Tag Archives: NH AFL-CIO

2018 End of Legislative Session Recap from AFT-NH

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AFT-New Hampshire President Doug Ley has posted an end-of-session look-back at significant education and labor legislation considered by the state legislature in 2018. Of special note, Senate Bill 193, which would have authorized redirecting taxpayer dollars earmarked for funding public education as “grants” (i.e., vouchers) to private households to pay for private school tuition or homeschooling costs, was finally put on the shelf after Senate members attempted to resurrect the bill after a bi-partisan majority of House members voted to send the bill to interim study (and voted again to keep it there). Senate Bill 193, described as the most radical school voucher bill to be introduced by any state legislature in the United States, was supported by Governor Chris Sununu. This wrong-headed and harmful bill deserved to be stopped in its tracks, and fortunately, it was.

On a less upbeat note, Senate Bill 318, a watered-down version of a bill that expands the maximum number of hours 16-and-17-year-old students are permitted to work during the school week and makes it harder for the Department of Labor to investigate suspected violations of youth employment regulations, was passed on the recommendation of a conference committee dominated by legislators with ties to the restaurant and hospitality industry. New Hampshire AFL-CIO actively fought the passage of the bill and similar 2018 bills to weaken wage & hour protections for teen employees.

Read more about these and other legislative developments on the AFT-NH web site.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SO-CALLED “RIGHT-TO-WORK” DEFEATED

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PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: February 16, 2017

Contact: Alan Raff, (603) 714-0258

New Hampshire AFL-CIO Reacts to House Vote on “Right to Work”

Concord – Following the House vote on so-called “Right to Work” today, Glenn Brackett, President of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO made the following statement: 

“Today a bi-partisan majority confirmed that ‘Right to Work’ is still wrong for New Hampshire, and this vote should be the final nail in the coffin.  Across the Granite State, working people stood together against this corporate-backed legislation that would cripple our ability to speak up on job. We thank the legislators who let workers’ voices rise above special interests’.”

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ICYMI: Right to Work Supporter Admits “Right to Work” is About Killing Unions

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ICYMI: Right to Work Supporter Admits “Right to Work” is About Killing Unions
 
 

Jim Roche, President of the NH Business and Industry Association admits that so-called “Right-to-Work” is really about destroying unions. Tell you legislator to oppose Right to Work! http://bit.ly/NHrtw

 

 

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New Hampshire Working Families Deal So-Called “Right-to-Work” Legislation Its First Blow

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New Hampshire Working Families Deal So-Called “Right-to-Work” 
Legislation Its First Blow In House Labor Committee Vote
 
 
Today, New Hampshire working families from across the Granite State stood together to protect workers from legislation that would have lowered their wages and exposed them to more dangerous work environments. The New Hampshire AFL-CIO would like to thank the 14 (ITL: 14/OTP: 7) members of the Committee that voted to defeat both the House and Senate versions of this deceptive “Right-to-Work” Legislation. Your support is not only appreciated but essential to defending our state against this anti-worker legislation.
 
 

Following today’s public hearing in the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ Labor Committee, New Hampshire labor leaders spoke out on the ant-worker legislation.

Glenn Brackett, President of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO: “The New Hampshire AFL-CIO was proud to stand with hundreds of working people across the state who are fighting to protect their rights at work. This legislation is an attack on working families by out-of-state special interests seeking to lower wages for everyone and undermine worker protections. The proponents of this legislation are playing politics with the future of our workforce, and New Hampshire working families deserve better.”

Richard Gulla, President of SEA/SEIU Local Union 1984: “So-called right to work has no place in the Granite State, and I’m proud we were able to pack this hall today with those who agree. Both of these bills are tired, recycled legislation that does nothing for the real problems facing our state. We need the House to reject these bills so we can get down to working together on legislation that helps – not hurts – New Hampshire families.”

Sarah Hirsch, President of the University of New Hampshire Lecturers Union: “The families of New Hampshire want the college students to be solidly prepared and ready to enter good careers. To do this, the faculty who teach and mentor them need to be protected, have job stability and security, good benefits, and a say in their working conditions!  Weakening unions ultimately weakens higher education, undercutting the development of a skilled workforce for New Hampshire at a time when we need more competitive workers in the state.”  

Frank Moroney, Executive Director AFSCME Council 93: “It’s a powerful statement that a majority of legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, voted against so-called “Right to Work” today. They stood together because they know protecting our right to speak up together on the job shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Right to Work would hurt working families across the Granite State, and we’ll continue to fight against this legislation as it moves to the House floor.”

Dennis Caza, President of Teamsters Local Union 633: “Today, hundreds of our brothers and sisters stood in Solidarity to defend the rights of New Hampshire’s workers. We hope that we have sent a message to the legislature that so-called “Right-to-Work” is not the solution that New Hampshire working families need. In the coming days, we urge workers in every industry across the state to contact their legislators and let them know that this so-called “Right-to-Work” legislation is wrong for New Hampshire.”

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NH AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett Testifies In Opposition To HB 1341, Another Version of “Right To Work” Legislation

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Yesterday New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett stood with numerous members of the New Hampshire labor community in opposition to HB 1341, a bill relative to employee payments to unions. HB 1341 is another attempt by the anti-union wing of the New Hampshire legislature to undermine the existence of organized labor in the Granite State. Below is an excerpt from President Brackett’s testimony:

“House Bill 1341 would establish a statutory right for all public and private sector workers, who are not union members but are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, to divert payment for the total amount of their union agency fees to a charity, for any personal reason, regardless of the negotiated terms of the agreement.

All New Hampshire employees covered under a collective bargaining contract already have a full legal right to redirect their union fees to charity based on legitimate religious objections. We are forced to conclude, therefore, that the true intent of House Bill 1341 is to weaken the collective voice of New Hampshire workers who benefit from representation by a labor union.”

House Bill 1341 is not a legitimate mechanism for increasing aid to charitable causes. To paraphrase William Shakespeare, so-called “right-to work” legislation called by any other name still smells like “right-to-work.” This bill, if passed, would allow those individuals that choose to have their union fees diverted to charity, to still take full advantage of the protections given by the union and collective bargaining agreement. The members that pay into their labor organization so that they can both protect and be protected in the workplace would be forced to shoulder the cost of those who opt out of the payments. This is not a fair burden to place on working families that already struggle to make ends meet and provide for their loved ones. 

 As New Hampshire
AFL-CIO President Brackett put it:

“House Bill 1341 offers no meaningful benefits to New Hampshire’s economy, workers or businesses. I urge members of the committee to vote this legislation ‘Inexpedient to Legislate.’”

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