New York State AFL-CIO

End the Rhetoric and Reform IDA’s Now

We constantly hear about how bad the upstate economy is and the endless, empty promise of fixing it. For decades various economic development programs have been tried, yet time after time, big business lobbyists have killed every attempt to establish wage standards or accountability in these programs.

Industrial Development Agencies (IDA’s) were established to create and retain jobs. We were told that if we give away our local tax dollars to businesses that in theory, they will create enough new jobs so that the lost revenue will be replenished. At the same time the economy will thrive. That is clearly not the case.

The problem is that when these programs do not meet their goals, not only are we left with an economy that continues to deteriorate, but we have even higher property taxes for our already overburdened working families. The only result is tax free profits for a select few.

After decades of failed attempts to revive the upstate economy, big business has many of our elected officials convinced that somehow better paying jobs will hurt the economy. It is amazing that one can make this argument with a straight face.

Industrial Development Agencies have become the poster child for the need to reform. They have operated unchecked and even today it is near impossible to get a firm number on how much of our local tax revenue has been given away. This has to change now.

We need accountability and transparency. We need prevailing wages for any construction projects that are IDA backed. We need to establish new wage standards to ensure that IDA backed employers are creating real jobs. We cannot delay the need for real job standards any longer.

We need to make sure these employers use New York State labor, instead of recruiting contractors and workers from out of state.

We need all of our leaders, local and state, from both parties, to say enough is enough.

Denis M. Hughes, President

Call to Action
LABOR LOBBYISTS MEETING
June 2, 2008
1:00 p.m., State Fed Headquarters

Assemblyman Peter Abbate has been invited.

Issue of the WeekCrane Safety

Considering the recent crane collapse tragedies in New York City, common sense dictates the last thing that should occur is a weakening of crane licensing and operation laws/regulations.

Rumors are rampant that contractors and their representatives are doing exactly that and have had numerous meetings to push this untimely and dangerous agenda. Let it be clear the New York State AFL-CIO will staunchly oppose any attempt that will weaken the state’s important crane safety programs and we ask all affiliates to keep their ears to the ground and oppose such efforts.

Keep An Eye OnTuesday, June 10, 2008,
Nurses Lobby Day, Capitol Steps, Albany, NY
Nurses, call your union office for further information