Juneau, Alaska–In efforts to make our voices heard by Alaska legislators on the Employee Free Choice Act and public employee pension reform, 130 ASEA/AFSCME Local 52 members converged on the capital for an educational conference highlighted by lobbying and an exciting rally. The event took place over two days, February 18th and 19th.
Prior to meeting legislators in person to lobby, Local 52 members received in-depth information on the voting records and tendencies of legislators whose votes we need for passage of the proposed measures under consideration.
Next, our members met with their legislators in personal one-on-one meetings to add their personal touches to the context of the Employee Free Choice Act and Alaska legislation in the forms of HB 30 and SB 54. The latter measures seek to return public employees to a defined benefit [retirement plan] from the present defined contribution (401k). The defined benefit was erased and replaced with the defined contribution by the Alaska Legislature in 1995 as a cost-saving mechanism, resulting in miniscule savings since its enactment.
The event included an all-union rally on the capitol steps where over 350 Alaska unionists turned out to remind the Alaska legislature that if talking fails to get our voices heard, we don’t mind yelling a little.
Legislators aren’t the only politicos who need a public employee pension wake-up call: Governor Sarah Palin publicly took note of the need to improve state employee pensions from a study she commissioned upon taking office in 2006. Nevertheless, as governor, she inexplicably proposed a $42 million reduction in the general fund for state employee pensions, while complaining of ongoing problems in recruiting and retaining quality state employees.
ASEA/AFSCME Local 52 remains steadfast in its commitment to enlightening the Alaska public and its elected officials of the need to pass these paramount legislative measures–not just for the betterment of public employees, but for a better Alaska.
Sam Rhodes
ASEA/AFSCME Local 52, AFL-CIO
Sam Rhodes is a Business Agent and Organizer for ASEA/AFSCME Local 52, representing more than 8500 state and municipal employees in various locations across Alaska.
