El Cerrito Democratic Club

by Betty Brown

As of the writing (Sep. 30, 2013) BART management negotiators have rejected a compromise offered by Bart workers, and management is making extensive preparations for a strike cone October 11, 2013.

I wonder how many of our readers are aware of the August 6th Alameda Labor Council Resolution on the Dispute. There are four Whereas clauses and two Resolve clauses I’d like to call your attention to as follows:

Whereas, BART union members have been working hard days, nights and weekends for months to secure a fair contract from management thereby avoiding a work stoppage, and…

Whereas, While BART union members have shown a willingness to bargain on the important issues including worker and rider safety, pay discrimination, wages, health & welfare, and retirement, and…

Whereas, BART management has bargained in bad faith and has been missing from negotiations for much of the last 30 days and…

Whereas, BART management has hired an out‐of‐state lawyer, Thomas Hock, with a history of driving disputes to strikes as its lead negotiator, paying him $399,000 of taxpayer money, and…

Therefor be it Resolved, that the Alameda Labor Council immediately call on all parties involved in the BART dispute to reach an amicable resolution to this difficult situation which is essential to rider safety and reflects the workers need to earn a decent living, keep their families healthy and provide for a secure retirement, and finally…

Be it Resolved, that the Alameda Labor Council commits to aid and assist in facilitating a settlement at BART and will take whatever actions may be deemed necessary by the workers and management to reach an accord.

Josie Camacho, Executive Secretary‐Treasurer, signed the Resolution.

I personally see this as part of a bigger picture related to the strength of Unions in general and private compared to public workers. Private sector union membership has markedly declined in comparison to public sector workers. Unions being the antipathy of corporate right wing forces have been under attack and public workers in general are currently their target. I see it as in all of our best interest to oppose this race to the bottom!

by Carla Hansen

Tis’ the season for new laws! Here are a noteworthy few authored by Bay Area representatives . By no means is this a full list or explaination. Check out the Governor’s website‐ http://gov.ca.gov/home.php.

• SB 254 by Loni Hancock (D‐Berkeley): Provides consumers with options to help ensure used mattresses are deposited with recyclers, therefore alleviating landfilling and/or illegally disposed mattresses in streets and canyons. SB 254 contributes to the state’s 75% recycling goal by dramatically reducing the number of mattresses disposed in landfills while reducing the number of illegally disposed mattresses.
• AB 484 by Susan Bonilla (D‐Concord): Establishes the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress, commencing with the 2013‐14 school year, as the statewide assessment program, aligned with the common core state standards, and provides for a rational transition from the existing statewide assessment system to the new system. In addition, the bill provides direction on the administration and future expansion of the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress to ensure a comprehensive assessment system that best meets the needs of teachers, students, and parents.
• AB 123 by Rob Bonta (D‐Alameda): Requires the State Board of Education to ensure that the state curriculum and framework on César Chávez and the history of the farm labor movement in the United States and include information on the role of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement.
• AB 1092 by Marc B. Levine (D‐San Rafael): Requires the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop standards for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in multi‐family housing and non‐residential developments.
• AB 551 by Philip Y. Ting (D‐San Francisco): Allows cities and counties to establish Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones, to help encourage owners of undeveloped properties to use their land for urban farming, providing communities with urban green space and a local food source.

by Al Miller

In honor of the political ridiculousness happening at the federal level as of press time (i.e. government shut down), here’s a fun article, http://www.addictinginfo.org, outlining fifteen ideological differences between us donkeys and elephants. You know, in case you forgot.

1. Republicans fear that the government has too much control over corporations. Democrats fear that corporations have too much control over our government.
2. Democrats believe it benefits all of us to help the weakest and the poorest among us. Republicans believe it benefits all of us to help the wealthiest and most powerful among us.
3. Republicans believe large corporations will always do what is best for the American people if the government stays out of the way. Democrats believe large corporations would disembowel you and sell your organs to the highest bidder if the government didn’t stop them.
4. Democrats believe everyone is entitled to health care regardless of their ability to pay. Republicans believe everyone is entitled to jack squat if they can’t pay for health care.
5. Democrats believe too much of our money goes to crooked corporate executives who take government subsidies and pay themselves $80 million salaries. Republicans believe too much of our money goes to teachers who make $30,000 a year.
6. Democrats believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of patriotism. Republicans believe anything that helps the American people during a recession or a time of crisis is the true essence of communism.
7. Democrats believe that we need to set high standards for clean air and drinking water .Republicans believe that standards for clean air and water are burdensome over‐regulation.
8. Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President.
9. Democrats believe that corporate polluters should be made to pay for the cleanup of their pollution. Republicans believe that making corporations clean up their pollution is burdensome over‐regulation.
10. Democrats believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making people healthy. Republicans believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making a healthy profit.
11. Democrats believe Congress should be of the people, by the people and for the people. Republicans believe corporations are the people.
12. Democrats believe that corporations have too much influence over Congress due to their lobbyists and huge campaign contributions. Republicans believe the middle class has too much influence over Congress due to their voting and paying taxes.
13. Democrats believe we need to protect victims of corporate negligence by allowing Americans to file lawsuits against corporations. Republicans believe we need to protect large corporations from lawsuits by Americans who’ve been victimized by them.
14. Democrats believe that the rich should be taxed more than the poor and middle class. Republicans believe that the rich should be allowed to keep all their wealth, except for the millions in campaign contributions they give to politicians.
15. Democrats believe that too much money in politics produces corruption and destroys the American way of life. Republicans believe that money and corruption in politics are the American way of life.