Denis Hughes, President	Ed Donnelly, Director
March 10, 2008	Issue Eight

President's MessageFor High Road Economic Development

Many people of good will in Albany are discussing what to do to redevelop upstate, especially the deindustrialized areas.

But there is an insidious tendency, promoted by the more shortsighted sections of business, to support "low road" economic development: the creation of low-wage, dead-end jobs that provide little benefit to employees or communities.

There is a need to refocus discussions about economic development on the distinction between high-road and low-road economic development. High-road economic development means economic growth at the local, regional, and state level that creates quality jobs, protects the environment, and ensures that taxpayers get their money's worth from public investments.  A "high road" strategy uses government leverage to compel businesses to act in a socially responsible manner. High road policies result in better and more secure jobs, a stronger tax base, and economic growth that benefits employees, corporations and governments.

In Syracuse, devastated by the loss of Carrier Corporation, a worthy project has been pending for 4 years that would create perhaps 500 family-supporting well-paid industrial jobs for machinists at an intermodal facility, and it has up till now proved inordinately difficult to get the attention of upstate economic development officials.

In Rensselaer, it took strenuous efforts by the State Fed to compel state transportation officialdom to confront Amtrak and demand the saving of the Amtrak Car Repair Facility from further job cuts, when it is obvious to all that the facility is a jewel, an enormous asset to the regional transportation system likely to enjoy growth soon.

In NYC, Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal is a political football. The debate is all about taxation, not about improving service for millions of riders, and certainly not about workers' well-being. Ignored are the transit unions' four principles that would take the regressivity of existing proposals, and apply any new monies raised to expand service in the short term and long-term, especially in under-served communities.

The root question is: What is economic development for? An abstraction called "competitiveness"?  Maximum corporate profit? No.  Economic development is meant to be in the interests of the public, most of whom are working families. Economic development that disadvantages working people ought to be considered a contradiction in terms. 

Call to ActionLABOR LOBBYISTS MEETING

Monday, March 10, 2008
100 South Swan Street, Albany
1:00 p.m.-Lunch will be served.

Senator Joseph Robach, newly appointed Chair of the Senate Labor Committee will attend.

Issue of the WeekThe New York State AFL-CIO strongly supports:

A. 7528 Nolan/S. 3884 Flanagan

An Act to establish a Farm Workers Labor Protection Act.
   
The instant bill provides a comprehensive list of labor and other pertinent law reforms to benefit farm labor. Collective bargaining is the marquee right extended in this bill. Other rights include the eight hour day, day of rest, as well as worker compensation and unemployment benefits.

All of the rights described in the bill are at least two centuries overdue. The principal advocate for maintaining the serf-like conditions of these farm workers is the NYS Farm Bureau whose well funded operation has resisted bills like this one for many years.

The time for change is upon us and this Federation urges the Legislature and Governor to act with all deliberate speed to improve the lot of agricultural workers and their families.
The Assembly bill is currently in the Codes Committee and the Senate Bill is currently in the Labor Committee.

Keep An Eye OnTuesday, March 11, 2008 - 10:00 a.m.
Higher Education Issues Work Group to meet at New York State AFL-CIO; Legislative Meetings to follow.

Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 11:00 a.m.
Unemployment Insurance Task Force Meeting, 52 Broadway, 19th Floor, Room A, NYC.