella to bacterial pneumonia, should always be administered judiciously.”

(BUFFALO) – New York State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt of Buffalo (144th District) is urging the Senate to pass legislation that would eliminate bonuses to Public Authority employees and board members.  The bill (A.7242b/S.3664b) has already passed the Assembly twice in the last 13 months - but has not been passed by the Senate.

“The state has a ten-billion-dollar deficit, state employees are facing lay-offs and tax credits meant to stimulate private sector investment are being deferred because of the fiscal crisis,” Hoyt said.  “This is not the time to give employees bonuses.  As the state is faced with its most difficult economic times since the Great Depression, we should be using our resources to keep people employed, offer low-cost power and services or using these funds to make critical investments in our infrastructure - not paying out bonuses.”

The bill, which passed the Assembly in June 2009 and in March 2010, has not yet passed in the Senate.  The bill will ensure that employees and board members, who are not part of a collective bargaining unit, will not receive any bonuses other than their usual compensation, benefits and authorized reimbursements.

The recent revelation made by Assemblyman Richard Brodsky that authorities made $7 million in bonus payments, should prompt the Senate to take immediate action, Hoyt said.  His committee’s investigation into this issue has revealed only a preliminary report and a follow up could show an even larger amount to have been paid out.  After failing to pass this critical legislation twice, it is imperative - Hoyt added - that they take up the matter when they return to pass their budget revenue bill and other vital pieces of legislation.   

Public Authorities are quasi-governmental agencies that operate outside of normal government oversight.  In 2009, the Public Authorities Reform Act went into effect, which created the Authorities Budget Office (ABO) - a new agency responsible for monitoring all of the public authorities in the state. 

Even identifying the number of public authorities has become a challenge, Hoyt said.  The Department of State, State Attorney General’s office and the ABO all have different figures for the number of authorities that exist.  The figures range between 700 and 900 entities.

“These bonuses are just another example of New York State’s authorities out-of-control spending and lack of accountability,” Hoyt said.  “They operate without being held accountable for their actions to one voter.  As taxpayers are asked to pay more in fees and taxes while simultaneously having their services cut, it is patently unjust that these authorities are paying out bonuses while ordinary New Yorkers are struggling.  I’m urging the Senate to do what it should have already done and pass my bill to eliminate these kinds of bonuses.”

(NEW YORK) - 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) United Healthcare Workers East hasannounced its endorsement of State Senator Eric Schneiderman for New York State Attorney General.  Schneiderman has been endorsed by 1199's Executive Council, the Union's highest decision-making body, in a unanimous vote.

From his days as a 15-year old community activist until the present, Eric Schneiderman's commitment to the community and dedication to public service has produced a long record of accomplishments for Working Families that is second to none, the SEIU said.  Schneiderman's work in fighting the insurance companies on behalf of patients, fair funding for public schools, holding the MTA accountable to the riding public and reforming the draconian Rockefeller drug laws are just a few examples of his efforts to bring equality to all New Yorkers.

"1199 SEIU is extremely proud to endorse Eric Schneiderman for New York State Attorney General.  Eric's commitment to Working Families and social justice are what makes him the strongest candidate in this race and we will work incredibly hard across the state to get him elected," said George Gresham, President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. 

"Eric's long record of public service and activism on issues our members care deeply about demonstrates his ability to bring positive change and progressive results.  We need strong leadership in Albany and we are confident that Eric will continue to seek equality and justice for New Yorkers as the next Attorney General," Gresham said 

Said Schneiderman: "This is such an incredible honor.  I'm so proud to have the backing of the hard-working men and women of 1199 SEIU.  From the Civil Rights Movement to Health Care Reform, 1199 has always been fighting the important battles - and delivering - for New Yorkers.  As Attorney General, I will fight to deliver equal justice for you.  That means ending a system where there is one set of rules for the powerful and another for everyone else.  I thank the members of this great Union for their support.  You can rest assured that I will fight every single day to protect Working and Middle-Class families."

1199 SEIU represents 275,000 Health Care workers in New York State and will work to mobilize the membership on Schneiderman's behalf, Union officials said.  SEIU also plans to direct mail, phone-bank and go door-to-door to all members and retirees across the entire state.

With 350,000 members in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington D.C., 1199 SEIU is the largest and fastest growing Health Care Union in the country.  Its mission is "to achieve affordable, high quality Health Care for all."